Issue - meetings

RESOLVED that the Gas and Heating Compliance Policy be adopted.

Executive considered a detailed report, presented by the Portfolio Holder for Housing, which sought Members approval for the Gas and Heating Compliance Policy.

The Regulator for Social Housing revised Consumer Standards were effective from 1^st April 2024, and were designed to protect tenants and ensure they received high quality services.  The Safety and Quality Standard required landlords to provide good quality homes and landlord services to tenants.  It was explicit that the Council must ensure that all legal assessments were carried out with any arising actions to be completed within appropriate timescales.

The Gas and Heating Compliance Safety Policy set out the Council’s legal obligations with regard to the installation and maintenance of gas appliances and its responsibility for heating systems in the Council’s residential properties, and detailed how the Council would ensure it met those legal obligations, specifically that gas safe accredited operatives and contractors would carry out annual gas safety checks.  The policy also sets out how the Council would monitor and report on its performance of these legal requirements, including an escalation process for when there was non-compliance.

Moved by Councillor Phil Smith and seconded by Councillor Rob Hiney-Saunders

RESOLVED that the Gas and Heating Compliance Policy be approved.

Reasons for Recommendation

It was considered best practice to have a policy which set out the Council’s approach to legislative compliance requirements.

Alternative Options and Reasons for Rejection

The Policy was considered necessary so that members of the public were aware of the Council’s responsibilities and approach to how it ensured compliance with these, as well as how it would use legal remedies contained within the tenancy agreement to gain access where needed to fulfil these legal obligations.