Information you need to complete registration
As part of registration we will collect information from you. The information we need depends on the type of organisation you are and what role you have on your heat networks. The registration process is always started by the regulatory contact, but they can add more users to assist once they have completed the first steps.
The regulatory contact for each organisation must create the account, enter organisation details and complete an SMRI declaration about the suitability of senior personnel responsible for heat networks.
They'll also have the option to add additional users and provide them with permission to help complete heat network registrations.
Not every section of the heat network registration journey is applicable to every heat network. The digital service will adapt and only ask you questions that are relevant to your specific set up.
Each section can be individually saved to allow you to complete registration in steps and return to the service without losing work. You will be able to review your answers and make any required changes before final submission.
Information required for organisation set up
Create your heat networks account
During this step, you'll need to provide the following information:
- type of organisation
- companies house number, if applicable
- organisation name and address
- regulatory contact details
Organisation details
During the organisation details stage, you'll need to answer questions about:
- the type of work your organisation does and whether it operates for profit
- whether your organisation is part of a joint venture, special purpose vehicle or is a wholly owned subsidiary of another organisation, and if so, the details of up to 5 parent organisations
For organisations not subject to social housing regulations, we'll ask for financial information that includes:
- whether your organisation has operation or supply continuity plans in place
- the start and end dates of your organisation's accounting period
- whether your organisation has signed-off accounts for its most recent accounting period
- whether your organisation reasonably expects to have the finance and resources to carry on heat network activity for the next 12 months
If your organisation has accounts for the most recent account period, we'll also ask for the following financial resilience information:
- the net profit or loss for the most recent financial year
- the total value of liquid assets that the organisation controls or has unrestricted access to
- whether assets exceeded liabilities at the end of the most recent financial year
- the total running costs for the previous financial year
- the total income for the previous financial year
- whether the organisation hedges its gas or electricity requirements, and if so, what percentage volume of costs, and for how many months ahead
Significant managerial responsibility or influence (SMRI) declaration
The regulatory contact for the authorised person (organisation or entity) must declare whether everybody with SMRI meets our ‘fit and proper’ criteria.
If your organisation's business is not limited to heat networks, we only need to know about the suitability of people who are involved in heat networks.
You will not be able to complete this section unless you can confirm that you have a list of relevant people with SMRI in your organisation. You will not need to submit this list when registering, however we may request it from you in future.
What is a ‘person with SMRI’?
A person has SMRI if they play a role in either:
- the making of decisions about how the heat network, or a substantial part, of your heat network is to be managed or organised
- or the actual managing or organising of the whole, or a substantial part, of your heat network activities
This could be for example, chief officers, directors and any other individuals who meet this definition.
What you need to do
- Identify everybody in your organisation with SMRI.
- Confirm whether they meet all the fit and proper criteria as set out in authorisation condition ‘A08 Ongoing Fit and Proper Requirement’.
- Submit the fit and proper declaration on the digital service (you will not need to upload anything as part of this process).
As part of this declaration, we'll also ask if your organisation:
- has a process in place to ensure that the appropriate people with SMRI are fit and proper
- carries out regular assessments to ensure those with SMRI remain fit and proper
We'll contact you via email for further information if you indicate that:
- someone with SMRI does not meet all the fit and proper criteria
- your organisation does not have a process in place
- your organisation does not carry out regular assessments
Manage users
This section can be used to add additional users and set permissions for what they are permitted to do on the digital service. This is to allow other users to support the regulatory contact with adding heat network information.
The regulatory contact retains ultimate responsibility for the accuracy of information entered.
Information we require when you add additional users:
- name
- contact details
- if they work for another organisation
- what permissions they need
By default, additional users have access to view all heat network information. The other permissions are:
- adding or editing heat network information
- sending us heat network information
- managing users
Information required when adding heat networks
The digital service will only ask for information which is applicable. This depends on the specific heat network set up and whether you are the operator, supplier or both. That means that not every network will have to provide all the information listed in this section.
