Dundee City Council's housing department is to take action against tenants who refuse access for gas safety checks.

People who persistently do not allow engineers into council tenancies will be warned that they face entry being forced to enable the checks to be made.

They will be given advance warning that the council intends to take the action to give them the chance to make arrangements for the gas safety visit.

City council housing convener Councillor George Regan said: "The vast majority of our tenants are extremely helpful and obviously welcome the free checks that we make every year on our properties that have gas installations and I would like to thank them for their co-operation.

-- Advertisement --

"However, we are becoming increasingly concerned about the tenants who have made it clear they have absolutely no intention of co-operating with the council to enable these checks to be made.

"They refuse to allow engineers in and ignore repeated requests from the council for access and this is completely unacceptable.

"It is in their own interest - and those of their neighbours - to co-operate because it is essential that we make sure that all our properties are safe.

"Forcing entry into a property to carry out gas checks is not something that we want to have to do but the council is being faced with no alternative."

Tenants will be given five days advance warning of the council's intention to gain entry and they will be liable for repairs to the property. A timer will also be installed to automatically shut off the gas supply after 12 months if no further safety check is carried out within this period.

(GK/JM)