Mansfield tenants warned of importance of gas safety checks

Mansfield Council has a legal duty as a landlord to ensure each of its homes with gas appliances or heating is checked annually, to ensure they are working safely.

Its gas maintenance engineers carry out more than 10,000 visits across the district each year to maintain the safe operation of gas boilers and appliances.

And the authority has been using National Gas Safety Week to remind tenants of the importance of the check.

Coun Marion Bradshaw, council portfolio holder for safer communities, housing and wellbeing, said: “By taking care of our tenants’ gas appliances properly, we are providing the best possible care for our customers and their neighbours.

“Badly fitted or poorly serviced gas appliances can cause gas leaks, fires, explosions, and the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning – this gas is highly poisonous and can kill quickly and without warning because you can’t see it, taste it or smell it.”

The council has introduced evening and weekend phone calls to reach even more tenants to arrange a convenient time for engineers to visit.

Coun Bradshaw said: “Changing the way we work, to include out of hours and weekend telephone calls, and bringing in new and more efficient ways of processing gas checks, has meant we’ve been making significant inroads to a post-Covid backlog of gas servicing and I am pleased to report we’re now close to 100 per cent compliance with our statutory duty of care on this.

“We are a responsible landlord, so are always aiming to check every property annually, but what has tended to thwart our target to achieve full compliance is not being able to gain access to a tenant’s property.

Landlords of private rented accommodation also have a legal obligation to check gas appliances in their tenanted properties every year.

Any tenants concerned about the safety of gas appliances in their home can seek advice from the council’s private sector housing team 01623 463212.

Anyone who smells gas should immediately call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111999.