Welcome to Watkins Energy!
This guide will tell you about your heating system and will help you set up and manage your heat account.
Who are we?
Watkins Energy are your heat metering and billing provider. This means we act on behalf of your heat supplier to remotely measure the amount of heat you use in your home - for heating and hot water. We then bill you for your heat charges.
We’re not responsible for:
Setting your heat tariff.
Operating and maintaining the heat network to supply heat to your home, including the equipment belonging to the heat network which lives in your home.
Any of your in-home heating or hot water equipment, including your heating programmer, radiators or hot water taps.
Remember:
If you’re struggling with your heating controls and need some help just take a look on our website www.watkinsenergy.co.uk, or get in touch with our friendly Customer Care Team who are always happy to help out.
What is a heat network?
Your home is connected to a heat network (also known as a district heating or communal heating system) which provides heating and hot water to many homes.
A heat network generates heat in a central location, known as an energy centre, using energy sources with lower CO2 emissions. This means that by living in a home connected to a heat network you’re playing your part to reduce your impact on the environment, helping to tackle climate change.
Heat is distributed from the energy centre to homes connected to the network by highly insulated pipes, supplying heating and hot water to customers whenever it’s needed. This removes the need to install a gas supply and individual boiler to every home.
Heat networks are more energy efficient than fitting individual gas boilers and are more reliable, so require less maintenance.
What equipment do you have in your home?
Instead of a gas boiler you have a heat interface unit installed in your home - commonly known as a HIU.
The HIU is installed in your utility cupboard and looks like a boiler. It controls the transfer of heat from the heat network to your home’s central heating system, making heat and hot water available to you instantly, as and when you need it.
Inside the HIU there’s a heat meter. This measures how much heat you use. We can read the heat meter remotely, this means we can bill you for the heat you use without you having to submit monthly meter readings.
To control your heating, you simply need to set the thermostat and heating programmer, as you would with a typical central heating system.
Remember:
If you experience a problem with any of your heating or hot water equipment you’ll need to report this to your heat supplier or housing provider.
Setting up your online account
To set up your online account we’ll need to send an activation link to your email address. This link is unique to you and your account.
If we already have your email address, you should receive an email with your activation link shortly after you’ve moved in to your new home or shortly after we’ve taken over as your metering and billing provider. If you’ve not received an email, please get in touch and let us know, we can then update your account with your email address and send you an activation link.
To access your online account just visit our website www.watkinsenergy.co.uk and select ‘My Account’ from the main menu.
Need help setting up your online account?
If you need help setting up your online account please call our Customer Care Team:
0330 324 0018 (local rates apply)
Open Monday to Friday from 8am - 5pm
Once we’ve confirmed your account details and verified that we’re speaking to the right person we’ll be able to help set up your online account.
Your heat tariff
Like a normal gas or electricity tariff, your heat tariff is made up of two charges:
Variable Unit
The unit charge is how much you’ll pay for every kilowatt hour (kWh) of heat you use. This is measured by your heat meter which automatically sends us meter readings so we can bill you accurately. You’ll see a breakdown of your heat use and what you’ve been charged, by logging in to your online account and taking a look at your heat bill.
Fixed Standing Charge
The standing charge is a fixed daily charge which generally covers;
Administration costs for providing metering and billing services,
Your share of the standing charges for the energy your heat supplier has to buy to power the heat network.
We work with your heat supplier to help calculate your unit charge and standing charge. You can find more information on the heat tariff for your development, including when the tariff was last reviewed and how it was calculated, on our website www.watkinsenergy.co.uk.
Changes to your heat tariff
You’ll always be given 31 days written notice of any changes to your heat tariff and we will only ever make changes to the tariff when instructed by your heat supplier.
How to pay your bills
Paying your bills couldn’t be easier!
You’ll be billed monthly and will be able to view your bills by logging in to your online account.
If you’d prefer, we can send paper bills by post - you’ll need to get in touch to request these. We try to avoid sending paper bills to help reduce our impact on the environment, it also helps us keep the cost of our service down.
To make sure your bills are paid on time we recommend setting up a Direct Debit. You can set up your Direct Debit over the phone or online, please go to directdebit.watkinsenergy.co.uk. If you don’t want to set up a Direct Debit, you’ll find an explanation of alternative payment options on the final page of your bill.
Each year we’ll send you an annual statement showing:
The total amount of heat you used over the year, based on actual readings from your heat meter,
Your total charges for the year, including the standing charge and unit charge,
Total payments made by you, and
Details of any outstanding charges.
