Gas supplies introduced to empty council homes in bid to cut re-let times

Temporary gas supplies are being introduced in empty council houses in a bid to cut waiting times for prospective tenants.

Properties in East Durham have been left unoccupied for up to three months while old or broken solid fuel heating systems are replaced with more cost-efficient natural gas.

However, East Durham Homes (EDH) is now installing Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) fuel supplies as a temporary measure in an effort to enable new tenants to move in quicker.

Jack James, Head of Neighbourhood Services (Repairs and Technical), said: “Empty council houses with solid fuel heating and hot water systems have become very difficult to let since the demise of the coal industry.

“However, it can take around 12 weeks for the gas companies to switch them over to natural gas, during which time they often stand empty.

“Using LPG means tenants can move into a property much sooner and have access to a reliable heating and hot water supply while they are waiting to be connected to the gas network.
 
“And by reducing re-let times, we’re also increasing the amount of income we can raise through rents.”

The scheme is also available to tenants who have chosen to have their old solid fuel boiler replaced as part of a Decent Homes improvement scheme or because it has broken down and is beyond repair.

In the past, waiting times have deterred some tenants from opting for natural gas but modern gas heating systems are cheaper to maintain than their older, solid fuel equivalents and are, therefore, more cost effective for EDH, which manages and maintains nearly 8,600 homes on behalf of Durham County Council.