What do I do if I have a problem with my heating and hot water?
If you are a credit billing customer and normally receive a paper bill from us, please contact your heat provider first.
If you have a smart Pay-As-You-Go meter in your home, please conduct the following checks:
Are both your heating and hot water affected? If only one is affected, please contact your heat provider.
If both heating and hot water are affected, please check that you have credit on your account. If you have credit already, please contact your heat provider. If you don’t, please top up.
Please visit our 'Your Home' section and search for your development to find emergency contact details for your building.
If you are having problems contacting your heat provider, please get in touch with Insite Energy via our Contact Us page.
How do I report a problem?
If there’s a problem with the heating & hot water supply to your home, you will need to contact the heat supplier for your building.
Your heat supplier is your building owner or landlord - they operate the heat network that provides heating & hot water to your home.
If your heat provider thinks something may be wrong with your smart meter, you can book a visit from one of our engineers via our Contact Us page.
I can't find my building’s telephone number, my postcode isn’t valid on the website.
The telephone number for your landlord or building owner will appear on any letters or emails they have sent to you.
Your emergency contact details are also included in the welcome brochure that you received from us when you moved in.
Your landlord should provide a customer services telephone number on their website, if you are able to search for them online.
Why are you sending me to a different payment website?
Our payment platform (pay.insite-energy.co.uk) is a secure portal where you can pay your monthly bills or find a convenient way to top-up your Smart Pay-As-You-Go meter.
Once you have registered online, you will be able manage all your payments to Insite Energy at the click of a button.
How do I set up a standing order?
If you would like to make sure you are making regular payments onto your account but would prefer not to set up a Direct Debit, you can always arrange a standing order.
A standing order is an agreement with your bank to pay a fixed amount to another person or business at regular intervals; whether that’s weekly, monthly, quarterly or yearly.
To set up a standing order to Insite Energy, you will need to contact your bank; either in person or through your online banking.
They will ask you for the name of the company you wish to pay, the sort code and account number of that company, as well as asking for a payment reference to accompany the standing order.
We’ve provided all the information you will need below:
Name: Insite Energy Ltd
Account Sort Code: 23-84-82
Account number: 04990266
Payment Reference: This will be your unique eight-digit customer account number (found at the top of any Insite Energy bill)
When will I receive my bill?
If you’ve been signed up for monthly billing by your heat provider, you’ll receive your first bill from us after you’ve been in your home for more than a full month. You’ll normally receive your new bill within the first week of every month after that.
If you’ve been in your home for two months or more and still haven’t received a bill from us, please contact us to make sure we have the right information about your home.
Why can’t I set up an online account?
If you’re having difficulty setting up an online account with Insite Energy, please speak to a member of our team. You can find the dedicated support number for your building by searching for your address here. You can also contact us at anytime via our Contact Us page.
When will I receive my Flexipay payment card?
You should have received a FlexiPay payment card from us when you moved in.
If you haven’t received a payment card, please contact us and we will arrange for a new card to be sent to you.
Please note that there may be a charge to replace lost or damaged Pay-As-You-Go cards.
How do I provide a meter reading?
To provide us with a manual meter reading, you can take a note of the full meter reading and send it to us via the contact us form, or you can take a photo of your heat meter’s screen and send it to us at csbilling@insite-energy.co.uk.
Your heat meter can be found either inside or alongside your Heat Interface Unit (HIU), which is normally found in the utility cupboard in your home. Insite Energy doesn’t operate your heat meter and we did not install it in your home.
A payment did not appear on my bill?
It can take up to 14 days for a payment to be processed, if you made a payment within 14 days of the issue of your latest bill it should appear on your next Bill. If you have any concerns, please contact us
How do I apply for a refund?
If at any time you require a refund from us following a payment made into your utility account, the first thing to do is get in touch with our customer services team. You can do so by calling your dedicated customer support number, which can be found on the 'My home' page, by emailing customerservice@insite-energy.co.uk or writing us at the following address:
Insite Energy
Studio 4, Stuart House
St. John’s Street Peterborough
PE1 5DD
Once your refund request has been received and approved, we will aim to process your refund within five (5) working days. Once complete, the refund will be returned to the payment method from which payment was originally received. Please note, receipt of refunds varies depending on your payment provider.
For more details, please read our Refund policy.
Understanding your bills
Your energy supplier or building landlord has appointed Insite Energy to send you monthly bills for your heating and hot water (or other utility).