Where possible we’ll also include a comparison with how much heat you used in the previous year.
What to do if you dispute a bill or charge
If you disagree with a charge, or if you have a question about your bill, please contact us within 14 days from the date of the charge or bill in question and we’ll work with you to resolve the issue.
We aim to solve most billing queries within two weeks. If we think your query will take longer to deal with, we’ll explain this to you. In the meantime, you must continue to pay your bills.
Struggling to pay your bills?
If you’re having trouble paying, don’t be tempted to put off getting in touch with us to let us know. The sooner we know you’re struggling, the easier it’ll be to help you to get back on track.
Contact our Customer Care Team using the contact details provided on page 15 as early as you can to discuss your options.
The below tips may help you reduce your consumption and your bills, as well as helping to reduce your impact on the environment:
Provided your warm enough, turn down your thermostat by one degree.
Learn how to set your heating programmer so your heating’s only on when you need it.
Take a quick shower instead of running a hot bath.
Turn down the radiator thermostats in rooms you don’t use.
Don’t block your radiators with furniture or dry laundry on them.
You can find more information and energy efficiency tips on our website at: www.watkinsenergy.co.uk/energyefficiency
Looking for independent financial advice?
An independent service set up by the Government to help people make the most of their money.
Call Money Helper for free:
Telephone: 0800 138 7777
Typetalk: 18001 0800 915 4622
Or visit their website to use their web chat facility: www.moneyhelper.org.uk
Step Change are a debt charity providing free debt advice online to help get your finances back on track. They will provide support for as long as it’s needed. www.stepchange.org
If you’d prefer, you can contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau.
Call Citizens Advice for free:
Advice line - 0800 144 8848
Debt line - 0800 240 4420
Visit their website to use their web chat facility www.citizensadvice.org.uk
Find your nearest Citizens Advice Bureau on their website www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/contact-us
Maintenance and repairs
We’re responsible for making sure your heat meter works correctly. If there are any issues with your heat meter we’ll contact you and arrange an appointment to fix the problem. If you think there is something wrong with your heat meter please get in touch with us straight away to let us know so we can look into it for you.
If we need to visit your home to carry out any repairs to your heat meter, our engineers will always carry photo ID. This will help protect you against fraudulent callers.
We will always try to keep any appointments we make with you. However, if we agree an appointment with you and our engineer fails to turn up, or we fail to give you 24 hours notice to cancel or change the appointment, you will be entitled to compensation - what we call a Guaranteed Service Payment.
Remember:
If you make an appointment with us and can’t keep it, you must phone our Customer Care Team to let us know by midday the day before the appointment. If you don’t let us know you may be charged a missed appointment fee.
Moving home?
You need to give us at least 10 days written notice of your moving date so we can arrange closing your account. You won’t need to provide us with a final meter reading as we can read your meter remotely. We’ll take a final reading on the day you move out and use this to produce your final bill. You’ll need to provide us with a forwarding address, as we may need to communicate with you about your account after you’ve moved.
To make it quick and easy for you to let us know you’re moving, we’ve made a simple moving home form which you’ll find on our websitewww.watkinsenergy.co.uk/movinghome.
If you’d prefer, you can call us and speak to one of our Customer Care Team.
We’ll issue your final bill within 6 weeks of your moving date. If we can’t issue a final bill within 6 weeks, we’ll explain why and issue a final bill within 31 days of the date on which we have all the information that we need to produce your final bill.
What happens if you have credit on your account?
If you have any credit on your account when it’s closed, we’ll refund this to you within 10 days of issuing your final statement.
Recognising amazing service
It’s always nice to receive positive feedback from happy customers. If you receive amazing service and want to share your experience, please get in touch. We’ll be sure to pass on your thanks and make sure the team know what a great job they’ve have done.
Keeping your information safe
We understand that your privacy is important and will always make sure the highest levels of security are applied to keep your information safe. All data is protected and any data that is transferred is always sent over secure connections. We only ever store data that is needed to deliver your heating services. Further information can be found in our Data Protection and Privacy Policy, which is available in the library section of our website.
