Council cracks down on tenants' gas safety checks

Highland Council house tenants could be charged £120 if they do not allow access for an annual gas service and safety check in their homes.

This action was agreed at the Council’s Housing and Social Work Committee yesterday (06 August 2008) to ensure that the Council meets its legal obligations and safety of its tenants.

Council Members agreed that an administrative charge of £120 should be made to tenants who do not allow access for the annual gas service and safety check until the Council has scheduled forced entry.

Considerable resources have to be employed by the Council in carrying out forced entries involving the attendance of a gas servicing contractor, joiner and a housing management officer on each occasion.

Between 1st April, 2007 and 31st March 2008 forced entry was scheduled for 237 properties with 19 actual forced entries taking place when tenants permitted access on the day.

Members also agreed was that gas hibernation devices could also be fitted to properties where the same tenant reaches the forced entry stage for three years in succession. These devices are programmed to switch off heating on the date when the gas safety certificate expires with a limited amount of heat allowed per day. If a tenant allows access before the expiry date of the gas safety certificate the device will not be activated. There are currently 9 properties in the Highlands that will be fitted with hibernation devices for persistently refusing access over the past 3 years.

Councillor Margaret Davidson, Chairman of The Highland Council’s Housing and Social Work Committee said: “Let’s be clear that the safety of our tenants is paramount and we have a legal obligation as landlord to ensure that we carry out these gas safety and service checks. The vast majority of tenants in our 5000 homes which are heated by gas do provide us with access to carry out these checks – its just a very small minority that are wasting Council resources by hindering our officers’ access to their homes. It is only fair that those who restrict access to their homes should incur the financial costs as it is their own health and safety that we are trying to ensure.”

For further information please contact: Steve Barron, Director of Housing and Property, The Highland Council tel: (01463) 702853