As part of the campaign, Salix Homes, which owns 8,000 properties across Salford, is urging its customers to ‘Open the Door’ to ensure they can carry out regular safety checks or repairs in people’s homes, which includes essential gas and electrical inspections that are a legal requirement.
Every year, Salix Homes spends more than £100,000 pursuing legal action to obtain a warrant to access people’s homes who have refused to allow access to carry out gas and electrical safety checks – money that could be better spent on improving homes and communities.
Liam Turner, Executive Director of Assets, Growth and Sustainability at Salix Homes, said: “The health, safety and wellbeing of our customers and their homes really matters to us, and we’re committed to ensuring that all our properties are safe and great places to live.
“We will carry out regular checks, safety inspections and repairs in all our properties, some of which are a legal requirement, so it’s really important that people understand the significance of these inspections and allow us access into their homes when required.
“While the majority of our customers take home safety checks seriously, for the minority that ignore or delay these essential checks, it could mean potential hazards may go unnoticed.
“In addition to the safety implications, it’s also a huge burden on time and resources to pursue legal action through the courts – money that could be better spent on other services – so that’s why we’re urging our customers to ‘open the door’ to safer homes.”
Salix Homes carries out gas safety inspections in all its properties with a gas boiler, fire or cooker every year, while electrical checks are required every five years. Gas checks only take around an hour, while electrical checks can take up to four hours.
While Salix Homes always ensures it gains access into every single property, in the past three months alone (July-September), the landlord has obtained 56 warrants through the courts to force entry into people’s homes for gas and electric checks.
