Heating and Gas
If you can smell gas
If you smell gas, phone the National Gas Emergency Service straight away on 0800 111 999.
They will ask you questions to find out how bad the leak is and give you advice on staying safe. If needed, they will arrange for an engineer to come out.
Once you have contacted the National Gas Emergency Service, phone us on 0121 464 1550.
We will request BCC’s Gas Contractor to send out a gas engineer and make sure that any potential further gas safety works are identified and actioned.
If your gas appliance is not working
If you are having problems with gas appliances provided by the council, such as central heating or hot water systems - and you have checked there is enough credit if you have a prepayment meter - phone us on 0121 216 3330.
If we find the issue has been caused by an appliance that you have installed, you may be charged for the call out.
Annual gas safety checks
BCC arrange a free annual gas safety check for all the gas pipe work, appliances and flues they own and have provided for you to use.
The safety check takes about 45 minutes and helps us to make sure that:
· everything is working properly
· you are not in danger from faulty appliances and potential carbon monoxide poisoning.
The annual safety checks are carried out by BCC’s chosen Gas Contractors.
All contractors are 'Gas Safe' registered and carry identity cards. Always ask to see identification. If you are unsure about someone who calls at your house to carry out a safety check, phone BCC on 0121 216 3330.
The contractors carry out gas safety checks in the morning, afternoon, evening and a limited weekend service. One of our contractors will contact you to let you know when they will be carrying out the check at your home. You can arrange an appointment to suit you with the contractor.
If you are not in when they visit, they will leave a card with their telephone number on it so you can contact them to make another appointment.
After the check by the contractor, you will receive a copy of the landlord's gas safety record within 28 days, which will show all the checks that have been carried out.
These checks are important because:
· around 40 people die in Britain from carbon monoxide poisoning each year
· carbon monoxide can build up in the air when your appliances are not burning gas properly. Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas that has no smell or taste. Breathing it in can make you unwell and can kill.
BCC have ensured that all their gas appliances have had carbon monoxide alarms installed. These are maintained as part of the annual gas safety checks. Contact BCC if any are missing or not working.
If you are a council tenant and have not had a gas safety check in the last 12 months, you must phone BCC:
· North and West-Central (for Ladywood, Perry Barr, Erdington and Sutton Coldfield): 0121 303 1833
It is a legal requirement to have an annual gas appliance safety check done. Preventing or not having a gas safety check is a breach of the Gas Safety Regulations and means you are breaking the law.
If you do not let contractors check your gas appliances, BCC will take action to gain access. Not granting access may result in losing your home. BCC must make sure that every property is gas safe for us to comply with our legal duty as your landlord.
BCC do not check the gas appliances which you own, such as gas cookers. You are responsible for maintaining these and getting them checked every year by a registered Gas Safe Engineer.
Heating advice-
Your responsibilities
To maintain your central heating system, make sure that you:
· set heating controls correctly
· replace hot water cylinder jackets when needed
· ventilate your home (allow air flow through)
· drain (‘bleed’) air from radiators when needed – for example when heated water does not reach every radiator after you have turned the heating on
If you have no heating or hot water
You may be able to fix the problem without having to wait for an engineer.
Check that the :
· pipes haven’t burst or frozen
· radiator valves are turned up
· timer is switched on
· boiler is displaying a slow blue flashing light and the codes F77 or LF
· prepayment (token) meter hasn’t run out of credit
If you cannot afford to top up your payment card
Contact your fuel supplier as soon as possible.
The main suppliers are:
· E-on
If you are in financial hardship, you may be able to make a claim for benefits to help support your family. Please contact our Housing Team for further support.