There are lots of people involved in running your building and supplying heat and energy. We know this can feel confusing, so here’s a simple explanation of who does what.
Building Owner / Freeholder / Communal Network Supplier / Heat Supplier
This is the organisation responsible for the heat network or communal energy system that supplies heat (and sometimes other utilities) to your building.
They:
- Own or control the communal heat network
- Buy the energy used to run it (for example, gas)
- May appoint other companies to help manage things, such as a Managing Agent, Right to Manage company (RTM), maintenance provider or Metering and Billing Agent
You can usually find out who this is by checking:
- Your lease, or
-
The first page of your Data Energy bill
Managing Agent
The Managing Agent looks after the day-to-day management of the building on behalf of the Building Owner or Freeholder.
They will typically:
- Oversee how the communal energy system is run
- Manage the service charge accounts
- Hold and manage funds for offsetting supplier costs
Not all buildings have a Managing Agent, but where one is appointed, they act on behalf of the Building Owner/Freeholder.
Metering and Billing Agent (for example, Data Energy)
If Data Energy is your appointed Metering and Billing Agent, our role is to manage your energy billing.
We:
- Collect meter readings (when and where available)
- Calculate how much each home should pay
- Send bills and manage payments
- Provide customer care for billing and account queries
Different providers may offer slightly different services. You can read more about what we do in our Who is Data Energy? article.
Leaseholder
The Leaseholder is the person or organisation named on the lease.
They are responsible for:
- Paying for the utilities supplied to the property, in line with the lease terms.
- Even if someone else lives in the property, the Leaseholder remains financially responsible unless alternative arrangements have been formally agreed with the Communal Network Supplier.
Sub-Tenant (Occupier)
A Sub-Tenant is the person living in the property who is not the Leaseholder.
They may be added to the account to help manage bills during their occupancy
However, the Leaseholder is still responsible for making sure payments are made, unless other arrangements have been agreed.