Session

Focus

Date

Registration link

Authorisation and definitions

The focus of this session will be:

·        scope

·        definitions

·        regulatory capture.

·        What is defined as a heat network (including our proposed approach to very small property conversions),

·        Who is captured

·        Responsibilities for suppliers and operators

·        The authorisation process for networks  

13/09/23 

Authorisations and Definitions

Pricing

In this session we will unpack:

the pricing transparency, cost allocation, benchmarking, pricing investigations proposals outlined in the consultation document.

14/09/23 

Pricing

Quality of Service: Guaranteed Standards of

Performance and complaints handling

Here we will set out the proposals outlined in the consultation document relating to Guaranteed Standards of Performance and Complaints Handling.

The session will feature breakout groups to understand more about:

• Current practice and policies in the sector regarding interruptions and compensation (beyond those published by the Heat Trust).
• Current practices and policies in the sector regarding complaints handling

19/09/23 

Quality of Service: Guaranteed Standards of Performance and Complaints Handling

Consumers, vulnerability, and debt

This session will focus on standards of conduct, payment difficulty, additional support/Priority Services Register, and prepayment proposals.

The session will include breakout groups to understand:

•  More about current practice and policies in the sector regarding payment difficulty and disconnections.
•  What already exists in the sector and understand more about prepayment meter use and protections networks already employ where they are installed.

21/09/23 

Consumers, vulnerability and debt

Compliance, Audit, Monitoring, and enforcement

The purpose of this session is to discuss:

• Compliance approaches and what that means for different types of heat networks
• Monitoring, including the metrics we are proposing to be reported, how often Ofgem will require information, and heat networks' ability to get information from internal or external sources. We are also looking to unpack areas and data sets which small heat networks may struggle to provide.
• Audits, including what these might look like across different heat network types and sizes. How onerous is it for a network to accommodate an audit?

28/09/23 

Compliance, Audit, Monitoring, and Enforcement

Step-in

We will be focussing on the questions included in the Market Led Step In section of the consultation, and seeking stakeholders input on the following areas.

• Existing Step In arrangements, obligations within the sector, and introduction of contractual Step In requirements. We want to understand existing practice within the sector, and awareness of current obligations. We also want to explore the potential impacts of strengthening contractual Step In arrangements through making this an authorisation condition.
• Customer Supply Continuity Plans - We're keen to get input on what should be included, and how prescriptive we should be on the content on CSCPs. We're also keen to gather views on approaches to monitoring compliance, and whether there should be differing requirements depending on the characteristics of the networks.
• Financial resilience and control over material assets - we want to see a responsible approach to risk management, and a financially resilient sector. We're keen to get views on the conditions we propose to drive these outcomes, and the areas we should focus our monitoring on.

06/10/23  

Step-in

Managing agents and Right To Manage companies

This will be a discussion with and input from managing agents and Right to Manage companies on what the rules proposed in the consultation mean for them. Breakout groups will be organised to discuss intersects with existing leasehold rules.

10/10/23

Managing agents and Right To Manage companies