The Heat Network (Metering and Billing) Regulations 2014

Regulations 2, 9(1) and (3)

SCHEDULE 2 U.K. Minimum requirements for billing and billing information

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Sch. 2 applied (with modifications) (1.11.2022) by The Energy Bill Relief Scheme Pass-through Requirement (Heat Suppliers) (England and Wales and Scotland) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/1101), regs. 1(2), 7(4)

C2 Sch. 2 applied (with modifications (5.11.2022) by The Energy Bill Relief Scheme Pass-through Requirement (Heat Suppliers) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/1124), regs. 1(2), 7(1)(4)

1.  At least once a year a bill must be issued to the final customer on the basis of actual rather than estimated consumption provided that— U.K.

(a) the final customer has provided a meter reading, or

(b) the heat supplier has taken a meter reading.

2.  Where the final customer has opted to receive electronic billing or where the final customer so requests, billing information must be issued by the heat supplier at least quarterly. U.K.

3.  Where billing information is not issued by the heat supplier at least quarterly in accordance with paragraph (2), billing information must be issued by the heat supplier at least twice a year and with every bill issued. U.K.

4.  Billing information means the following information— U.K.

(a) current energy prices charged to the final customer by the heat supplier;

(b) information about the final customer's energy consumption from the heat supplier;

(c) where available, comparisons of the final customer's current energy consumption from the heat supplier with consumption for the same period in the previous year, if possible displayed in a graph; and

(d) contact information, including website addresses, for organisations from which information may be obtained on available energy efficiency improvement measures and technical specifications for products which use energy.

5.  The information specified in sub-paragraph 4(d) must also be supplied to the final customer by the heat supplier when— U.K.

(a) a contract for the supply of heating, cooling or hot water is sent to the final customer by the heat supplier, or

(b) any changes to such a contract are sent to the final customer by the heat supplier.

[F1 6.   It will be considered technically possible and economically justified to issue bills and billing information to final customers in accordance with regulation 9(1) where the estimated reasonable costs of issuing bills and billing information to final customers does not exceed £92 per final customer per calendar year unless the final customer occupies— U.K.

(a) supported housing, almshouse accommodation or purpose-built student accommodation; or

(b) any private dwelling or non-domestic premises that is subject to a leasehold interest where the lease—

(i) began before 27th November 2020; and

(ii) contains a provision which would prevent billing based on actual consumption unless the lease is varied, renewed, or comes to an end.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Sch. 2 para. 6 substituted (27.11.2020) by The Heat Network (Metering and Billing) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1221), regs. 1(2), 15

7.  The matters to be taken into account in estimating the cost of issuing bills and billing information are the costs of— U.K.

(a) collecting, storing and processing meter readings;

(b) preparation and issuing of the bill and billing information;

(c) processing of payments; and

(d) issuing of demands for payment if a bill is not paid.