Each month, we collect your meter reads remotely via an automatic meter reading system (AMR). We use these actual meter readings to accurately calculate what you have consumed. You will then be billed for this consumption along with a daily standing charge.
If we cannot read your meter, you may receive a bill based on estimate readings. You can submit manual meter reads if needed through our online form.
We issue out bills on a monthly basis, either electronically or via post. You’ll receive your first bill after you’ve been in your home for more than a full month. You’ll typically receive your bills within the first week of every month. Please note that if you submit a meter read mid-month you will receive a new bill and be charged up to the date you submitted the new meter read.
If you’ve been in your home for two months or more and still haven’t received a bill from us, please contact your scheme specific contact number to make sure we have the right information about your home.
Why has my bill been estimated?
If we have been unable to obtain a recent meter read, you may receive an estimated bill. This will be indicated by an ‘E’ marked in the ‘Heat Charges’ section of your bill (see our ‘Understanding your Bill’ breakdown for more information). Where possible we will try to use your previous consumption to generate an appropriate estimate meter read. However, it may be that you have been charged more or less than expected. Once we can get an actual metering reading from your energy meter, we will work out what you actually owe on your next bill, factoring in any payments you may already have made towards your estimated charges.
If your meter cannot be read for a prolonged amount of time, or you wish for your estimated bill to be updated with an actual meter read, you can submit a meter read using our online form.
How can I pay my bill?
There are a number of ways to pay your heating & hot water bill.
As soon as you move into your home, we can help you choose the payment method that works best for you. You can change the way you pay your bill at any time, simply by getting in touch with us on the details for your building.
Pay by Direct Debit
If you set up a Direct Debit with us, we will automatically take a payment each month for the full amount shown on your bill as TOTAL NOW DUE.
Your payment date is shown in red at the bottom of your bill and will usually be 14 days after you receive your bill.
If you’d prefer to pay your monthly bills by Direct Debit, please contact us, or call the dedicated support number for your building by searching for your address here and we will set this up for you
Pay online
You can pay your bill online here. Simply enter your customer account number (as it appears on your bill) and the amount you’d like to pay. You’ll be linked to our secure payment portal which will take payment from either a debit or credit card.
Pay over the phone
You can also pay your bill over the phone by calling the dedicated Customer Service number for your building, which you can find by searching for your development here. Our Customer Service team can take payment over the phone from your debit or credit card between 9am – 8:30pm Monday to Friday & 9am - 5:30pm Saturday.
Pay with Payzone
Take your bill to any Payzone agent that accepts bill payments. There you will be able to pay over the counter using cash, credit or debit card, using the barcode printed on your bill.
Pay at the Post Office
You can also make a payment onto your account by taking your bill to any Post Office. Please remember to take your bill along with you, as you will be asked for the barcode printed on your bill.
Important
It is important that you pay your bills promptly each month.
Your landlord has instructed us to issue debt management letters if you do not pay on time.
If you don’t make full payments to us each month, you may be breaching the lease agreement you have with your landlord. This may lead to enforcement action being taken against you by your landlord.
If you are having any difficulty paying your bills, you should contact us as soon as possible. You may be eligible to pay off what you owe in manageable instalments through a Direct Debit payment plan.
Why isn’t my payment showing on my bill?
If you’ve made a payment and it isn’t showing on your latest bill from us, it might be because the payment didn’t reach us or wasn’t processed before we issued your bill. However, it should appear on your next bill. If you made a payment within 5 days of your bill being issued it will not show on your bill. It will, however, show on your next bill. If you have any concerns, please get in touch.
My bill is too high, what can I do?
If your bill has an ‘A’ marked within the ‘Heat Charges’ section, it shows that an actual reading has been taken from your energy meter and sent to Insite Energy remotely. If your bill is based on actual readings from energy heat meter, they have given us a true report on your kilowatt-hour (kWh) consumption of energy – so we will not be able to change it.
If your bill has been based on estimated usage, you will see an ‘E’ marked in the ‘Heat Charges’ section of your bill. If you would like to provide us with an actual meter read, please complete our submit a meter reading form.
For information on how you can reduce your energy consumption, have a look at our energy saving tips.
I can’t afford to pay my bill in full – can I pay it in instalments?
If you are having any difficulty paying your bill, you may be eligible to pay off what you owe in manageable instalments through a Direct Debit payment plan.
If you’d like hep to pay your monthly bills and set up a Direct Debit payment plan, please contact us, or call the dedicated support number for your building by searching for your address here and we will set this up for you.
How often will I receive a bill?
