Heat Trust, the consumer champion for heat networks, has welcomed this week’s extension of the Energy Ombudsman service to all heat network consumers. This means that consumers not covered by the Heat Trust scheme can now use the service for the first time.

The Heat Trust consumer protection scheme (which covers over 85,000 homes and micro-businesses across Britain) will remain the only way to ensure that consumers are protected by clear rules until Ofgem is able to provide full regulatory oversight from 2027.

Stephen Knight, Chief Executive of Heat Trust, said:

“It is great to see that all heat network consumers now have the right to take their unresolved complaint to the Energy Ombudsman – a right that those living on Heat Trust registered heat networks have enjoyed for a decade. 

"For the time being, there are still no consumer protection rules in place for heat networks that are not registered with Heat Trust. So we continue to advise heat suppliers to register their heat networks with our scheme, to both protect their consumers now and to prepare for Ofgem regulation."

From 1 April 2025, consumers on heat networks that aren't registered with Heat Trust can take unresolved complaints to the Energy Ombudsman about problems that arose on or after 1 April. The Energy Ombudsman will continue to consider any complaints about Heat Trust registered heat networks against Heat Trust rules, as now. Heat Trust publishes information for consumers wanting to complain about their heat supplier here:https://www.heattrust.org/complaints.