Understanding your heat network

Information about your heating and hot water service if you are a heat network customer.

Heat networks are now regulated by Ofgem, bringing stronger protections for customers and clearer standards around customer service, billing, complaints and support.

Whether your heating and hot water are included in your service charge or you receive separate heat bills, this page explains how your service works, your rights and where to get help if you need it.

At least half a million households are connected to one of 14,000 heat networks across the UK. 

A heat network supplies heating and hot water from a central energy source to multiple homes across a building or neighbourhood, rather than each property having its own boiler. Heat is distributed through a network of pipes serving a building, estate or neighbourhood.

Our heat networks operate across a number of our communities, including schemes with communal heating and the Byker Estate.

How you pay depends on whether your home has an individual heat meter.

Metered customers

If your home has a heat meter, you'll usually have an account with a billing agent and pay for the heat you use. Billing agents may manage meter readings, billing and payment collection on behalf of Karbon Homes. 

Service charge customers

If your home does not have an individual heat meter, heating and hot water charges are usually included alongside your service charge. In these cases, costs are shared between connected homes using a fair and reasonable method. This may take into account factors such as the size of your property and the number of homes connected to the heat network. 

If you're unsure how you pay for your heating and hot water, please contact us.

Since January 2026, heat networks across Great Britain have been regulated by Ofgem, the energy regulator. The changes are designed to give heat network customers protections similar to those available to gas and electricity customers.

The regulations do not replace your tenancy agreement. Instead, they provide additional protections and support alongside your existing rights as a customer.

The regulations are designed to help ensure:

  • Clear information about your heat network service
  • Transparent charges and billing information
  • Good customer service standards
  • Reliable heating and hot water services
  • Access to complaints and dispute resolution services
  • Additional support for customers who need it
  • Access to independent advice and advocacy

Who is responsible for what?

Our responsibility

We are responsible for:

  • Operating the heat networks
  • Maintaining and repairing the systems
  • Providing customer support
  • Investigating complaints

We'll continue to maintain our heat networks, provide reliable heating and hot water services and respond quickly when issues occur.

Your responsibility

You are responsible for:

  • Provide access to your property for us to maintain, upgrade or repair systems as appropriate
  • Let us know as soon as you start to experience any payment difficulties
  • Report any repairs as soon as possible

Please report repairs through MyKarbon or by calling us on 0808 164 0111.

Where a billing agent is used, they are responsible for collecting meter readings, producing bills and collecting payments on our behalf.

Support available to you

Useful resources:

Ofgem (Your energy supply)

MoneyHelper (How to reduce your energy bills)

Energy Saving Trust (Quick tips to save energy at home from the experts)

Gov.uk (Cost of living support)

 

Simple tips to reduce your energy consumption and costs:

  • Using heating controls effectively

  • Washing clothes at lower temperatures

  • Turning off appliances on standby

  • Using energy-efficient lighting

  • Reducing draughts

  • Only boiling the water they need

  • Maintaining efficient appliances

If you're worried about managing your household costs or reducing your heating because you're worried about bills, support is available.

Our specialist Money Matters Team provides free and confidential support to help customers manage their finances and maximise their income.

The team can help with:

  •        Managing household bills
  •        Budgeting and financial planning
  •        Fuel debt support
  •        Benefits checks
  •        Discounts and grants
  •        Payment difficulties
  •        Debt advice and referrals
  •        Maximising household income

Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible for additional support including:

  •        Household support funding
  •        Water bill discounts
  •        Energy supplier hardship funds
  •         Help with energy debt
  •         Payment plans and budgeting support

Our advisors can help you understand what support may be available and how to apply. We encourage you to get in touch as early as possible, contact: moneymatters@karbonhomes.co.uk.

Citizens Advice provides free, independent and impartial advice on a wide range of issues, including:

  •        Heat network services
  •        Energy costs and bills
  •        Consumer rights
  •        Debt and money concerns
  •        Cost of living support
  •        Help accessing grants and support schemes

If you're unsure where to start, Citizens Advice can help you understand your options and what support may be available, contact them on 0808 223 1133.