Your energy supplier will have instructed us to send you monthly bills, either electronically or via post. You’ll receive your first bill after you’ve been in your home for more than a full month. You’ll typically receive your bills within the first week of every month.
Please note that if you submit a meter read mid-month you will receive a new bill and be charged up to the date you submitted the new meter read.
If you’ve been in your home for two months or more and still haven’t received a bill from us, please contact your scheme-specific contact number to make sure we have the right information about your home.
Your bill explained
Your bill contains information about what you have consumed, what the charges are and how you can make payments. The images below show where key information is displayed on your bill. Explanations of each of these terms is further down the page.
Download our interactive PDF
Customer Helpline - The contact number specifically for your scheme.
Customer Account Number - Your account number.
Bill Date - Date the bill was issued
Previous balance - This shows your balance brought forward from the previous month.
Payments received with thanks - This shows the payments that we received from you by the date your new bill was issued. If you made a payment after this bill was produced, it will not show as a payment received. It will however be shown on the next bill.
Outstanding balance - This shows you what is still owed from previous bills that you have not yet paid. As this amount still needs to be paid, it is added to the total owed – shown as ‘Current Balance’ at the bottom of the bill.
New charges - This section shows the charges for the month being billed. It is a summary of the charges shown on the back page of the bill.
Current balance - This is the total amount to be paid. It includes any balance brought forward plus the total of your new charges for the month being billed.
If you have chosen to set-up Direct Debit - The date on this section indicates when your Direct Debit will be collected if set-up.
Questions about your bill? - Our contact details
Bill Period - This is the period of time your bill covers.
If billed multiple utilities, each utility will have a separate section on your bill
Your utility charges - This section shows you what you have consumed per utility and the resultant costs in line with your tariffs. It shows you the period that is being billed (usually for a calendar month) and your meter serial number. Your meter read will usually be annotated with an ‘A’ to illustrate that it is an actual remote reading taken from your meter and is therefore an accurate record of what you have consumed. If we have had to estimate your bill, this will be denoted by an ‘E’.
Energy charge - This is the cost of the energy you have consumed based on the unit charge set by your energy provider. This unit charge includes any associated loss of energy between the supply point and your home. Total energy charge = units used (kWh) x charge per unit (£)
Standing charge - This is the daily standing charge passed on by your energy provider for the provision of energy to the central plant room that supplies energy to your home. It also includes any associated costs attributing to the provision of heat to your home and administration charges related to service. Total standing charge = days in the billing period x daily standing charge
Total charges - This is the total owed by you for the billed period including VAT. This amount is shown on the front page as ‘New Charges’.
Your barcode for Payzone or Post Office payments
How do you estimate bills?
Our estimates are calculated like this:
If we have received actual readings for the previous three months, we will use the average consumption for your home to estimate your new bill.
If we don’t have the last three actual reads from your property, we will use the last three months’ average consumption from the other homes in your building to make an estimate.
If there has been an issue across all the homes in your building within the past three months, we will use average data from across the country this season to make an estimate about your likely usage.
Your smart meter reading will normally be marked with an ‘A’, to show that it is an actual reading taken automatically from your energy meter – and is therefore an accurate record of what you have used. If we have had to use an estimate meter read, it will be marked with an ‘E’.
How do I submit a manual meter reading if required?
If we are unable to obtain an actual reading from your meter and you have received an estimate bill as a result, we may ask you to provide us with a manual meter reading.
To do this you can submit your reading along with a photograph of your heat meter showing the latest read via our ‘Submit a meter read’ form.
Your heat meter can be found either inside or near your Heat Interface Unit (HIU), which is normally located within the utility cupboard. Some examples of what your heat meter may look like can be found below.
If you have a combined heat & hot water and cooling meter, you will be able to see your usage for both on the same meter.
Sometimes your energy meter may be located in a communal area, outside your property. If you need any help locating your energy meter, please contact your internal maintenance team. Please note, Insite Energy is not responsible for the installation or operation of your heat meter.
Why is my bill estimated?
If your bill doesn’t look right, it could be because we needed to estimate how much heating and hot water you have used. You can find out more about how we estimate bills here.
This could have been caused by a temporary disruption in our remote connection with your heat meter. If we have been forced to estimate how much energy you used, you will see an ‘e’ marked on your bill in the ‘Heat Charges’ section.
Our Understanding your Bill page shows where all of the above key information is displayed on your bill.
How do you estimate bills?
