yhn modern homes programme. investing in our city’s future. · district and group heating - a...

District and group heating -a guide for leaseholders

YHN Modern Homes Programme. Investing in our city’s future.

BD12_1886 District and Group Heating leaflet - Leaseholders.indd 1 09/05/2012 10:58

1 Background to district and group heating 3

2 How do I control my system? 4

3 Your heating charge 6

4 Meter readings 7

5 Types of meters 7

6 Repairs 9

7 Frequently asked questions 10

8 Disconnection 11

9 Electricity in your home 11

10 Useful energy saving tips 12

11 Useful telephone numbers 14

Contents page

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1 Background to district and group heating

District heating, also called communal or group heating, consists of a central boiler system which supplies the heating and hot water requirements for a block or group of properties.

Your Homes Newcastle manages almost 4,000 properties that are supplied by district and group heating.

District heating has many social, economic and environmental benefits. It makes communities more sustainable, reduces energy usage and cuts pollution and carbon emissions that are causing climate change. It can be used to protect tenants from fuel poverty (where a household spends more than 10% of its income on fuel) because there is a shared boiler which can be cheaper to run than an individual boiler.

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2 How do I control my system?District heating systems generally use conventional radiators and so they should be used in the same way as individual central heating systems.

It is important to try and use these controls to avoid wasting heat that isn’t needed.

Each scheme will have different controls which could be one, some, or all of the following:

• room thermostat

• programmer

• thermostatic radiator valves

• hot water valve

Room thermostat

This is normally found in either the living room or hallway and is used to control the overall temperature of your home. It senses when the house is warm enough and turns the boiler off automatically. Set your heating at a comfortable level, usually between 18˚C and 21˚C (65˚F to 70˚F), and leave it at that setting. If you find that over time it is too hot, turn the thermostat down by a degree at a time until you achieve a comfortable temperature. If you find it too cool then do the reverse.


The room thermostat automatically switches your heating off once it reaches the set temperature and back on again if it drops below the temperature. Don’t be tempted to turn the room thermostat up to try and heat the room faster as this won’t work. Remember, you should turn the thermostat down rather than open your windows if you are too hot.

Programmer

If you have a programmer or central heating timer it can be used to control when the heating and hot water comes on and goes off. Normally you can set it to have two on periods and two off periods each day. Your heating system should only take half an hour to heat the house to a comfortable level, so you can set the programmer to come on half an hour before you get up in the morning, and to go off half an hour before bed. The remaining heat will keep your house warm long after you have gone to bed.

Thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs)

These are fitted on each radiator and have a range of temperature settings. Usually 1 is the lowest/coolest and 5 is the highest/warmest. They work by reducing the flow of hot water into the radiator as shown by the setting on the thermostat.

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They can be used to provide lower temperatures for rooms that you don’t use as often, like spare bedrooms.

Hot water valve

Where the pipe work leading to the hot water cylinder (located in the airing cupboard) is fitted with a control valve it will normally be numbered 1 - 7 and controls how much hot water is delivered to your home for your heating and hot water. The hot water valve should normally be set between 1 and 3. The lower you can set the hot water valve and still get enough heating and hot water, the less it will cost you. If you need more hot water quickly you will have to set the hot water valve at a higher setting for a short time, say half an hour, and then reset it to its original setting.

The actual controls fitted will vary from property to property and be from a range of manufacturers but the basic operation will remain the same. If you have any queries on the controls please contact the Investment Delivery Team on freephone 0800 091 1256.

3 Your heating chargeYHN and Newcastle City Council purchase the fuel for district and group heating in bulk with the other councils in the North East. For this reason we are able to get a very competitive price and this means that any savings are passed onto you as a lower heating charge.

The cost of the energy you use has been decided by YHN Board, based on the price of fuel. YHN will continue to buy in bulk, as we do now, to ensure we get the best possible price for our tenants and leaseholders.


