Heat networks

If your home is connected to a heat network, your heating and hot water are supplied differently from a standard boiler. This page explains how heat networks work, who manages them, how you're billed and where to get support.

Introduction

maple row at longhurst park, thermostat, cranleigh

Some Clarion homes receive heating and hot water through a heat network rather than an individual boiler.

Heat networks work differently from standard gas and electricity supplies.

If your home is supplied by a heat network, we will let you know the type of system, and who manages it, when you move in.

This page explains:

How heat networks work
Who manages your heat network
How billing works
Where to get help - Frequently Asked Questions
Ofgem regulations

What is a heat network?

A heat network provides heating and hot water from a central source to multiple homes or buildings.

Heat is generated in a communal plant room and delivered through insulated pipes to each property.
A Heat Interface Unit (HIU) in your home transfers heat to your radiators and taps.
You control your heating and hot water using your own thermostat and controls.
You are charged for your heat either through your service charges or a tariff that’s set and billed via a metering and billing provider.

There are two main types:

Communal heat network: Supplies heat and hot water to homes within a single building.
District heat network: Supplies heat and hot water to multiple buildings across an estate or development.

Heat networks are not the same as gas or electricity suppliers. Because all homes share the same system, you cannot switch to another supplier.

Who manages my heat network?

Heat networks can be managed either by Clarion or external suppliers. They set costs, send bills and deal with any heat network issues.

We will tell you who your supplier is when you move in, and you will sign a Heat Supply Agreement (HSA) as part of the sign-up process.

If you are unsure who manages your heat network, please submit a heat network enquiry, see below.

An operator is responsible for the physical system and its day-to-day running. The operator is the one who keeps the heating system working.

A supplier is responsible for providing heat billing to residents, even if some functions like administration and payment collection are delivered by contractors.

Heat networks enquiry

Your heat network may be:

managed directly by Clarion
managed by a specialist heat network provider
managed by a managing agent acting on behalf of residents or the building owner.

For heat networks that are supplied and operated by Clarion, we:

purchase energy for the communal system
operate and maintain the plant room and equipment
manage repairs and maintenance of the system
handle billing (through metering and billing or service charges)
Clarion does not make a profit from heat networks. Charges are set to recover running and maintenance costs only.

Some heat networks are fully or partly managed by a third party, which means:

Clarion does not set tariffs or manage the system
billing and day-to-day management are handled by the external provider.

Third party management can be:

partly managed: the network is Clarion supplied, and operated by a third party
fully managed: the network is fully operated and supplied by a third party.

Metering and billing providers take instruction from the operator and supplier they do not control the heat network.

Clarion providers manage administration and billing for our metered sites.

Our providers:

Evinox Residential	Call 01372 746 537
Insite Energy	Call 020 7036 9117
Ista Energy	Call 01223 874 974
Switch2	Call 0333 321 2010
Sycous	Call 0333 880 3115

Billing, tariffs and payments

Heat networks buy energy in bulk, to help keep prices as low as possible. Although the energy is supplied communally, you only pay for the energy your household uses (or your share, if your home is not individually metered).

How you pay depends on how your heat network is set up - if it's metered or unmetered.

Metered properties

Prepayment/Flexipay

Your heat meter will be set up so you can make payments by Flexipay billing. This means you have flexibility to pay for your heating and hot water using the following methods:

direct debit or recurring payments
automatic top-up
card payment directly to your provider
PayPoint card/outlet

If credit runs out, heating pauses until you top up.

Most prepayment meters include £10 emergency credit, which you can activate if needed.

Credit billed

Your metering and billing provider will send you a bill each month, setting out your heat consumption in the previous month and the associated charges.

You will have flexibility to pay for heating and hot water using the following methods:

direct debit or recurring payments
standing order
debit or credit card via your provider’s website, app or call centre
PayPoint card/outlet

If you have notified us in writing that you no longer occupy the premises, your metering and billing agent will send you a final invoice setting out the final balance due.

Unmetered properties

Service charge

If you are billed through your service charge for heating and hot water, payment is collected monthly as part of that service charge.

A full breakdown of the charges used to calculate your heat service charge will be provided annually and is available on request. Please submit a Heat networks enquiry, see below.

We set estimated charges in February each year, which are applied from April. Please note that we reserve the right to change the method of billing in the future.

Social residents: your heat and hot water costs are included in your service charge. You will be charged an estimated amount each year from April.*

fixed arrangement - this is the final charge for the year
variable arrangement - any difference between estimated and actual costs will be adjusted the following September.

Leaseholders and shared owners: your heat and hot water costs are included in your service charge.

*Additional charges

You will be charged an estimated amount each year, from April. In September, we compare estimated and actual costs and adjust your account for any difference.