Our estimates are calculated like this:
If we have received actual readings for the previous 3 Months, we will use the average consumption for your home to estimate your new bill.
If we don’t have the last 3 actual reads from your property, we will use the last 3 months’ average consumption from the other homes in your building to make an estimate.
If there has been an issue across all the homes in your building within the past 3 Months, we will use average data from across the country this season to make an estimate about your likely usage.
Your smart meter reading will normally be marked with an ‘A’, to show that it is an actual reading taken automatically from your heat meter - and is therefore an accurate record of what you have used.
Our Understanding your Bill page shows where all of the above key information is displayed on your bill.
I’m unhappy with my tariff and standing charge?
Insite Energy works with your heat supplier to calculate a specific unit rate and daily standing charge for your home, so that your heat supplier does not make any profit.
You will find more information about how this is calculated here.
Unfortunately, we are unable to change your tariff details, unless instructed by your heat supplier.
Our Understanding your Bill page shows where all of the above key information is displayed on your bill.
My tariff is too high. What can I do?
Insite Energy works with your heat supplier to calculate a specific unit rate and daily standing charge for your home, so that your heat supplier does not make any profit.
You will find more information about how this is calculated here.
Unfortunately, we are unable to change your tariff details, unless instructed by your heat supplier.
Our Understanding your Bill page shows where all of the above key information is displayed on your bill.
How is my tariff calculated?
Your tariff is set by your heat supplier (normally your landlord or building owner) and unfortunately, we are unable to change your tariff details, unless instructed by your heat supplier.
Insite Energy works with your heat supplier to calculate a specific unit rate and daily standing charge for your home, so that your heat supplier does not make any profit.
Details about your tariff can be found on your bill, or on the display screen of your Pay-As-You-Go meter.
For any further information, please read our ‘Understanding Your Heat Charges’ leaflet or Welcome Brochure.
What VAT do I pay on my bills?
If your heat provider is VAT-registered, VAT will be added to your bill or smart meter charges, adding 5% to your total due.
What is a Smart Meter?
A smart meter connects directly to your home’s heating and hot water supply, accurately measuring the amount of energy used to heat your home and hot water.
Your smart meter can provide useful information about your energy usage, as well as details about your account and remaining balance.
Smart meters allow you to make one-off payments or set up automatic top ups, based on your actual energy consumption – rather than estimates.
Is there a way to top-up automatically?
To set up automatic top-ups on your meter, you will first need to register for an online account with us. You will then be able to arrange an automatic top-up and make changes to your account settings whenever you like.
Why hasn’t my top-up appeared?
If you think a payment may not have been registered, please check your Smart meter display to see if the credit has been applied. If it hasn’t, please press the Top-Up button and enter the 20-digit number which you can find on your PayPoint receipt, email or text confirmation.
Can I set up a Direct Debit on my Smart meter?
You can’t sign up for Direct Debit payments through your smart meter, but you can register your Pay-As-You-Go payment card with us online to set up automatic payments, which are similar.
Through automatic payments, you can choose to pay a fixed amount to us on the same date each month – so that you know there is regular credit going onto your meter.
You can also arrange for a payment to be triggered once your credit balance falls below £10. When this happens an automatic payment will be made. You can select the value of the auto top-up to be either £10 or £50.
You can set up automatic payments for your heating and hot water by visiting our ‘top-up online’ page.
My Smart meter isn’t working
If your Smart meter is not working, please speak to a member of our team who may be able to help or will arrange for an engineer to visit. You can find the dedicated support number for your building by searching for your address here. You can also email us at anytime via our Contact Us page.
What should I do if my screen goes blank?
If your screen goes blank, please speak to a member of our team. You can find the dedicated support number for your building by searching for your address here. You can also email us at anytime via our Contact Us page.
I have lost my Pay-As-You-Go card. What should I do?
If you lose your Pay-As-You-Go card or it becomes damaged, please contact us for a replacement.
There is a £15.00 charge for replacing lost or damaged cards.
Please note: you only need a card to make payments at a registered PayPoint shop. You can make payments online, via text/SMS and over the phone as long as you know your 19-digit payment card number. We can provide this number on request, free of charge.
I’ve just moved in. When will I receive a bill?
We hope you’re enjoying settling in to your new home.
You should already have received a welcome brochure from us, that explains who we are and how we will bill you for your heating and hot water. If you’re a Pay-As-You-Go customer, you should also have received a payment card or a welcome email, which includes the unique payment reference number you will need when topping up.
