Happy heat customers?

The Heat Networks Consumer Survey, published by BEIS  at the end of last year, makes interesting reading. It’s the most comprehensive and robust research to date into the experiences and attitudes of heat network customers, compared against a control group of non-heat network consumers (and actually quite a jolly read too if you like that sort of thing!)

There are differences in experiences of different consumers of course.  But the things that stuck out for me most were the similarities between the heat network and non-heat network groups.  For example:

• Overall, heat network customers were just as satisfied with their heating system as non-heat network customers
• Heat network customers have less control over their heating (relying on TRVs rather than a central thermostat or programmer) but they don’t seem to mind
• Those on heat networks who paid separately for their heat and hot water were just as likely as non-network customers to say they paid a fair price.
• Although there was a great variation in pricing in the heat network sector, the research found that on average, heat network customers spend around £100 per year less on their heating than their non-heat network counterparts.

Housing Associations come out well in the research, as does the Heat Trust for driving up standards.  There are areas of course where there are differences, highlighting common problems that many colleagues in social housing know all too well about, such as overheating and large numbers still paying an assumed or flat-rate usage.

Perhaps the most disappointing result on the research is about lack of consumer information for heat network customers. They are less likely to receive any form of bill, account summary or statement compared to their non-network counterparts. And this is such an easy thing for the sector to fix. It’s not technical, doesn’t require an engineer or access into people’s homes. It’s just about prioritising communication.

Although my stint as Head of Sustainability at Southern Housing Group has come to an end, I’m still involved in a communal heating project, helping them to put processes in place to better understand and control their schemes.  SHG has a relatively small portfolio of communal heating schemes, but the range is wide – from new developments that are individually metered, older sheltered schemes where heat is included in the service charge, and ‘arm’s length’ schemes run by a third party (and by far the sector that housing associations have the least handle on). 

Having time to look at all aspects of communal heat feels like a luxury, and one that I know most other social landlords don’t have, so we’re sharing our work where we can and involved with various peer groups so we can all learn from each other.  Most of the time it doesn’t feel like rocket science: you just need a plan!  

I’d love to hear about your experiences, successes, trials & tribulations.  Why not drop me a line at rachael.mills@se-2.co.uk and we can have a catch up over a coffee!