First GB–wide independent heat customer protection scheme goes live

25 November 2015

From today, over 15,000 heat customers are benefitting from free independent complaint resolution and minimum customer service standards.

This is through the launch of Heat Trust, a new industry-led customer protection scheme that sets standards in key areas including performance, reliability and customer service. The Energy Ombudsman will provide the independent complaints handling service to ensure fair treatment of customers.
Launched at Heat Conference, Heat Trust announced that E.ON, SSE Heat Networks and Metropolitan King’s Cross have become its first members.

Bindi Patel, Head of Scheme said:

“I am delighted to welcome E.ON, SSE and Metropolitan King’s Cross as the first members of Heat Trust. The launch of Heat Trust is a key milestone for the district heating sector, demonstrating its commitment to giving customers peace of mind in their heating and hot water supply.
I look forward to working with industry, government and consumer bodies to ensure Heat Trust provides effective protection to as many customers as possible.”

Lord Bourne, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, welcomed the launch of Heat Trust:

“My priorities are keeping energy bills as low as possible for hard working families and businesses and ensuring everyone has access to reliable and low carbon energy.
Heat networks play an important role in these priorities but they need to do so in a way that focuses on consumers, I am therefore happy to support the launch of the Heat Trust as the UK’s first independent consumer protection scheme for heat networks.”

Heat Trust provides protections to customers across Great Britain. The Scottish Government Minister for Business, Energy and Tourism Minister Fergus Ewing said:

“The Scottish Government believes that development of a sustainable renewable heat industry will be a key factor in helping Scotland meet its climate change targets and provides huge business opportunities. The launch of the independent Heat Trust is a positive step forward for the protection of householders and micro businesses connected to heat networks.

“Earlier this year, the Scottish Government published its Heat Policy Statement which sets out our framework for a resilient heat system. We are committed to a largely decarbonised heat system by 2050 which will require action by householders, business, industry, the public sector and communities across Scotland.”

Customers that live on heat networks registered to the Scheme will be able to refer a complaint they may have with their supplier to Ombudsman Services: Energy for investigation. Speaking at the launch of Heat Trust, Simon Morris, Deputy Chief Executive of the Ombudsman Services said:

“We are delighted that Heat Trust has recognised the value and quality of independent redress and are proud to be providing the dispute resolution service for them. As of today, energy customers that use a heat network registered to the scheme have the extra reassurance that they will be protected if things don’t go to plan with their energy supply.

“As the value of customer service becomes increasingly important for both consumers and businesses, providing dispute resolution which is independent, free to the consumer, and at low cost to the industry, is an example of best practice.”

 

ENDS

Download press release here

Notes to editors

For further information, please contact:

Bindi Patel
Head of Scheme, Heat Trust
T +44 (0)20 3031 8740
E This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

About Heat Trust

Heat Trust is a voluntary industry-led customer protection scheme that recognises best practice. The Association for Decentralised Energy announced in March that it was formally backing Heat Trust.
It puts in place a common standard in the quality and level of protection given by heat energy suppliers to their residential and micro-business customers. It also provides an independent process for settling disputes between customers and their heat supplier. This is provided by the Energy Ombudsman which is operated by the Ombudsman Services.

Heat Trust protection is aimed at heat energy suppliers who contract with metered or unmetered domestic and micro business properties where the heat customer pays their supplier directly for their heat energy. Where appropriate, the level of protection afforded under the Scheme seeks to replicate that of gas and electricity customers.

The Scheme is now open to applications. More information, including an application pack can be found on the Heat Trust website: www.heattrust.org

The Schemes that are registered with Heat Trust from today can be found on the Heat Trust website here: www.heattrust.org/index.php/members