Captive Customers: Why Heat Network Regulation Is Long Overdue — And What It Means for Industry

From January 2026, Ofgem began regulating heat networks for the first time — a significant step forward for consumers who, unable to switch supplier, have had limited formal protections and, in some cases, faced issues with pricing, service quality, and redress. rb&m, as the Heat Trust's sole appointed auditors since the voluntary scheme's inception and co-producers of the Ofgem/Heat Trust gap analysis, examines what the new Authorisation Conditions mean in practice for operators who must now get regulation-ready.