[tomatocracy]

Even better would be to build out (in new build housing estates at least) district heating. This is common in quite a few other countries and it should work pretty well in the UK too - it's always seemed odd to me that it isn't more common here.

[OJFord]

I used to have it; it's a technically nice system when working, but the problem is having no choice of provider, no control when it goes wrong, etc.

Makes sense for flats (or dense area of many leasehold houses, if that happens) where there's a management company holding your throat anyway, but otherwise I can't see how it works unless perhaps it was provided by the council (similar disadvantages, just more trust/better outcomes from complaints).