Ofgem has updated the timetable for regular heat network reporting, with the first submission expected in autumn 2026.
That gives heat network operators and suppliers more time, but it does not move the start of the data period. Ofgem still requests information to be collected from April 2026, so organisations should already be preparing their Q1 and Q2 records. Before the first reporting window opens, Ofgem will issue a Request for Information to operators and suppliers of registered heat networks.
The challenge will not simply be knowing that a return is due. It will be locating the information, checking that different sources agree and producing figures that can be traced back to reliable records.
For organisations managing several schemes or relying on third-party providers, that work can become complicated quickly.
What will operators and suppliers need to report?
Ofgem’s regular reporting framework covers quarterly and annual information from authorised heat network suppliers and operators. The regulator will use it to monitor compliance and understand areas including customer debt, pricing, financial resilience, service quality and support for vulnerable consumers.
This is much broader than sending Ofgem a set of meter readings.
Depending on the organisation, its regulated role and the networks it manages, the required information will include customer numbers, tariffs and charges, billing arrangements, debt, complaints, vulnerable consumers, and financial or operational performance.
Some data will be supplied once at organisation level. Other fields will need to be completed separately for each heat network.
For a portfolio owner, that distinction matters. Corporate information may only need to be reported once, while customer, tariff or performance data will need to be broken down network by network.
Before collecting anything, the organisation needs to know which fields apply and at what level.
One return can involve several data owners
Most heat network organisations do not hold all their regulatory information in one system.
A typical reporting challenge is that data is often spread across multiple parties. For example, a housing provider with several heat networks may rely on a metering provider for consumption data, a billing platform for debt information, managing agents for complaints data, and internal or external teams for tariff calculations.
Switch2 is already helping clients work through this problem by identifying where reporting data sits, who owns it and where gaps need to be resolved before submission.
Even when the information exists, it may not be ready to report. Systems might use different property references. Teams may classify complaints differently, especially when you factor in existing complaint requirements aligned to the Housing Ombudsman. Additionally, the data quality for debt across organisations vary significantly with some providers may record outstanding debt balances, while another tracks debt recovery stages, repayment plans or debt triggers, making like-for-like reporting more difficult.
These problems cannot be solved by asking each team for a spreadsheet a few days before submission.
A reliable return needs clear ownership, agreed definitions and an audit trail showing what each figure includes, how it was calculated and where it came from.
Who is responsible for Ofgem heat network reporting?
The first step is to confirm the organisation’s regulated role.
The heat network operator is responsible for operating and maintaining the network. The heat supplier has a contract to provide heat, cooling or hot water to consumers. One legal entity may perform both roles, although many schemes involve building owners, managing agents, billing providers and contractors.
Suppliers cannot complete registration until they are invited to do so by the operator.
Outsourcing the work does not remove the need to understand who holds the relevant information.
Where more than one operator is involved, the nominated operator may submit network-level data on behalf of the others. Contributing operators still need to provide the information they hold, and each authorised person remains responsible for its own applicable reporting obligations.
A readiness review should confirm:
- whether the organisation is reporting as operator, supplier or both;
- which data points apply;
- whether each field is organisation-level or network-level;
- who will review and approve the return.
This avoids teams collecting information that is not required or missing fields because responsibility was unclear.
How should operators map their reporting data?
Once the applicable requirements are clear, the next question is where each figure will come from.
A useful data map records the source, owner, update frequency and any calculation or interpretation needed before submission.
Complaints data may be incomplete if some contacts are logged in a customer service system while others remain in local spreadsheets or email inboxes.
Bundled charges create another complication. Where heat charges form part of rent or a service charge, relevant customer and debt information will still need to be reported. The organisation should establish whether the heat element can be identified and document any assumptions used.
Where an exact figure is unavailable and an estimate is permitted, the method still needs to be reasonable and supported by evidence.
Switch2’s data-enablement support can help operators and suppliers connect reporting fields to their sources, identify inconsistencies and expose information that cannot yet be extracted reliably.
Test Q1 and Q2 information now
The immediate task is to review the information already collected from April 2026 and test whether it can be used for reporting.
Missing fields should be logged alongside the reason they are unavailable and the action needed to improve future returns.
Ofgem has acknowledged that some existing heat networks may not hold every required data point for the initial backdated period. Organisations may therefore need to provide the information available while improving their processes for future quarters.
The useful question is not simply, “Do we have a number?” It is, “Can we produce this number consistently every quarter, and can we evidence it?”
Build a process that can be repeated
Ofgem reporting will be an ongoing compliance responsibility.
Quarterly reporting becomes easier when collection dates, ownership, validation and approval are fixed in advance. The process should also retain the source files, calculations, estimates and assumptions behind the return.
For organisations with several networks, standardisation will make a significant difference. Common property identifiers, definitions aligned to Ofgem and consistent templates can stop small discrepancies from becoming portfolio-wide problems.
Each submission should be an opportunity to review how long the process take to gather and validate the information. Recurring gaps, unclear ownership and manual bottlenecks can then be addressed before the next reporting period.
How Switch2 can help with Ofgem reporting
Switch2 has more than 40 years’ experience in residential heat networks, with deep expertise in metering, billing, customer data and network operations. That means we understand where reporting information comes from, how easily it can become fragmented and what is needed to make it reliable.
We are already supporting clients with Ofgem reporting requirements, helping them identify applicable data points, trace information back to source, resolve gaps and put repeatable reporting processes in place.
Whether you need an initial readiness review or practical support preparing your Q1 and Q2 data, Switch2 can help reduce the workload and give you confidence in the information you submit.
Book an Ofgem reporting readiness review to identify your data owners, reporting gaps and next steps before the first submission window opens.
