Gas safety

If maintained properly, gas appliances are normally safe. If they are not looked after they  become deadly for you, your family and your neighbours.

If you are a tenant

We will carry out an annual gas service and safety check of your gas boiler free of  charge. We must do this every year by law. Our fully-qualified Gas Safe staff also check that your radiators and hot water are working properly.

Before your annual safety check is due, we will write to you with an appointment. Please make sure someone’s at home to let our Gas Safety staff in. If you can’t make the appointment, please ring the number we give you to arrange a time that’s convenient for you. If our staff can’t get in to carry out the safety check we may have to take legal action to gain access to your home – every year we have to force entry into several homes.

After the annual safety check, we will give you a copy of the gas safety certificate within 28 days for your peace of mind. If the service reveals a problem, we will tell you what work needs to be done, and when someone will come to fix it.

If you are a leaseholder

You should get your gas appliances checked regularly - at least once a year if you sublet your home - to make sure they are working properly and safely. By law, anyone doing gas work must be trained to do it safely. The easiest way to be sure of this is to only use a ‘Gas Safe’ registered engineer.

To find out about paying Tower Hamlets Homes to carry out your annual gas safety check please contact our Repairs Helpline, or you can find your own Gas Safe engineer by contacting the Gas Safe Register.

Your gas safety

Leaking gas can cause an explosion, and gas appliances that are not working correctly can produce poisonous and deadly fumes. We recommend that you never block up any air vents in your home and that you fit a carbon monoxide alarm to warn you of a carbon monoxide build-up in your home. If there is a strong smell of gas, or you think there might be a leak, contact the National Grid Emergency Line immediately and:

• Turn off the gas supply at the main gas meter if this is in your property.
• Open the doors and windows.
• Don’t switch anything electrical on or off, including the lights, as this could cause an explosion.
• Don’t smoke, strike matches or light candles.

Liquid petroleum gas and paraffin heaters

Under the terms of your tenancy agreement or lease you must not store or use any form of bottled gas or paraffin heaters. It can be extremely dangerous and any breach of this rule will be treated very seriously.

Repairs Helpline

Phone 0800 376 1637 or  020 7364 7070

Gas Safe Register

Phone 0800 408 5500

Website www.gassaferegister.co.uk.

National Grid Emergency Line

Phone 0800 111 999