Watkins Energy Ltd
Faraday House, 1 Faraday Close, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN22 9BH
0330 324 0018 | help@watkinsenergy.co.uk | watkinsenergy.co.uk
Amazing service, it’s in our
Dependable Non-Judgmental Ambitious
We will:
be friendly, helpful and make it easy for you to get in touch so we can provide help when you need it.
do what we say, giving clear timescales and making sure we stick to them. If anything changes, we’ll let you know.
act fast and aim to fix any problems as quick as we can.
investigate any complaints thoroughly, admit when we’re wrong, apologise and work with you to put things right.
price our service fairly and make sure that we bill you accurately, resolving any discrepancies quickly should they arise.
We will:
treat all customers equally.
always be polite and respectful.
be understanding of the diverse needs of our customers.
provide additional support for customers in vulnerable situations.
try to place ourselves in your shoes, making sure we truly hear and understand what you’re saying, allowing you to speak freely and comfortably without feeling that you’re being judged.
treat all personal information provided confidentially and in accordance with our Data Protection and Privacy Policy and relevant legislation.
give you a point of contact who understands your needs.
We will:
measure ourselves on how well we meet our commitments and continue to look for ways to improve our services.
learn from what we do well and use this to help continue to improve the service we provide.
learn from our mistakes and make sure we don’t repeat them.
continue to look at ways to innovate and reduce our impact on the environment.
continue to support the work of the Government and trade bodies to develop regulation for heat networks to help protect consumers.
A helping hand when you need it most
At Watkins Energy
we put customers at the heart of everything we do.
We appreciate that everyone is different and recognise that from time to time some customers may need a little extra help - which may be temporary or permanent.
Extra support for customers in vulnerable situations
As a responsible heat supplier, we’re particularly concerned about customers who are vulnerable to the cold. This can include a wide range of people.
If any of the following apply to you, you can apply to be on our Priority Services Register:
Are of pensionable age (65+)
If you have any special requirements, or need any extra support, it’s helpful if you let us know.
Depending on your personal circumstances, you may qualify for our Priority Services Register, which means we can tailor your experience and the way we interact with you by offering a selection of additional support services completely free of charge.
Are disabled or chronically sick
Have a long-term medical condition
Are blind or hard of hearing
Suffer from a mental health condition
Have children under 5 years old
Are in a vulnerable situation, for example you may recently have suffered a bereavement, have a low income or lost your job, or may be recovering at home following hospital treatment.
Our Priority Services
We offer the following services free of charge to customers on our Priority Services Register:
Accessible information
We can make information available in accessible formats, for example printed copy if you don’t have internet access, large print if you’re partially sighted, or in alternative languages.
Password protection and identification scheme
Our engineers will always carry photo ID when visiting your home. We can also agree a password with you to help you identify anyone visiting your home and protect you from fraudulent callers.
Knock and wait service
If it takes you a while to get to the door, just let us know and we can make sure that our engineers are aware in advance, giving you more time to let them in.
Nominee scheme
If you’d prefer, we’re happy for you to nominate a friend, family member or carer, who can act on your behalf to manage your account.
Meter reading
For those unable to do so, and where we can’t read your meter remotely, we’ll send an engineer to read your meter quarterly to make sure you’re being billed based on actual readings.
Think you qualify for our Priority Services Register?
Rgister for our Priority Services Register by:
Calling our friendly Customer Care Team 0330 324 0018
Filling out the registration form in your welcome pack
Completing our online registration formwww.watkinsenergy.co.uk/helpinghand
Unsure if you qualify?
We want you to feel comfortable contacting us so we can discuss your individual circumstances with you. Our Customer Care Team will always be sensitive and understanding and will treat all information provided as confidential.
If your circumstances change and you no longer need priority services, just let us know and we’ll remove you from the register.
Protecting your data
Any sharing of your data will always be done in accordance with our Data Protection and Privacy Policy.
We’ll need your consent to keep and share your data with our engineers and trusted partners.
Whatever you need, we’re here to help.
Get in touch today to talk to one of our friendly Customer Care Team
0330 324 0018
Monday to Friday from 8am - 5pm, Emergencies 24/7/365
Priority Services Registration Form
Title:
First name:
Contact number:
Email address:
Address:
Town or City:
Account number:
Postcode:
Vulnerable circumstances and/or additional needs
Tick the boxes if any of the following apply to you or anyone living in your home;
Pensionable age (65+)
Chronic illness
Visually impaired Dementia
Hearing impaired
Mental health issues
Speech difficulties Low income
Learning difficulties
Physical impairment
Temporary - Living with children under 5
Temporary - Life changes
Temporary - Post hospital recovery
No internet access
Unable to answer door/restricted movement
Review date
Review date
Review date
Non-English speaking (please confirm language)
Other (please provide details)
Surname:
Password scheme;
Anyone we send to your door will always carry an ID card to confirm who they are. If you’d like extra security to protect you from fraudulant callers please choose a password and write it below in block capital letters. Whenever we send anyone to your home they’ll be able to tell you the password before you let them in.
