COUNCIL house tenants are being urged to get in touch with Stockton Borough Council and set a date for an annual inspection of their central heating or gas fires, or face going to court.

For safety reasons, it is crucial that gas appliances are checked annually, and the council, as landlord, is legally obliged to ensure the work is carried out.

However, in some cases, contractors have been unable to gain access to properties and repeated requests for householders to arrange a future appointment have received no reply.

Neil Schneider, corporate director of service in Stockton, said: "The annual gas safety check is extremely important in terms of the health and welfare of our tenants and their neighbours.

"It is also something that we are legally obliged to do.

"Unfortunately, we have been unable to get into a number of homes to carry out our inspection and, where our repeated attempts to gain access or arrange appointments have been unsuccessful, we have now been reluctantly forced to begin legal action."

The council plans to go to court later this week to ask for warrants to gain access to 20 homes. If the warrants are granted, the council would then enter those homes, cut off the gas supply to all heating appliances and secure the properties.

Mr Schneider said: "This really is a last resort and a measure we are extremely reluctant to take.

"However, we have to think of the safety of our tenants, as well as those in neighbouring properties who could be at risk if gas appliances are not properly maintained."

Tenants who have received notification of court action in relation to these inspections, as well as those who have not had a gas safety check within the past year, are urged to get in touch with Tristar Homes on (01642) 393616.