We carry out a gas safety check every year and check the electrical circuits in your home every five years, to make sure everything is working correctly. That means we complete a full Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) and regular Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) for communal equipment.
Annual gas servicing work
We have a legal duty to carry out an annual gas safety check. We’ll need access to your home each year and we’ll be as flexible as we can about making an appointment to suit you. But – you must let our engineer in. It’s really important that we keep you and your neighbours safe.
Remember – faulty gas appliances can kill. They can cause gas leaks and fires. They also give off poisonous carbon monoxide fumes which you can’t smell but are deadly.
The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2022, require Soha to
- fit at least one smoke alarm on each story of your home
- fit a carbon monoxide alarm in any room which contains a fixed combustion appliance, such as a boiler or a log burning stove (not including a gas cooker)
- repair or replace a smoke or carbon monoxide alarm once you have made us aware they are faulty.
Soha will be installing hard wired smoke alarms. If we have no record of the installation, we may visit your property to check the smoke alarm has been correctly installed.
Please test your alarms once a month and report any failure immediately via the MySoha app or by calling in to us on 0800 014 15 45 at no cost to you. If you report an alarm fault, we’ll attend within two working days and provide temporary heating if needed.
A gas safe engineer will visit your property every year and check that your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are working correctly.
If you would like a visit to your home to offer advice on how to make your home safe, this is often offered by your County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service. If you live in Oxfordshire you can ask for a free visit on
Keep safe and well | Oxfordshire County Council
Appointments
We’ll write to you when your gas safety check is due and give you an appointment. If this time is inconvenient, just contact our contractor (their details will be on the appointment card) and ask for a new appointment.
Appointments are available:
Monday–Friday: 8am–5pm (morning or afternoon slot)
Monday–Friday: 5pm–7pm
Saturday: 8am–12 noon
Who carries out the checks?
A Gas Safe Registered engineer will carry out the checks. They will check and service all the appliances in your home that we own or we’ve fitted, such as gas fires and boilers. They won’t service any appliances you own (such as gas cookers), but they will carry out a safety check and tell you if you need to take action.
How long does the check take?
The check takes about 40 minutes. You’ll be asked to sign the gas fitter’s hand-held computer to confirm the visit has been completed and within 28 days you’ll receive your gas safety certificate through the post. Please contact Soha if you do not receive a copy of the safety certificate.
Don’t forget – gas checks save lives.
What should I do in an emergency?
If you smell gas:
- turn off the gas supply at your meter
- put out all naked flames
- open windows to get fresh air into the room
- call Southern Gas Networks on 0800 111 999
Don’t:
- use your mobile phone inside your flat or house
- use your intercom
- switch on, or off, any lights or plugs as this could cause an explosion
- smoke
Gas safety
Gas appliances need a flue and adequate fresh air to work safely. Don’t block air vents or tamper with gas pipes or your boiler. Please always
- follow the manufacturer’s instructions when you use a gas appliance
- make sure you know how to turn off your gas supply and where your meter is
- keep vents clear
- report any strange smells
- test alarms
Gas safety – our commitment to residents
We have worked with you to develop standards so that we meet our legal duties, keep you and your neighbours safe, and give a good service.
Our gas safety commitments are listed in our leaflet:
If you’d prefer to read this in a summary, EasyRead, version please click here .
If you’re unhappy with how we’ve managed your annual gas safety check, please tell us. We really do want your feedback so we can make sure we do it better next time.
We also use an independent consultant to carry out regular quality control checks on our gas safety work. If you’re contacted by a company called Teknogas please let them into your home so they can check the work.