The charge that you pay is split into two parts:

• an infrastructure charge. This covers the administration of the system.

• an energy charge. This is an estimated charge based on how much energy we think you will use.

These charges are in addition to your annual service charge and you must pay these on a weekly basis. The energy charge will be reassessed annually, based on the previous year’s meter readings. Any over/undercharge will be taken into consideration in this calculation. You will also receive a statement every three months which will provide information relating to how much you have been charged and how much heat/hot water you have used.

4 Meter readingsYour meter(s) will be read on a monthly basis. This is done remotely which means that YHN will not need to access your home. The meter readings will be monitored and will ultimately be used to determine the following year’s charge.

5 Types of metersThe type of meter fitted in your property will depend on the layout of your current heating system. Please read on for an explanation of the different types of meters used.

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• Main meter

This meter is fitted to the main heating pipe and displays the total amount of kilowatts used to date.

• Wavelook remote meter

This meter is fitted in your property when the main meter is inaccessible. It works by sending radio signals to the main meter and then calculates your daily, monthly and annual consumption using a combination of periodic and manual meter readings.

To obtain a current meter reading:

• press the ‘input’ button

• hold the ‘OK’ button for over two seconds and this will show your meter reading.

To view your consumption data:

• press the ‘input’ button

• scroll through the different consumption periods using the ‘>>’ button and the reading will bedisplayed.

If you would like any advice on how to read your meter(s), please contact the Investment Delivery Team on freephone 0800 091 1256.


6 RepairsOverall, communal heating schemes are very reliable. They are continuously monitored by a dedicated team who maintain the plant and equipment supplying hot water and heating to your home.

If you have any problems with the system please contact the Repairs Centre by telephoning 0191 277 8888.

If repairs are needed to any of the parts relating to the district heating system (such as pipework or radiators) that are inside your property, then under the lease terms you are responsible for carrying out any repairs using your own contractor.

However we appreciate that it may be difficult for you to get your own heating engineer to carry out repairs and maintenance due to the nature of the system. We have agreed with City Build that leaseholders have the option of contacting them for a quote for the repairs if they wish.

You can contact City Build in the following ways:

• telephone: 0191 277 8888

• email: [email protected]

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7 Frequently asked questions

How will I pay?

You can pay monthly (in advance) or weekly by Direct Debit, standing order, with a swipe card at a Post Office or PayPoint outlet, by credit/debit card, or by cash at any of the Customer Service Centres:

NCC Customer Service Centres

Opening hours: Monday – Friday 8.30am – 4.30pm

• Civic Centre Sandyford Road, NE1 8PU

• Outer West C.S.C. Denton Park Shopping Centre, NE5 2QZ

• East End C.S.C. Shields Road, NE6 1DN

• Kenton C.S.C. Hillsview Avenue, NE3 3QJ

• Gosforth C.S.C. and Library, Regent Farm Road, NE3 3HD

• West End C.S.C. Condercum Road, NE4 9JH

What happens if I move house?

If you are selling your property you will need to make any possible buyers aware of the type of heating system that is installed.

Once you have an expected completion date for the sale you will need to tell us this and provide a forwarding address for yourself. We will then give you an estimated final figure for your heating account based on the readings that we hold for your property which will need to be paid before completion. A final meter reading will be taken on the day of completion and your account will be adjusted as required. Any debit at this point will need to be paid to us, however, if your account is in credit then this will be refunded to you.


8 Disconnection You are allowed to disconnect from the district heating system but must apply for permission to do so. You must also provide us with details of the new heating system that you are proposing to install.

Once we receive your request to disconnect we will get a price from our Repairs Team for carrying out the disconnection which we will then send to you with a disconnection agreement.

The disconnection agreement must then be signed and returned to us along with payment of the disconnection fee.

We may need to inspect your property before we agree to disconnect.

All outstanding heating charges must be paid before your property is disconnected from the system.

