Coronavirus: Shielding tenants 'bullied' over gas safety checks

Linda Lambert has rented her home for decades

A housing association that threatened eviction over gas safety checks has been accused of "bullying" vulnerable tenants shielding from coronavirus.

Believe Housing in County Durham told tenants they face court action and eviction if they do not allow engineers to carry out annual checks.

Linda Lambert, of Peterlee, said: "I want to live. I don't want to die. It is a form of bullying."

Believe Housing apologised for sending a "standard generated letter".

Councillor Diane Howarth, of Peterlee Town Council, said she has been contacted by "numerous" tenants.

Miss Lambert, who received the warning, said she had been told to shield by the government due to health issues and is unwilling to have an engineer visit her home.

"I'm not letting them in until this is all over," she added.

'Undue distress'

Councillor Howarth said: "This isn't an isolated incident. I've had numerous phone calls from tenants asking where they stand on letting the annual gas servicing go ahead.

"Threatening to cut off the gas or to have them evicted is really harsh."

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The housing company, which owns about 8,000 properties in County Durham, said gas checks are a legal requirement.

However, chief executive Bill Fullen added the firm acknowledged it had made a mistake and apologised for causing "any undue distress".

"It appears a standard generated letter once the gas service was due was sent out.

"I can guarantee we will not be cutting off anyone's supply or evicting any tenant who is shielding or isolating."

An online petition calling for checks in rental homes across the country to be halted during the pandemic has received thousands of signatures.