General information
As an operator:
- You must answer a short series of introductory questions about the heat network.
- Based on your answers, we'll let you know what further information we need.
- After this, you'll be able to check your answers and save your progress at the end of each section.
- You must then provide the remaining information for the heat network.
- If you need other organisations to provide supply data, you can invite them into the service.
- You can then submit your information to us.
Introductory information needed on heat networks
Where applicable, we will ask for the following introductory information about the organisation and heat network:
- which regulated activities your organisation undertakes on the heat network - operation, supply or both
- whether the network meets the definition of a ‘shared ground loop’ (SGL) heat network
- which country the heat network’s consumers are in
- what type of heat network it is, and how much of it your organisation is responsible for, including buildings and energy centres
- whether the heat network is currently providing heating, cooling or hot water to consumers, and if so, whether the organisation began a regulated activity on or after 1 April 2025
- if a district network, whether the heat network is a 'self-supply' network
- whether any other suppliers sell to consumers on the heat network
- whether the heat network supplies heating, cooling or hot water to any other heat networks
Technical information
Where applicable, we will ask for the following information about the heat network's primary energy centre:
- its address or grid coordinates
- which types of heating it supplies to customers (heating, cooling or hot water)
- if it provides heating or hot water, the combined heating and hot water capacity
- if it provides cooling, the cooling capacity
- which type of technology provides the largest proportion of the heat energy
Customers and metering
Where applicable, we will ask for the following information about the customers and meters on the heat network:
- whether your organisation started supplying heating, cooling or hot water to some or all of the heat network’s consumers on or after 1 April 2025 (if you’re a supplier only)
- whether the heat network has domestic and non-domestic customers
- if there are non-domestic customers only, whether the heat network is an industrial network
- if there are domestic and non-domestic customers, whether any are ‘small businesses’ or ‘micro-businesses’
- whether all, none, or some, of your domestic customers have pre-payment meters installed
- whether your organisation uses a metering or billing agent for this heat network
What is a ‘micro-business'?
These are businesses that meet either of the following criteria:
- consume less than 247,000 kWh of heat per year
- has fewer than 10 full-time employees and an annual turnover of £2 million or less or a balance sheet total of £2 million or less
What is a ‘small business'?
These are businesses other than a micro-business, that meet either of the following criteria:
- consume less than 420,000 kWh of heat per year
- has fewer than 50 employees (or full-time equivalents) and an annual turnover of £6.5 million or less, or balance sheet total of £5 million or less
Consumer protections
Where applicable, we will ask for the following information about consumer protections on the heat network:
- whether the heat network provides heating, cooling or hot water to any vulnerable customers and, if so, how many
- whether your organisation has a Priority Services Register (PSR)
- if there’s a procedure in place for domestic customers, microbusinesses and small businesses to raise a complaint
- if you have a process for dealing with customers who have difficulties paying
Billing
Where applicable, we will ask for the following information about your organisation’s current billing process for the heat network:
- how often your organisation sends bills to customers
- whether your organisation provides customers with information on how their bills are calculated
- what other information, if any, is included with your customers’ bills, for example, current energy prices or their consumption
Adding other suppliers
If the heat network has at least one other supplier, you’ll need to add them to this network so that we can invite them to add their supply information.
This will involve the following steps:
- Find the supplier from a list of those already in our system.
- If you cannot find them in the list, ask them to create an account with us and come back when they’ve done this.
- Confirm which supplier to proceed with.
- Confirm your final list of suppliers.
- After you submit this heat network information, we’ll send an invite to each supplier, asking them to add their supply information.
Final submission
Once you've completed all relevant sections, you’ll have a final chance to review all the answers you’ve provided. You can then submit the heat network registration.
We'll then send you an email confirming that the heat network submission has been successful. This will include your unique heat network authorisation ID.