Citizens Advice published its response to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) consultation on heat network zoning on 29 February 20241. The charity said it supports the creation of zones, which designate areas where heat networks are expected to be the preferred way of delivering heat, but argued the policy must be designed and implemented with consumer interests and protection at its heart1.
The response states that uncertainty over how many buildings will connect to a heat network currently holds back investment in new networks, and that zones would send a clearer signal to developers, consumers and businesses1. Citizens Advice also said the emphasis should wherever possible be on making a positive case for joining voluntarily rather than using the power to compel connections1. It noted that once a building is connected to a heat network it is extremely difficult, or even impossible, to leave and switch to a different heat source1.
"Overall, therefore, we support the creation of heat network zones to send a clear signal to developers, consumers and businesses that heat networks are likely to be the most sustainable and efficient way to deliver heat in the area and provide more certainty to investors."
The charity set out four conditions it says would avoid harm to consumers and to the reputation of heat networks1:
| Condition set out by Citizens Advice |
|---|
| Homes and businesses are compelled to join only where this is truly the most efficient and cost effective way to access decarbonised heating, with voluntary connections encouraged first |
| Quality, affordability and customer satisfaction are not sacrificed to maximise profits for operators, developers and investors |
| Consumers can resolve problems quickly and with minimum hassle, and receive appropriate compensation |
| No consumer or business is materially disadvantaged by moving to a heat network, in terms of the quality and reliability of their heat supply or the amount they pay |
The response describes this balance as complex but an important high-level principle1. The consultation itself, and the government's decisions following it, have not been reported in the material published by Citizens Advice1.
Why it matters for households
Heat network zoning could determine how homes in a designated area are heated, and the consultation response addresses what happens to households that join. The charity's central point is that connection is hard to reverse: a household that switches to a network may have no practical route back to an individual boiler or another heat source1. That makes the terms of connection, the price of heat and the reliability of supply long-term commitments rather than short-term choices.
The response also raises the question of compulsion. Where a household is required to connect, Citizens Advice argues it should not be materially worse off on the quality and reliability of its heat or on what it pays1. For a household weighing up its own energy arrangements, the practical issues are who sets the price of heat once a network serves the area, how faults are fixed and how quickly, and what redress exists if something goes wrong. The charity's conditions cover each of these: prompt problem resolution, appropriate compensation, and no sacrifice of quality or affordability to operator profits1.
Heat networks are regulated separately from gas and electricity supply, and consumer protection arrangements for them are set out under heat network regulation. Complaints and redress routes across the energy market, including the role of Citizens Advice, are covered under energy complaints and redress. The department running the consultation is covered under DESNZ, and the wider process by which such rules are proposed and decided is explained under energy consultations.
What happens next
No next steps, timetable or government response date is given in the Citizens Advice publication1.
Sources1 cited
- Citizens Advice response to DESNZ consultation on heat network zoning - Citizens Advice, citizensadvice.org.uk