As your landlord, we have a legal duty to ensure that all gas appliances, fittings and flues owned/managed by Blackpool Housing Company and Lumen Housing Association provided for your use are safe. This includes things like central heating, boilers and gas fires.
To do this, we must carry out an annual Gas Safety Check or gas service using registered Gas Safe engineers. We will notify you by phone or in writing when your Gas Safety Check is due and arrange an appointment.
We will provide you with a Gas Safety Certificate within 28-days of the check being completed. If an appliance fails the inspection, we will work with you to advise and agree the next steps.
Your gas safety responsibilities
You must allow us access to your home to complete your annual gas safety check. If you do not allow us access you will be in breach of your tenancy agreement and we will take legal action. This may result in you losing your home.
You must never attempt to do any gas related work or repairs yourself.
Smell gas?
If you smell gas in or around your home, you must call the National Grid immediately on 0800 111 999.
You should also follow this safety advice:
- Turn off the appliance you are using.
- Turn off the gas supply at the meter (unless the meter is located in a cellar, in which case you should evacuate immediately).
- Check to see if a gas tap has been accidentally left on or if a pilot light has gone out.
- Open doors and windows to allow the gas to disperse.
Safety Information
Carbon monoxide:
If you have a faulty gas appliance, it can be dangerous and produce carbon monoxide gas. Exposure to carbon monoxide can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, breathlessness and even death, so you should seek medical advice immediately if you have these symptoms.
We install carbon monoxide alarms in our properties which have an opened flued appliance such as a gas boiler, gas fire or wood burning fireplace.
Please contact us if you think it may not be working correctly or believe you should have one installed, but it is missing.
Compressed gas:
Unless it’s for medical reasons, you must not use or store compressed gas within your home or any communal areas.
Gas in cylinders can become a major hazard in a fire and must be stored safely at all times. If you are required to use and store compressed gas for medical reasons, for example oxygen, you must inform us and the fire service.
You can call 0800 555 815 to arrange a Home Fire Safety Assessment with the Fire Service to discuss the safe storage of compressed gas.
Gas meter tampering:
Tampering with the gas meter in your home, known as ‘meter cheating’ is illegal and incredibly dangerous.
Damaging the gas supply risks dangerous leaks. Leaking gas is also highly flammable and can be easily ignited – flicking a light switch is all it takes to cause an explosion.
You can find out more about the risks involved with gas tampering on the Stay Energy Safe website: http://www.stayenergysafe.co.uk/gas-theft.
Gas safety tips:
- Make sure you know where your gas meter is located and how to turn off the gas supply in the event of an emergency
- Never cover an appliance such as a boiler or gas fire or block the air vents
- Never block or obstruct any fixed ventilation grilles or airbricks
- Never block or cover outside flues
- Never fit draught exclusion strips to doors of a room that contains a gas appliance
- Never use a gas appliance if you think it’s not working properly and never cover gas appliances