Additional charges may be applied due to absence of engagement or non-payment, such as:

abortive callout charge
debt processing charge
reconnection charge
failed direct debit payment.

Heat networks enquiry

Tariffs

What you pay for heat and hot water is referred to as the heat tariff. It is created by your supplier and usually includes:

a daily standing charge for making the heat supply available to your home
a variable unit charge for the heat supply you use (per kWh of heat used).

A detailed breakdown of the charges used to calculate your tariff can be found in your Heat Supply Agreement (HSA).

Tariffs are reviewed regularly - at least every year, or more often as required by the economic climate. They are based on the actual cost of running the heat network.

How you are billed

The meter in your home measures how much heat you use. Your meter readings are automatically sent to the metering and billing provider.

The following charges may be included in your heat tariff*:

Fuel unit charge: referred to as a kilowatt hour (kWh), for the cost per unit of fuel
Fuel standing charge: cost of the fuel supply daily standing charge
System efficiency: comparison between fuel consumed in the plant room and the heat and hot water used across the scheme
Transaction charge: cost of administering meter top ups where applicable
Metering and billing charge: cost of metering and billing administration
Broker charge: cost of management service for fuel supply, providing best pricing for fuel charges
Clarion administrative cost: cost of administration and contract management.

*Subject to change.

We work hard to ensure value for money is provided to all residents. We use a competitive procurement process to select the best contractor for each aspect of heat network management.

How we deliver value for money:

buying energy supplied to all plant rooms through a utilities contract which is reviewed regularly
buying energy in bulk
selecting contractors after a competitive procurement process, based on who can give the highest quality service at the best value
operating heat network on a not-for-profit basis so we only recover reasonable charges to operate the heat network without profiting from doing so.

Clarion do not include maintenance costs in tariffs. Where maintenance costs are eligible these will show as part of service charges.

FAQs

This depends on whether your home is metered or unmetered. Your Heat Supply Agreement (HSA) explains what type of heat network you are on, and how you are billed.

If your home has a heat meter, your heating and hot water are usually billed separately through a metering and billing provider, and are not normally included in your service charges.

If your home is unmetered, heating costs may be included in your service charges and will be clearly shown on your statement or tenancy information.

If you are unsure how your heating charges are billed, please submit a heat network enquiry.

Heat networks enquiry

Yes. Emergency credit is available on Flexipay meters, and additional support is offered to residents with vulnerabilities via the Priority Services Register (PSR).

The PSR is a free UK wide service which provides extra advice and support, including when there's an interruption to your electricity or gas supply.

Please submit a webform to let us us know if you have additional needs

Struggling to pay?

Our Money Guidance team offers free advice and support with budgeting, benefits, debt and managing household costs.

Ofgem regulation: your rights

Since 26 January 2026, heat networks became regulated by the independent government regulator Ofgem - the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets.

This brings protections and more support for heat network customers in line with gas and electricity utilities.

The Heat networks regulations focus on ensuring good outcomes for customers, including:

good customer service
reducing the impact of reliability of supply issues
transparent, easy to understand energy bills
fair pricing
protection for vulnerable residents
complaints handling and access to the Energy Ombudsman.

Are you unhappy with how your heat network is managed?

If you have any comments or complaint about how your heat network is managed, please contact your heat supplier or contact us by submitting a heat network enquiry.

We will always try to settle your enquiry or complaint as quickly as possible. If, after following our full complaints procedure, you are still not satisfied with our response to your complaint, please contact Citizens Advice or the Energy Ombudsman.

Citizens Advice can also provide independent advice and support on heat networks, which are not related to service complaints.

Heat networks

Introduction

What is a heat network?

Who manages my heat network?

Your heat network may be:

Our providers:

Billing, tariffs and payments

Metered properties

Prepayment/Flexipay

Credit billed

Unmetered properties

Service charge

*Additional charges

Tariffs

How you are billed

FAQs

Struggling to pay?

Ofgem regulation: your rights

Are you unhappy with how your heat network is managed?

Related resources

Digital skills and support

Community life

Help and guidance

Heat networks

Introduction

What is a heat network?

Who manages my heat network?

Your heat network may be:

Clarion-managed heat networks

Third party managed heat networks

Metering and billing providers

Billing, tariffs and payments

How to pay for your heat

How metered tariffs are set and billed

Value for money

FAQs

Who do I contact if I have a query about heat charges?

Can I switch my heat supplier?

How do I know charges are fair?

Why is my heat usage higher?

Who fixes my heat meter?

Is heat included in my service charges?

Can I get extra help to pay for heating?

Struggling to pay?

Ofgem regulation: your rights

Are you unhappy with how your heat network is managed?

Related resources

Digital skills and support

Community life

Help and guidance