Health and safety fears over student housing in city

Hundreds of properties in County Durham have let their gas and electricity certificates expire

Hundreds of homes in County Durham which have expired safety certificates will be investigated, a council has pledged.

Regular gas and electricity safety checks are required in Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), which are popular with students.

But hundreds of homes have had their safety certificates expire.

Students should not have to live in houses which "pose a risk to health", said Durham University's student union.

Hundreds of expired certificates

HMOs are properties that are shared by at least three unrelated tenants, who share a bathroom and kitchen.

There are 864 licensed HMOs in County Durham, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

Of these, 115 have let their gas safety certificates expire and 285 have allowed their electrical inspection certificates to expire.

Gas safety checks must be done annually in HMOs and include checking appliances and pipe work.

Valid certificates must then be provided to the local authority within 14 days of the renewal date.

Electrical checks must be carried out every five years, with certificates also required to be provided within 14 days.

'Tip of the iceberg'

Joanne Waller, head of community protection at Durham County Council, said the council is now carrying out further investigations of every property where records show that gas or electrical safety certificates have expired.

“If any breaches of legislation or licence conditions are found appropriate action will be taken,” she said.

“Students should not have to live in houses that play fast and loose with basic standards of safety and pose a risk to their health," said Durham University's student union president Dan Lonsdale.

"We have had students needing medical treatment in recent weeks due to mould, mites and other horrifying issues stemming from poor conditions. The recent safety certificate scandal is just the tip of the iceberg.”