Nominee scheme;
If you’d like to nominate a family member or carer to act on your behalf please provide their details below. We’ll need you to sign the form to give your consent for us to discuss your account with them. We’ll also need a signature from them to confirm they’re happy to act on your behalf. Once we’ve received written confirmation from both parties, we’ll use them as our main point of contact.
Name:
Address:
Town or City:
Email:
Relationship to you:
Signature and declaration
Nominated representative
Postcode:
Contact number:
Signature and declaration Account holder
Declaration; I confirm that the details I have given are true and correct. I give permission for you and other organisations acting on your behalf to securely store and use my personal details so that you can provide me with priority services. I understand that, by law, you’re allowed to use my personal details once I give my permission.
We may contact you or your nominated representative to discuss any of the information provided in this form. If you’ve provided details for a nominated representative, you’re giving your explicit consent for us to talk to them on your behalf. This may mean we share information with them about you and your heat supply until you tell us that you no longer wish them to act as your nominated representative. We confirm that we won’t use or pass your details to a third party for marketing purposes.
Watkins Energy Ltd Faraday House, 1 Faraday Close, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN22 9BH 0330 324 0018 | help@watkinsenergy.co.uk | watkinsenergy.co.uk
Not happy with the service you’ve received? How to make a complaint
We always put our customers first and pride ourselves on delivering excellent service. However, sometimes things can go wrong. If this happens, we want to make it quick and easy for you to get in touch so we can put things right and get our relationship back on track.
What you can expect from us
If you need to let us know about any issues with the service you’ve received, we’ll make sure we:
Make it easy for you to get in touch with us.
Respond quickly and try to resolve any issues the first time you contact us.
Clearly explain the action we’re taking and provide timescales for fixing the problem.
Keep you updated on our progress throughout the complaints process.
Always try to make sure that your complaint is dealt with from start to finish by the same person.
Provide an explanation of what went wrong, do everything we can to put things right and apologise if we’ve made a mistake.
Always treat you fairly.
Contacting us
You can contact us using any of the following:
0330 324 0018
Monday to Friday 8am - 5pm
help@watkinsenergy.co.uk
Using our online complaints form www.watkinsenergy.co.uk/complaints
By writing to us at; Faraday House 1 Faraday Close Eastbourne East Sussex BN22 9BH
Remember, if you contact us by phone, we’ll often be able to resolve the problem for you there and then.
Need help with making a complaint?
If you can’t make the complaint yourself, or simply want the support of others, you can nominate a family member, friend, or other representative to deal with your complaint.
You’ll need to get in touch with us to let us know the name and contact details of your nominated representative. We’ll make a note of this and make sure we communicate with them when handling your complaint.
What information will we need?
For us to investigate your complaint you’ll need to provide us with the following information:
Your name, address and contact details.
Your preferred method of contact.
Details of the problem with any supporting evidence, including the date and time if your complaint relates to a particular incident.
What steps will we take to resolve your complaint and put things right?
Once we’ve received your complaint, we’ll get back to you within 2 working days to let you know that it’s been passed on to one of our specialist Customer Care Advisors to investigate for you.
You’ll be given a unique reference number to help us identify and track the progress of your complaint.
Within 10 working days of receiving your complaint, we’ll contact you to let you know the outcome of our investigation and to offer a solution to put things right.
What to do if you’re still unhappy
We hope you’ll be satisfied with how we’ve handled your complaint. If not, contact us and tell us that you’d like your complaint to be reviewed by a senior manager.
A senior manager will carry out an internal review of how your complaint was handled and the solution you were offered. They’ll decide if the outcome was fair and reasonable in the circumstances.
We’ll get back to you within 10 working days to let you know the outcome. If we find that your complaint hasn’t been handled in the way we’d have liked, a new solution may be offered.
If you still aren’t satisfied, or if your complaint hasn’t been fully resolved within 8 weeks, you can ask for a deadlock letter. The deadlock letter will recap what’s happened, what we’ve suggested and explain that we haven’t been able to reach an agreement.
Once you have your deadlock letter you’ll be able to refer your complaint to an independent organisation, such as Citizens Advice Bureau.
Faraday House, 1 Faraday Close, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN22 9BH