Gas Safety Week: Keeping you safe

It is important that we keep you safe.

That is why during Gas Safety Week 2024, we want to raise awareness of the importance of taking care of your gas appliances.  

To keep you safe, our Gas Team carries out more than 7,000 gas safety checks per year. 

It is a legal requirement that we access your property and carry out a Landlord Gas Safe Record (LGSR), which includes maintenance and efficiency checks on all gas appliances owned by Progress Housing Group and a visual inspection only on customer-owned appliances.

So it is important you allow access on the first appointment or contact us to rearrange access.

Please note - Tenants are responsible for the gas safety checks of appliances that have not been provided by us - this includes gas fires and gas cookers. These must be checked annually by a suitably qualified Gas Safe engineer.

All our properties are fitted with fire and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms, and it is important you check these regularly.

Badly fitted and poorly serviced gas appliances can cause gas leaks, fires, explosions, and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.

• Check for warning signs that could indicate your gas appliances are not working correctly. Signs may include lazy yellow /orange flames instead of crisp blue ones, error messages or unexpected noises from your boiler or dark and sooty stains around your gas appliance. Contact us to check it.

• Know the six main symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning – headaches, dizziness, breathlessness, nausea, collapse, and loss of consciousness.

• Make sure an audible carbon monoxide alarm is fitted- Check they are marked EN50291 and display the British Standards’ Kitemark.

• Get your own gas appliances checked annually. Many of our properties have gas central heating, gas fires or water heaters and we are required to undertake an annual safety check by law. Legally you must allow us access to do this every year. We recommend you get a qualified Gas Safe registered engineer to carry out regular gas safety checks on customer-owned appliances.

• Never attempt to work on a gas appliance yourself. If you wish to get a gas appliance fitted, please seek permission from your landlord before work starts. Always seek the help and advice of a qualified Gas Safe registered engineer who can work on your gas appliance in a safe way. To find a Gas Safe engineer, visit : Gas Safe Register - The Official List of Gas Safe Registered Businesses 

• Don’t block or cover air vents and flues - they are essential for safely working gas appliances.

• If you’re having building work done, always ensure your contractor is qualified. 

• Check where your gas pipes are located - make sure you don’t accidentally hit them during DIY work.

• Never remove or relocate CO alarms without asking permission from the organisation.

• If you smell gas or think there might be a gas leak, call the free 24-hour national gas emergency number immediately on 0800 111 999.

Jason Lamb, Gas Safety Manager at Progress Housing Group, said: “We are proud of our commitment to keeping our tenants safe. A recent external audit by NIC highlighted that our gas safety work is above their national benchmark. This is also reflected by our recent customer satisfaction survey from January to July which shows 96.7% service satisfaction.

“Gas Safety Week provides an opportunity for us to remind our tenants of the importance of gas safety. By taking care of your gas appliances properly you are taking care of your home, your loved ones and even looking out for your local community.”

Follow our Facebook and Instagram pages during Gas Safety Week (September 9 to 15) to watch videos of our safety tips.

Watch this video to see how we keep you safe in your homes: