Gas safety in your home

Gas leaks

If you ever discover, or suspect, a gas leak, you should:

• switch off the incoming gas supply using the valve fitted to your gas meter
• open all the windows
• call the gas emergency number 0800 111 999
• not use, or switch on, any electrical appliance as a spark could ignite the leaking gas and cause an explosion

Carbon monoxide

The poisonous gas carbon monoxide is often described as the silent killer because it has no smell or taste.  You can protect yourself and your family by not blocking air bricks, flus or outside ventilation grilles or rest anything against them.

What we do

We arrange for annual safety checks for all gas appliances installed in our properties. This is a legal requirement. The inspections are carried out by a contractor on our behalf.

We fit carbon monoxide detectors in any room where there is a solid fuel or other open-flued appliance, where the risk of carbon monoxide is higher.

All the gas boilers we fit are 'room sealed appliances'. That means there is no risk of carbon monoxide entering your home unless there is a serious defect with the appliance. With our annual gas servicing the risk of such defects is very low.

Where there's a boiler in a bedroom we fit a carbon monoxide detector as an additional precaution although, again, the risk of carbon monoxide leaking from the appliance is extremely low.

In kitchens, we're now fitting detectors which sound an alarm if there’s a rise in either heat or carbon monoxide. They're not a legal requirement yet but we're fitting them to keep you as safe as possible.

What you should do

As our tenant, you are obliged to let our contractor into your home to carry out the safety checks.  You will be contacted before your home’s current gas safety certificate expires with details of what needs to happen.

If you have any concerns about gas safety in your home you should report a council house repair.