Where Insite Energy have been appointed by your heat supplier as your heat network’s ESCo Manager, we will typically send you, as the leaseholder of your property, a heat supply contract (HSC) for you to sign. This may also be referred to as an energy supply agreement (ESA), customer heat supply agreement (CHSA), or a heat supply agreement (HSA).
This document is a contractual agreement between yourself, the leaseholder, and Insite Energy, detailing the roles and responsibilities of both parties covering the supply of heat, as well as the operation and maintenance of heat network assets, including those situated in your property. This typically refers to your heat interface unit (HIU) and heat meter.
Upon receiving this document, we ask that you review and return a signed copy to us. However, please note, that if you do not sign the agreement, by using the heating & hot water supply, or any other utility we meter and bill in your property, and on the basis of us issuing you an HSC, you will automatically enter into a deemed contract.
In the event of a dispute or issue that a leaseholder or end-user wishes to escalate, we would refer to the HSC to clarify the obligations of each party and review any evidence of the agreement having been supplied.
While at present HSCs are considered a good practice measure for heat suppliers to provide, these are not obligatory. However, these are expected to become mandatory when Ofgem become the heat network industry’s regulator. For leaseholders, when in place, this will mean that if parts of the HSC are not met, you will be able to raise any issues in line with our complaints policy. If resolution cannot be achieved within 8-weeks, you will then be able to escalate the matter to the Energy Ombudsman.
To find out who your heat supplier is, visit our ‘Find your home’ page.
In most cases, your heat supplier will be your landlord or the freeholder of your building. In line with your lease agreement, one of their obligations is to supply you, as the leaseholder, with heating & hot water. Legally, they are therefore only required to provide you with the HSC.
If you let your property to a tenant, you may ask us to provide your tenant with a HSC. This is recommended to ensure your tenant understands their obligation to pay for heating & hot water consumed in your property during their tenure. However, regardless of whether your tenant has received or returned a HSC, any non-payment for energy consumed will be your responsibility as stipulated in your lease agreement.
HSCs are sent to all leaseholders when Insite Energy take over ESCo Manager services. If you have subsequently bought your property, you should receive a HSC when we action a change of residency (COR) on your behalf. If you have not received a copy of your HSC, or have misplaced it, please contact our Customer Service team.
Whether you are responsible for an outstanding balance left by a previous tenant will depend on your tenancy agreement and/or the Heat Supply Contract (HSC) signed for the property.
If your tenancy agreement states that the tenant is responsible for paying the property’s heating & hot water charges during their occupation, they may remain responsible for any unpaid charges left after they leave.
However, if you, as the leaseholder, are the recipient of the HSC with the heat supplier, you may ultimately remain liable for charges associated with the property if these are not paid by your tenant. This is because the contractual responsibility for the heat supply sits with you.
When a tenant moves out with an outstanding balance, we may continue to pursue them for payment. Where applicable, the outstanding amount may also be shown on the leaseholder’s (your) account while payment is being sought from the former tenant.
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