Salix Homes customers reminded to ‘open the door’ to safer homes

Salix Homes is reminding our customers to ‘Open the Door’ to safer homes.

This week (November 18-22) is National Social Housing Safety and Compliance Week – an annual campaign dedicated to shining a spotlight on the importance of safety and compliance.

As part of the campaign, we’re urging our customers to ‘Open the Door’ to ensure we can carry out regular safety checks or repairs in their homes, which includes essential gas and electrical inspections that are a legal requirement.

In the past year alone, Salix Homes has spent more than £200,000 pursuing legal action to obtain a warrant to access people’s homes who have refused to allow us to carry out gas 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: “At Salix Homes, ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of our customers is our top priority, and routine homes safety inspections and checks are a vital part of that commitment.

“That’s why we’re reminding our customers to ‘open the door’ for these essential checks, as their co-operation helps keep both their homes and the wider community safe. By allowing us access for inspections like gas and electrical checks, customers play a crucial role in making sure everyone’s home is a safe place to live.

“While most customers take home safety checks seriously, for the minority that ignore or delay these inspections, it could mean potential hazards may go unnoticed, which could have serious consequences. Beyond the safety risks, pursuing legal action to gain access to people’s homes is costly and time-consuming – resources that could be far better spent improving our homes and services.”

We carry out gas safety inspections in all our properties with a gas boiler, fire or cooker every year, while electrical checks are required every five years.

While we always ensure we gain access into every single property, since April this year, we have obtained 152 warrants through the courts to force entry into people’s homes for safety checks.

Gas checks only take around an hour, while electrical checks can take up to four hours.

All customers will receive a letter when your gas or electrical inspection is due to arrange an appointment. You can also find out more about information, as well as tips and advice, about how you can keep yourself and others safe in your home, in our Home Safety Guide.