Gas Servicing
Carbon Monoxide Kills
Accidental carbon monoxide poisoning kills around 40 people in Britain every year.
Signs of a carbon monoxide leak include sooty marks on walls near gas appliances and flames that burn orange instead of blue.
We have a legal duty to ensure that any gas appliances and gas pipes to our properties are tested every 12 months, and we take this duty very seriously. Gas Servicing Engineers will call and carry out a safety check on all appliances once every year, and records are kept of all the services that are carried out, to enable us to identify those properties where access is not provided. While we do not wish to take court action to resolve any failure to provide access, our tenancy agreement clearly states that this is what will happen if there is a failure to cooperate.
We have put in place the following procedures, to ensure we can gain access to your home, to carry out this work:-
Step 1:
Yearly check up
Prior to the anniversary of the last gas service date the contractor makes an appointment to carry out the gas service.
One week's notice
The tenant is provided with one week's notice of the appointment date.
If we get access...
If access is provided the service is carried out and a copy of the Gas Safety Certificate is left with the tenant, the contractor retains a copy and a copy is sent to the landlord with the service record and invoice.
If we don't get access...
If no access is obtained a card is left asking the tenant to contact the contractor to make an appointment.
First Warning
A self-adhesive warning sticker is also attached to the door reminding the tenant of the risks of late servicing.
Step 2
Contractor returns in seven days
If the tenant fails to respond the contractor automatically makes another appointment after seven days.
If we don't get access, a second warning is issued
If on the second visit no access is gained, the Contractor leaves another sticker on the door. The landlord is notified and the sticker directs the tenant to a free phone number.
Step 3:
Another appointment is made
On notification of a second failed access we send our own gas service staff to seek access. The call is made out of hours in order to accommodate working families.
If we get access...
If access is obtained and an appointment is agreed the tenant signs to confirm the appointment date. An appointment card is left with the tenant.
If we don't get access, legal action is threatened
If our gas service staff fail to gain access, another sticker is applied to the door and a warning letter is left at the property. This advises the tenant of the dangers of gas servicing delays and the possibility of legal action to obtain access if the tenant does not contact the Council within 7 days.
Step 4:
If the tenant fails to contact the Council after 7 days the gas service staff will carry out a second visit.
If we get access...
If access is obtained an appointment is confirmed.
If we don't get access, the tenant is given seven days to contact us
If no access is provided another sticker is applied and a second warning letter is left at the property. This letter provides the tenant with a further 7 days to contact the Council.
Step 5:
If the tenant does not contact the Council after 7 days the gas service staff will carry out a third and final visit.
If we don't get access, the tenant is given seven days notice
If no access is provided another sticker is applied and a third warning letter is left at the property. This letter again provides the tenant with 7 days to contact the Council and warns that no further visits will be made if no contact is made by the tenant and legal action to seek possession of the property will follow.
Step 6
If we don't get access, a notice of seeking possession is served.
If no contact details are provided a Notice of Seeking Possession (NOSP) is served on the tenant. If the tenant fails to keep an appointment for any reason, they immediately escalate to the next stage of the procedure as outlined above.