Gas safety

Read me - I could save your life, save you money and stop you going to prison!

Think it's a hype headline from a tabloid???

It's not; this article really could do all these things, take a couple of minutes and have a read.

We have had a lot of questions about why we have to carry out the yearly gas safety check. The quick answer is that the law demands that we do, this is not something that we have a choice in. We must by law in every 12 month period inspect every Gosport Council owned gas appliance. The actual facts are that beside the legal side we also want to keep you safe and have your boiler running as efficiently as possible to help you save money!

We all ignore the box on the wall that heats our home and hot water but when it breaks down we really notice, the best we can hope for is a few hours of cold house and water the worst is that it could kill us and those we love.

Your boiler or focal point fire can hurt or kill you. This is not news to anyone and this is not scare mongering as the gas explosions and carbon monoxide incidents that have occurred over the last few months shows what can happen if your gas appliances aren't cared for and checked regularly. We want to keep you as safe as we can but we need a little of your help to do this.

All you need to do to avoid this is let our gas engineers in once a year for about 20 minutes. Our team will ensure that the appliances are working correctly, is working as efficiently as it can and undertake any required repairs. This keeps you safe and can save you money running your boiler. All this is a completely free service provided to you by Gosport Council. PLEASE make sure that have adequate credit on your gas and electric on your meters if you have that type of meter.

If you do not allow us access to undertake the inspection we will have no choice but to request for legal assistance to help gain access to your home This can be through a court order or through a breach of the Environmental Protection Act, this can end up with us forcing entrance with the assistance of the police Either way, you could be fined and recharged for any such action and any damage caused gaining entry to your home. You will jeopardise your tenancy with us, and in worst case scenarios, breaching a court order could even land you in prison. (Picture of prison gates)

Remember we have no choice in this and we will not stop until we have undertaken this vital safety check.

Kier will offer you an appointment date and offer a morning or afternoon time slot. If the appointment on the letter is not suitable it is up to you to contact Kier on free phone 0800 028 0835 to rearrange, you can call Kier between the hours of 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday to make or re-arrange a servicing appointment. (Kier picture)

Why is gas safety important?

• Gas safety is important because if gas appliances are not checked regularly and become faulty, carbon monoxide (CO) can be produced and potentially lead to carbon monoxide poisoning or an explosion.
• Carbon monoxide is a deadly, poisonous gas which cannot be detected by smell, taste or sight.
• Failing to have gas appliances checked leaves you and your family and your neighbours at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning or a gas explosion.
• Annual gas safety checks are a legal requirement, as set by The Gas Safety Installation & Use Regulations 1998.

Gas Safety Inspection - Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I have to allow access for this work?

The gas safety inspection is an annual check & service of all council-owned gas appliances to ensure they are working efficiently and safely.  It is covered in Section 4.1 of your tenancy agreement that you must allow access to council contractors for necessary works.  This includes the annual gas safety inspection.

Why is it every year?

The safety certificate for gas appliances only lasts for a year at a time.  We attempt to service within 8 weeks of expiry of this certificate, so you should have plenty of notice to plan for this appointment, It is not only a risk to your health for the appliances not to be checked annually, but it may also be more expensive for you to run an inefficient boiler which is not certified as safe to use. 

What will it cost me?

This is a completely free service.  The only money you need to ensure you have is to top up both gas & electric meters to ensure there is enough resources to carry out the check.  Failure to allow access however can be costly as the Council will look to recharge you for wasted appointments, court costs, and any damage made to force entry on your home should they have to resort to legal proceedings.

What if the appointment Kier book is not suitable for me?

Kier can re-arrange the appointment as best they can to suit you.  This service is carried out within the working week as out of hours is dedicated to breakdowns which cannot always be timed to the best times of day.  Any wasted appointments may be recharged to you, so it is best to keep Kier informed if you are unable to make the suggested appointment and to re-arrange.

What happens if I don't want to allow access?

As it is a landlord obligation to carry out the safety inspection, once the safety certificate has expired, we can request for legal assistance to help gain access to your home.  This can be through a court order for breach of tenancy or through a breach of the Environmental Protection Act.  Either way, you could be fined and recharged for any such service.  You may jeopardise your tenancy with us, and in worst case scenarios, breaching a court order could even land you in prison.