If you’ve been signed up to monthly billing, you’ll receive your first bill from us when you’ve been in your home for more than a month, and every month after that.
To make sure that we have all your correct information and will only charge you from the date you moved in, please complete the and send us the moving in form
If you’ve been signed up for monthly billing by your heat provider, you’ll receive your first bill from us after you’ve been in your home for more than a whole month. You’ll normally receive your new bill within the first week of every month after that.
If you’d prefer to pay your monthly bills by Direct Debit, please contact us, or call the dedicated support number for your building by searching for your address here and we will set this up for you
I’m moving out. What do I need to do?
We’re sorry to hear that you’re leaving and wish you all the best in your new home.
It’s important that we now provide you with an accurate final bill before you leave, so please contact us as soon as possible to let us know you are moving out. It is important that you let us know exactly when you will be leaving your current address. If we don’t receive an accurate move out date, your standing charges and energy usage may be miscalculated in your final bill.
If you’re a pre-payment customer with a Flexi Pay account, providing the wrong move out date might mean you receive a payment notification related to the new tenants - after they have moved in.
We know you’ll be busy with moving, but if you can possibly get in touch on the day that you move out, it will make it a lot easier to finalise your account with us.
To make sure you only pay for what you’ve used, it’s important to give us an accurate final meter reading before you move out of your home.
If you don’t provide a final meter reading, you may receive an inaccurate final bill from us or even become liable for standing charges until the next tenants move in.
It’s easy to submit a final meter reading. You can take a note of the full meter reading and send it to us via the Moving Out form, or you can take a photo of your heat meter’s screen and send it to us at residata@insite-energy.co.uk.
Your meter can be found either inside or alongside your Heat Interface Unit, which is normally found in the utility cupboard in your home.
You’ll then receive a final bill from us in the post, or via email if you’ve registered for e-billing.
You will also need to complete and send us an End of Tenancy form, which can be downloaded here.
If we don’t receive all the necessary information to close off your account, we may end up billing you in error. Your Heat provider or Landlord may even withhold your deposit or take legal action until all outstanding bills and debts are settled.
Once we have all the necessary information, monthly billing customers will receive their final bill and a confirmation letter.
Pre-payment customers will receive an email confirming the closure of their account.
I’m a Pre-pay customer and my tenancy is changing. Will I be charged?
Pre-pay customers
Whenever someone moves in or out of a home Insite Energy supplies services to, we need to make a number of changes to our records, so that we can make sure you always receive accurate information, advice and bills from us.
We need to charge your heat provider (normally your landlord or building owner) for the time it takes us to:
Add details of any new residents onto our systems
Generate new payment accounts for your home
Change your details on our monthly reports
Re-configure the heat meter in your home
Create and send your new payment card
Sometimes your heat supplier may decide to pass these charges on to residents. If this happens, this fee will be displayed on your heat meter and charges will be collected from future top-ups at a rate agreed with your heat provider. If you would prefer to clear this cost in one go, please contact us so that we can arrange it.
You can find the dedicated support number for your building by searching for your address here. You can also email us at anytime via our Contact Us page.
Important:
We are only able to charge the Change of Tenancy fee to the named account holder. Insite Energy cannot bill anyone else for these charges, but we can take payments from any source.
I’m a credit billing customer and my tenancy has changed. Will I be charged?
Credit Billing customers
Whenever someone moves in or out of a home Insite Energy supplies services to, we need to make a number of changes to our records, so that we can make sure you always receive accurate information, advice and bills from us.
We need to charge your heat provider (normally your landlord or building owner) £30 + VAT for the time it takes us to:
Add details of any new residents onto our systems
Generate new payment accounts for your home
Change your details on our monthly reports
Sometimes your heat supplier may decide to pass these charges on to residents. If this happens, this fee will be displayed on your first bill from us.
Important
We are only able to charge the Change of Tenancy fee to the named account holder. Insite Energy cannot bill anyone ales for these charges, but we can take payments from any source.
How do I set up an account with Insite Energy?
Registering a new payment account
You can set up a new payment account with us here.
Once you’ve submitted the registration form, you will receive an email requesting to confirm the email address you have chosen. Simply click on the highlighted link in your confirmation email to register your credit or debit card for online payments.
Registering a credit or debit card online
If you would like to use our SMS service or the Auto-payment facility, you will need to register a credit or debit card with us.
To register a new card, you will first need to have a payment account set up (see instructions above).
To save typing in your billing address and credit or debit card details each time you want to top-up, you can choose for Insite Energy to securely store your card details.
