HOUSING bosses forced their way into six homes in York yesterday, claiming tenants were putting themselves and neighbours at risk.

For the first time, City of York Council applied for – and gained – warrants to gain access to 13 council-owned properties to carry out statutory gas safety checks.

Seven of the tenants complied with the order but six did not, and the council executed the warrants yesterday morning.

Ruth Abbott, from its housing team, said: “We are trialling a new approach. The council has a legal duty to carry out regular checks of gas appliances in its properties.

“Fire, explosion and carbon monoxide caused by faulty gas appliances can all occur as a result of neglect and can have deadly consequences, not just for the householders, but for neighbouring properties as well.

“We try very hard to work with residents to carry out regular gas checks at a time that is convenient for them.

“Only where a tenant fails to allow access to service a gas appliance will we apply for a warrant to forcibly gain entry to the property. This is very much a last resort, after what has been in many cases years of negotiation.”