Best practice management of community heat networks is a key theme for scheme operators. This week we review new research from Inside Housing which indicates investment in maintenance is on the rise, with improving customer satisfaction high on the radar.

The reliability of heat networks is an important part of ensuring customer satisfaction. To raise standards, the best heat providers are increasingly moving to a more intensive planned maintenance regime, which helps ensure meters and other community heating equipment doesn’t break down or operate inefficiently.

This improves heat system reliability and reduces inconvenient unplanned maintenance, enhancing customer service and satisfaction.

The maintenance plan should, above all, minimise health and safety risks to staff, customers and the general public. It is important to get this right as emergencies resulting from a flood, fire or electrical failure could involve injury or serious damage to property.

Research published last month by media group Inside Housing (IH) shows London’s biggest housing associations ramped up spending on planned maintenance by 17% in 2014/15. The rise is evidence of a move towards improving customer service with preventative action to ensure homes stay in a good condition, rather than simply reacting to problems when they occur.

Most of the rise, according to IH, came from landlords in the G15 group of large London associations. Across the country the trend was less pronounced, with planned maintenance rising 6% to £664.78m.

A spokesperson for 70,000-home L&Q, which saw planned expenditure increase 13% from £23m to £26m, said it had implemented a new investment strategy, focusing far more on preventative maintenance using integrated planning and management tools. East Thames Group had the highest percentage increase in 2014/5 – with its financial statements showing a 125% jump in planned maintenance expenditure from £1.48m to £3.33m.

At the same time, it appears unplanned maintenance has fallen. John Wickenden, data analysis manager with consultancy Housemark, said its analysis of data between 2010/11 and 2014/15 revealed that median expenditure on responsive repairs fell 4.5% in real terms from £578 per property in 2010/11 to £552 in 2014/15.

The analysis also showed that such repairs are taking longer to fix. The average time to complete responsive maintenance rose to 8.3 days in 2014/15 from a low of 7.3 days at the median in 2011/12 – indicating the rising price those without preventative maintenance strategies are paying in terms of inconvenience to customers.

The Inside Housing survey looked at repairs and maintenance expenditure by 100 of the UK’s largest housing associations from across the country. And although planned maintenance jumped sharply, overall maintenance spend rose just 2.2% to just over £2.5bn, compared to £2.48bn in 2013/14 – providing more evidence that some of the new planned intervention looks like it is reducing the need for emergency fixes.

To further reduce unplanned maintenance, heating providers are encouraged to improve system observation and monitoring, which allows the heat network maintainer to be aware of any existing or potential problems so action can be taken before any damage occurs. Maintenance can then be planned carefully to ensure minimum disruption, dealing with minor repairs and irregularities before they develop and become major problems that require costly repair work.

A routine of good planned maintenance and monitoring can help fix things before they break, making sure customers enjoy an uninterrupted heating service that consistently performs well.

Looking ahead, the question is how new technology and “the connected home” will open up opportunities to move to a new level of preventative maintenance. Stronger capability to analyze data from meters, HIUs and other equipment could be a real game-changer, allowing the intervals between planned maintenance visits to be extended or even replaced with new ways of working.

Takeaways

• Good heat suppliers are expanding planned maintenance to improve customer satisfaction
• London’s biggest housing associations increased planned maintenance spending by 17% in 2014/5
• A number of companies are changing investment strategies to include more planned maintenance
• Some indicators show unplanned maintenance is falling, but taking longer to complete
• Observation and monitoring are also important, helping inform well planned maintenance. Stronger data analysis could improve preventative maintenance techniques.

Learn how to design and build successful community heating networks for the future.