You can register a new credit or debit card for your account, or to top-up online here. Once you’ve submitted the form, you will receive an email confirming any payment.
If you haven’t received a confirmation email from us within 5 minutes, please check your junk mail folder, as it may have been diverted there. Please move this email to your inbox, otherwise any embedded links will not work correctly.
Important
In order to keep payments secure and safe, your card details will be saved by our payment partner Paypoint.net, not by us. Insite Energy only saves a reference code for your transaction, which is approved by Paypoint.net every time you pay.
When will I receive my payment card?
If you need a Pay-As-You-Go payment card, please contact us and we will arrange for a new card to be sent to you.
Please note that there may be a charge to replace lost or damaged payment cards in future.
I’ve recently moved in - why haven’t I received a bill?
Don’t panic.
If you’ve been signed up for monthly billing by your heat supplier, you’ll receive your first bill from us after you’ve been in your home for more than a whole month. You’ll normally receive your new bill within the first week of every month after that.
If you’d prefer to pay your monthly bills by Direct Debit, please contact us, or call the dedicated support number for your building by searching for your address here and we will set this up for you
Why have I received a bill addressed to someone else?
There are several reasons why you may have received a bill in someone else's name.
Your building’s heat provider (normally your landlord) may only have instructed Insite Energy to bill a particular named person or, we have not received a Change of Tenancy form, or it might be that we haven’t received all the information we need from your landlord to set you up as a new contact yet.
If you have received a bill in someone else’s name, please contact us and we will help change all of the details for your property.
Why hasn’t my Change of Tenancy been processed?
If you have submitted a Change of Tenancy form more than a month ago and your billing is still not correct, there may be an issue with our remote connection to the heat meter in your home.
Please contact us so that we can perform any necessary checks on your heat meter and make sure that you are are charged correctly and that our records are fully up to date. Or you can call us using dedicated support number for your building by searching for your address here.
Someone is moving in with me. What do I need to do?
If someone else is moving into your home, it will have an effect on your heating and hot water use.
To make sure we can continue to provide you with accurate advice and reports, it’s important you let us know the name of any new residents and when they move in.
Please contact us with details of any new residents in your home.
Of course, if you rent your home, your landlord will need to know about any new residents in your home.
I am a leaseholder – how do I register my tenants as the main contacts on my account?
If you are a leaseholder renting out your property to a third party, you will be the primary account holder and your name will appear on all heating and hot water bills from Insite Energy.
Our bills are based on information downloaded automatically from your smart meter, so you won’t need to supply us with a reading. If we ever need to estimate readings (marked with an ‘e’ on your bill), you can always supply a manual reading by contacting us directly.
You may prefer to nominate your tenants as authorised users on the account. This will allow us to manage any billing issues with them instead. If you would like to set up your tenants as authorised users, please contact us on residata@insite-energy.co.uk.
When an authorised user moves out, any outstanding balance will be transferred to the primary account holder. It is then your responsibility to recover any debt from authorised users as the leaseholder/landlord.
I’d like to change my energy supplier. I don’t want to be with Insite Energy
Insite is not your energy supplier.
We are a metering, billing and payments company for residents who are connected to a heat network in their building.
The energy supply for your building is arranged by your heat supplier, who is usually your building owner or landlord.
Why are you referring me to my heat supplier? Can’t you help?
Your heat supplier has appointed Insite Energy to monitor and charge you for the heating and hot water you use. In some cases, we will also monitor and bill for cold water, electricity and air conditioning.
Unfortunately, Insite Energy won’t be able to respond to queries about anything other than looking after your metering account. We will always try our best to help you, there may be occasions where you will need to contact your heat supplier.
If you are unsure about who supplies your heat, please consult your Insite Energy welcome brochure that you received when you moved in, or search for information tailored to your building by searching for your address here
What is typical consumption for a home like mine?
Your heating and hot water consumption will vary depending on a range of factors.
The size of your home, the number of people who live there, how long you have the heating on, what temperature you set on heaters or thermostats… all of these will affect your energy usage, so there is no ‘typical’ household or consumption figure.
If you think you might be being charged for more energy than you are using, please let us know. We can perform detailed checks on your heat meter and heating system to make sure you’re only paying for what you use.
You can find a dedicated support number for your building by searching for your address here. You can also email us any time at customerservice@insite-energy.co.uk.
Our How to reduce your energy bills page has handy hints to help you save money on your heating and hot water.
Who are Insite Energy and who is my Heat Provider?
