Housing and Registered Providers

Domestic heating accounts for around 20% of the UK’s carbon emissions, so the housing sector is uniquely placed to drive decarbonisation.

In addition, Ofgem estimates that over 60% of existing heat networks are owned and managed by social landlords.

Housing providers therefore play a crucial role in the Government’s drive to decarbonise domestic heating.

The sector is being impacted by heat network regulation (which sits alongside pre-existing regulatory obligations) and will be affected by forthcoming heat network technical standards (including HNTAS) and zoning.

Our experienced teams work alongside those in the housing sector to support the development, management and disposal of heat networks within estates.

Our Points of Connection service provides free information for those in the housing sector who have, or are considering heat networks, and focuses, not only on district energy but also on the nexus between this and other areas of interest to the sector.

District Energy: Points of Connection

Webinars

Take an in-depth look with our selection of relevant webinars

Points of Connection Webinar Series

Ofgem Authorisation Conditions – what do they mean for your organisation?

Strategies to avoid and resolve disputes in the district energy sector

Managing Customer Data | Bevan Brittan LLP

Building Regulations and H&S

Property: is it more than just pipes?

The Employment Rights Bill 2024 - Key Changes for Employers

Decarbonisation is a strategic priority for most housing providers. The most successful providers treat heat networks as strategic infrastructure assets, aligning regulatory compliance with wider asset management, retrofit and sustainability programmes. I particularly enjoy acting on matters hat help to deliver these strategic priorities
Sarah Orchard

Articles

Explore our latest legal insights in this area:

Heat Networks Regulation – approach to Consumer Protections

Utility supply contracts – the importance of knowing your data protection obligations

District energy property issues – is it more than just pipes?

Building Regulations – key considerations for heat networks

Points of Connection: Managing Customer Data

District Energy - Points of Connection: Avoiding and Resolving Disputes

The future of heat networks: regulation, zoning and growth in 2026

Heat networks: a guide to prepare for registration

Heat network? Or not work? - Consumers have their say

They have amazing technical and legal knowledge, and they are true human beings and care about doing the right thing for their clients
Client quote: Legal 500 2026

External resources

Our approach

We have been advising a London Borough Council in procurement and delivery of its district energy network on two separate regeneration schemes.

We advised from OBC through to commercialisation, including the procurement strategy and documentation for DBOM and metering and billing arrangements and the procurement of an iDNO solution and associated adoption agreements.

Our work on the project also included contracts for heat supply, DBOM, M&B, and various forms of connection and supply agreements.

We advised the Council on the available models under which to deliver its project (including direct delivery or use of a corporate structure). This required analysis of the Council’s vires and the benefits and risks of each potential model. We also advised on the extent to which a special purpose vehicle may be able to benefit from statutory powers. Working closely with the project team we developed a set of recommendations which we presented to the relevant stakeholders within the Council.

We worked to facilitate a simplified property structure and provided property advice including drafting / negotiating chains of easements and consideration of the physical separation of servient land from the benefiting dominant tenement.

We also provided data protection / information law advice to the Council in relation to the appointed DBOM contractor accessing personal data about customers on the heat network.