The latest report by consumer protection scheme Heat Trust has revealed that heat network customers suffer regular power outages.
Covering the period from October 2021 to September 2023, the report says consumers experienced an average of four unplanned supply outages per year, each of which lasted five to six hours on average.
However, this average masks a ‘wide range’ of performance, with the best heat networks experiencing no interruptions to supply and the worst, almost 20 a year.
The report also shows that just less than one-fifth of customers were more than two months in arrears with bill payments. However, the proportion of trust members identified as vulnerable has increased, with 9% of consumers on a Priority Services Register in 2023 compared with only 4% in 2021.
Complaints raised by consumers increased to 4.4% in 2023, compared with 3.2% in 2022. However, this was down from a high of 7.4% in 2021.
The Heat Trust report says membership of the scheme has increased to more than 80,000 consumers, as heat networks expand and operators seek to register ahead of regulation. Currently, 28 heat suppliers, covering 129 heat networks are signed up to Heat Trust.
