Consultation outcome

Heat networks regulation: consumer protection

• From: Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and Ofgem
• Published: 4 August 2023
• Last updated: 30 April 2024 — See all updates

This was published under the 2022 to 2024 Sunak Conservative government

This consultation has concluded

Read the full outcome

Heat networks regulation: consumer protection - government response

PDF, 979 KB, 129 pages

Detail of outcome

The government response outlines how we plan to take the proposals forward, whilst incorporating the feedback and evidence provided by stakeholders. Where applicable, these have been fed directly into developing the legislation that will underpin consumer protections and the wider market framework – alongside future proposals we plan to consult on. We anticipate that legislation related to this will be enacted this year.

We plan to consult again this year on a variety of issues related to consumer protections, technical standards, metering, and decarbonisation.

Detail of feedback received

We received 111 responses to the consultation from a wide range of stakeholders, including:

• heat network operators
• local authorities
• housing associations
• trade associations
• heat network consumers

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Original consultation

Summary

We're seeking views on consumer protection requirements such as pricing, which will be introduced as part of the heat networks regulatory framework.

This consultation ran from
9am on 4 August 2023 to 11:59pm on 27 October 2023

Consultation description

This consultation seeks views on consumer protection requirements around:

• pricing
• quality of service
• transparency of information
• consumers in vulnerable circumstance
• the scope of the rules and how we should phase them in

It also covers Ofgem’s approach to implementing and enforcing regulation, including through guidance, market monitoring, compliance, and enforcement activity, as well as its approach to delivering the cost recovery regime.

The consultation builds on policy approaches established in earlier consultations:

• the market framework in 2020 to 2022
• cost recovery in 2021 to 2022

We have published an Impact Assessment alongside the consultation document, which sets out the benefits and costs of introducing consumer protections and a license regime for rights and powers.

We expect the consultation to be of particular interest to:

• consumer groups
• heat network industry, such as developers
• local government

It is a joint consultation run by DESNZ and Ofgem:

• visit the Ofgem consultation page

Read our consultation privacy notice.

Documents

Heat networks regulation – consumer protection

PDF, 1.35 MB, 113 pages

Heat networks regulation – consumer protection: Impact assessment

PDF, 738 KB, 49 pages

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Published 4 August 2023
Last updated 30 April 2024 + show all updates

1. 30 April 2024

   Added government response.

2. 4 August 2023

   First published.