Thousands of council tenants are now receiving appointments for their homes’ routine electrical safety checks, which are carried out every five years.
North Lanarkshire officials are currently contacting around 7000 residents about the checks, and are “reassuring tenants that all testing in their homes will follow strict government safety guidance”.
A council statement said: “We’re complying with physical distancing rules and ideally would ask tenants, or anyone else present in the house, to vacate the room the staff member is working in until the inspection is complete.
“Staff will also have appropriate personal protective equipment, including face masks and gloves.
“We’re also asking tenants that if they have any symptoms of coronavirus – a high temperature, new, continuous cough or a loss or change to sense of smell or taste – then they should cancel and reschedule their appointment.”
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Project delivery manager Raymond Boyd said: “These safety checks are vitally important for keeping our tenants and residents safe; they take place every five years and are carried out with the minimum of disruption to tenants.
“If you receive an appointment, please keep this and ensure access is provided; we’re asking tenants to work with us and provide access to allow us to protect them and their homes from fire and give them the peace of mind that their home remains safe.”
North Lanarkshire Council is reminding tenants that both carrying out and providing access for the checks are legal requirements, and say: “These allow us to examine the condition of the wiring against safety standards, as it can deteriorate or become damaged over time with the result of electric shock, fire and burns.
“A small number of tenants don’t provide access and seem unaware of their, and our, obligations to maintain and keep them and their properties safe – as a last resort, the council does have legal powers to enforce access if all attempts of co-operation are exhausted.”