Your building owner or landlord is the ‘heat provider’ for your home.
They maintain the heat network in your building and have instructed Insite Energy to bill you for the heating & hot water that you use.
Your landlord is responsible for supplying the energy to your home and choosing who provides your billing services.
Insite Energy is your building’s dedicated metering and billing service provider.
That means we are responsible for:
Issuing monthly bills to credit billing customers
Processing payments for credit billing and Pay-As-You-Go customers
Providing annual statements on request
Providing customer support about bills and payment issues
Processing changes of tenancies and issuing final bills
Supplying welcome brochures to all new residents
Ultimately, we help your landlord or building owner to calculate the total cost of heating its homes, so that they can recover the cost of running their heat network - without making any profit.
How does a district heating system work?
A district heating system (also known as a heat network or communal heating system) provides heating and hot water to each home in a building from a single, central source - such as a large boiler in a basement plant room.
Your landlord or building owner manages the energy supply to this plant room (such as gas). The heat generated from the plant room can then be supplied to multiple homes in the same building through a network of pipes – so there’s no need to have a boiler in each home.
Instead of having an individual boiler, each home is fitted with an HIU (Hydraulic Interface Unit). This HIU transfers the heat from the building’s pipe network into your home.
Heat networks are becoming increasingly popular, because it is more energy efficient to have one central source of heat than each home in a building having its own boiler or heater.
Heat networks can also be operated by renewable or low carbon technology, which helps landlords reduce the amount of carbon emitted in providing heating and hot water to homes.
UK Building Regulations also now call for buildings to be built to very high standards of energy efficiency. Heat networks are a great way of reducing the environmental impact of any new homes.
Learn more about where your heating and hot water comes from.
How can I reduce my heating bills?
Our How to reduce your energy bills page has handy hints to help you save money on your heating and hot water.
My consumption is too high. What can I do?
If you’re concerned that you’re spending too much on heating and hot water for your home, Our How to reduce your energy bills page has handy hints to help you save money on your heating and hot water.
Where is my Pay-As-You-Go meter?
Your heat meter and your Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) meter will usually be found in the utility cupboard in your home.
Unfortunately, Insite Energy does not choose the location of any meters in your home and our Customer Service team will not always know where to find it.
Please contact your building owner or landlord if you’re unable to find your meter. You will find their contact details and more useful information by searching for your development on our 'Your Home' section.
Why haven’t I received a reply to my enquiry?
We’re sorry if you haven’t had a response to your email.
We always aim to reply to emails within 14 days. If your enquiry is urgent, please call your dedicated customer services team to get an immediate response.
You can find the dedicated support number for your building by searching for your address here.
I have additional needs – what assistance can you provide?
Your heat supplier has given us details of any residents in your building who may have additional needs – such as being hard of hearing or visually impaired.
If you need any additional support in order to communicate with us, please let us know and we will do our best to help.
You may wish to name another person (such as a carer, friend or relative) who we can contact about your account on your behalf. Please let us know if you would like us to arrange this by contacting us
Important
We will never share your account or payment details with anyone unless you tell us to.
Sometimes our engineers may need to visit your home, to carry out routine maintenance on your payment system or heat meter. Our engineers wear identification badges at all times, but for extra peace of mind we can tell them to use an agreed password whenever they visit.
You can choose your own password and change it whenever you like by contacting our team.
What is a heat network, and where does my heating and hot water come from?
Heat networks, also known as communal and district heating schemes, are a lower carbon way to heat buildings. Instead of homes being heated by individual gas boilers, for heat networks there is one central energy source providing heating and hot water to each property via a network of insulated pipes. These systems aren’t just used for heat and hot water but can also incorporate a centralised source of chilled water which is distributed in order to provide cooling.
What is the difference between communal heat networks and district heat networks?
Communal heat networks serve a single building containing multiple customers, such as a block of flats or offices. District heat networks serve multiple buildings, such as a housing estate or university campus.
Do I still have a boiler in my apartment?
Instead of a boiler, your home will have a Heating Interface Unit (HIU) which transfers the heat from the heat network into your home. From here you can control your energy consumption through your programmer and thermostats or radiator valves (TRVs). As the HIU is simply transferring the heat from the network, the good news is that there is no need for an individual gas supply for your home. This makes the system safer than gas as annual service checks are not required. You’ll only need to look to get your HIU services on average every 2-3 years.
Are heat networks common in the UK?