The regulations also place a stronger focus on supporting customers who may need extra help.

If you or someone in your household has health, mobility or communication needs, additional support may be available to help ensure you continue to receive the services you need.

This could include prioritised repairs, extra assistance during service interruptions or communication in a format that works best for you.

If your needs change or you need extra support, even short-term, please let us know and we will work with you to make sure information and services are accessible and appropriate to your needs.

Complaints and referrals

If you are unhappy or uncertain about any aspect of your heat network service, please contact us first so we can investigate the issue and work with you to try and resolve it as quickly as possible.

Follow the steps below for further support, advice or help understanding your options.

1

Step 1: Contact Karbon

If the customer is unhappy about any aspect of your heat network service, encourage customers to always contact us first so we can investigate and try to resolve the issue

2

Step 2: Contact Citizen's Advice

Make customers aware they can also contact Citizens Advice for free, impartial and independent advice.

3

Step 3: Complete complaints process

If the customer is still not satisfied make them aware of our complaints process.

4

Step 4: Refer to Ombudsman

If the customer remains unhappy with the outcome, they may be able to refer their complaint to an Ombudsman:

Option 1: 

If the customer pays for their heating and hot water through their service charge, they can refer their unresolved complaints to the Housing Ombudsman. This route applies where the complaint also relates to wider housing services.

Option 2: 

If the customer separate bills for their heating and hot water based on their energy use, they can refer their unresolved complaints to the Energy Ombudsman. This route applies where the complaint relates to heating charges, billing or energy services. For Energy Ombudsman referrals, the complaint should normally have completed Karbon's complaints process, or eight weeks should have passed without resolution.

Information available to you

Your rights

You can request information about:

  • Tariffs and charges
  • Billing arrangements
  • Changes to charges
  • Historic consumption data
  • Heat network performance information
  • Energy efficiency advice and support
  • Environmental information relating to your heat network
  • Complaints and dispute resolution processes

Charges and tariffs

Information about your charges and tariffs is available in:

  • Your tenancy agreement
  • Your most recent tariff notification

You will receive tariff information in writing each year and can request this information at any time.

If your tariffs or charges change, we will normally give you at least one month's written notice before the changes take effect. Updates may be issued by us or a billing agent acting on our behalf.

If you're worried about paying your bill, support may be available, including payment plans. Please contact us to discuss your circumstances.

Frequently asked questions

If your heating and hot water comes from a shared system supplying multiple homes, you are likely connected to a heat network.

If you receive separate bills based on your heat use, you're a metered customer.

If heating and hot water are included in your service charge, you're a service charge customer.

If you are unsure, please contact us.

No, the regulations work alongside your tenancy agreement and provide additional protections.

Tariff information is provided annually in writing and may be updated if energy costs change.

Yes, support may be available through our Money Matters Team. Our advisors can provide support with budgeting, benefits, fuel debt, grants and managing household bills.
We encourage you to get in touch as early as possible, contact: moneymatters@karbonhomes.co.uk 
We may also be able to signpost you to additional support available through energy providers, local authorities and other organisations.

Please contact us if you or someone in your household has health, mobility or communication needs. We may be able to provide additional help depending on your circumstances.

No, your day-to-day service will remain the same. We'll continue to share information as further regulations are introduced and will let you know if anything affects you directly.

Citizens Advice provides free, independent and impartial advice about heat network services, energy costs, consumer rights and complaints. They can help you understand your options and find the right support.

You can find practical advice through:

These organisations provide guidance on reducing energy use, understanding bills and accessing support.

Contact us

General enquiries: info@karbonhomes.co.uk

If you're concerned about heating costs, energy bills or managing your finances, our Money Matters Team can help: moneymatters@karbonhomes.co.uk

Report repairs via the MyKarbon app or Call or WhatsApp: 0808 164 0111

24-hour repairs: 0808 164 0111

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