You will not be able to go ahead with the installation of your new heating system until you have written permission to do so from Newcastle City Council’s Property Services Department.

9 Electricity in your homeThis is your own responsibility and you need to take responsibility for making payments to your choice of utility supplier. The Citizens Advice service provides free, confidential and impartial advice on consumer issues. Visit www.adviceguide.org.uk or call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 08454 04 05 06.

The service operates from 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays. 11


10 Useful energy saving tips

• Always turn off the lights when you leave a room.

• Fit low energy light bulbs in rooms where lighting is needed for a lot of the time. They cost more to buy but use about one quarter of the energy and last on average eight times as long. Savings of up to £10 a year per light bulb can be made by fitting low energy light bulbs.

• During the day let in as much natural light as possible by adjusting curtains or blinds.

• Always wash a full load of clothes and use a low temperature programme.

• Dry clothes outside or on drying racks and ensure clothes have gone through the spin cycle of the washing machine if you have to use the tumble dryer.

• Choose the right size of pan, which should just cover the cooking ring, and keep lids on when cooking.

• Only put in the amount of water you need to boil the kettle.

• Do not leave fridge or freezer doors open for longer than necessary.

• Let hot food cool down before putting it in the fridge.

• Fridges and freezers should be kept at least three quarters full to work efficiently. Make sure that your fridge/freezer is kept well ventilated and away from sources of heat and that the door seals are working properly.

• Defrost your freezer regularly to keep it running efficiently.

• Do not leave electrical appliances on standby. Turning off your TV off to save energy can save up to £8 a year.

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Insulation

Heat rises and 25% of a home’s heat is lost through its roof. An additional 35% is lost through its walls. Installing loft and cavity wall insulation will keep your home warmer for longer. If you would like to have this work carried out you will need to apply for landlords consent before starting and supply us with the details of what you are going to do and details of who will be carrying out the works.

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11 Useful telephone numbers

Payment advice and queries

If you are experiencing difficulty in paying your heating charges, please contact our Income section on 0191 278 7749.

Leasehold Team

If you would like any more information regarding repairing responsibilities, selling your property or disconnection from the District and Group Heating system please contact the Leasehold Team on freephone 0800 091 0082.

Complaints or queries

If you have any queries or complaints about the heating system, please contact the Investment Delivery team on freephone 0800 091 1256.

Repairs

For repairs to the heating system please contact the Repairs Centre on 0191 277 8888.

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Your Homes Newcastle Limited. Registered in England and Wales. Registration number 5076256.Registered offi ce: Newcastle Civic Centre, Barras Bridge,Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8PR.A company controlled by Newcastle City Council. www.yhn.org.uk

This information is about improvements to council homes in Newcastle. If you need this information in your language your ‘Liaison Offi cer’, at your local site offi ce, can arrange for you to speak to an interpreter. Or you can phone 0191 278 8633 to ask for a written translation. Phone 0191 278 8633 for Braille, audio and large print versions.

Operating and cleaningyour Windows

Using the trickle Vents

A trickle vent is located at the top of each opening window.When they are open they allow air to circulate. This will bring fresh air into your home and reduce condensation. To open the trickle vent, pull the hook down:

If you have trouble reaching, youcan use a window pole. This canbe used to pull the hook down orto push it back up again.

If you do not have a windowpole, please contact Shieldfield Housing Office on0191 278 1566.

In some cases the trickle vent fitted may not be the same asthe one above.

Please call 0191 278 8775 if youneed more advice. W-V211/11 Your Homes Newcastle Limited. Registered in England and Wales Registration Number 5076256.

Registered Office: Newcastle Civic Centre, Barras Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8PR. A company controlled by Newcastle City Council

www.yhn.org.uk

YHN Modern Homes programme. Investing in our City’s Future

This information applies to Vale House

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yhn modern homes programme. investing in our city’s future. · district and group heating - a...

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