Heat networks are very popular in northern Europe such as in Denmark and Germany, but currently only supply around 2% of the UK’s heat demand. However, as heat generation accounts for around one-third of UK carbon emissions, the government are promoting heat networks as an important contributor towards clean growth and carbon-cutting targets.
Who manages the heat network?
Your heat supplier (who supplies and charges for the supply of heating, cooling and/or hot water) is responsible for the management of the system. Heat suppliers may appoint service providers, such as Insite Energy, to carry out services like metering & billing or maintenance on their behalf. Look your home up on the 'Your development' page to find out who your heat supplier is.
Can I switch supplier?
As the heat for your property is generated on site, you cannot switch supplier. However, support and guidance is available for any queries or concerns about your heat supply, to ensure customers are protected and treated fairly in line with other utilities.
How are heat networks more environmentally friendly?
Although the same number of homes need to be heated, by generating the energy for the homes at a single centralised source rather than via multiple individual boilers the system is much more efficient as more useful energy is produced and less fuel is used, creating economies of scale. On average, a property connected to a heat network will consume 35% less energy than on a conventional gas boiler system.
How is my energy generated?
Heat networks can use a flexible range of fuels to generate energy and can combine different sources. The most common energy source is currently traditional gas fired boilers, however lower carbon alternatives are increasingly being integrated into centralised energy systems such as heat pumps, biomass, and energy from waste.
Can heat networks save me money on my heating bills?
If managed effectively, heat networks can cut costs that ultimately end up on your heating bill. This is because there is no need for individual gas boiler inspections, there is less equipment to maintain, and the centralised generator of energy typically lasts longer than domestic gas boilers.
Because the energy you use is generated on site, this sometimes results in higher daily standing charges than you would experience on gas or electricity. However, due to the system being much more efficient than gas or electricity delivered via the grid because the energy doesn’t have to be transported as far, you will resultantly use less energy overall. As a result, your annual energy bill should be similar to if you were on gas or electricity.
Our payment platform (pay.insite-energy.co.uk) is a secure portal where you can pay your monthly bills or find a convenient way to top-up your Smart Pay-As-You-Go meter.
Once you have registered online, you will be able manage all your payments to Insite Energy at the click of a button.
If you would like to make sure you are making regular payments onto your account but would prefer not to set up a Direct Debit, you can always arrange a standing order.
A standing order is an agreement with your bank to pay a fixed amount to another person or business at regular intervals; whether that’s weekly, monthly, quarterly or yearly.
To set up a standing order to Insite Energy, you will need to contact your bank; either in person or through your online banking.
They will ask you for the name of the company you wish to pay, the sort code and account number of that company, as well as asking for a payment reference to accompany the standing order.
We’ve provided all the information you will need below:
If you’ve been signed up for monthly billing by your heat provider, you’ll receive your first bill from us after you’ve been in your home for more than a full month. You’ll normally receive your new bill within the first week of every month after that.
If you’ve been in your home for two months or more and still haven’t received a bill from us, please contact us to make sure we have the right information about your home.
If you’re having difficulty setting up an online account with Insite Energy, please speak to a member of our team. You can find the dedicated support number for your building by searching for your address here. You can also contact us at anytime via our Contact Us page.
You should have received a FlexiPay payment card from us when you moved in.
If you haven’t received a payment card, please contact us and we will arrange for a new card to be sent to you.
Please note that there may be a charge to replace lost or damaged Pay-As-You-Go cards.
To provide us with a manual meter reading, you can take a note of the full meter reading and send it to us via the contact us form, or you can take a photo of your heat meter’s screen and send it to us at csbilling@insite-energy.co.uk.
Your heat meter can be found either inside or alongside your Heat Interface Unit (HIU), which is normally found in the utility cupboard in your home. Insite Energy doesn’t operate your heat meter and we did not install it in your home.
It can take up to 14 days for a payment to be processed, if you made a payment within 14 days of the issue of your latest bill it should appear on your next Bill. If you have any concerns, please contact us
If at any time you require a refund from us following a payment made into your utility account, the first thing to do is get in touch with our customer services team. You can do so by calling your dedicated customer support number, which can be found on the 'My home' page, by emailing customerservice@insite-energy.co.uk or writing us at the following address:
Insite Energy
Studio 4, Stuart House
St. John’s Street Peterborough
PE1 5DD
Once your refund request has been received and approved, we will aim to process your refund within five (5) working days. Once complete, the refund will be returned to the payment method from which payment was originally received. Please note, receipt of refunds varies depending on your payment provider.
For more details, please read our Refund policy.