Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his polices of heat network operators issuing retrospective bills covering multiple years where no prior invoices or statements were provided.

Under the newly established heat network market framework, Ofgem Authorisation conditions limit back-billing to 12 months if no accurate bill or statement of account was previously provided.

Where heat charges are ‘bundled’ into leasehold or social housing charges, the Landlord and Tenant Act (1985), which caps back-billing at 18 months, takes precedence.

We are working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities to explore unbundling individual consumption of heat from service charges so that the 12-month back billing rules apply to all heat network consumers.