WAVERLEY Borough Council has denied that tenants are being put at risk by a new programme removing carbon monoxide alarms from some socially-rented homes across the borough.

Council tenant Rob McGuire, who lives in a flat in Millstream, Farnham, contacted The Herald last week claiming Waverley’s contractor Central Heating Services (CHS) had been instructed by the council to remove carbon monoxide alarms from council houses across the borough because, a CHS worker reportedly told him, “the alarms are going off all the time and Waverley don’t want to pay for the call-outs”.

“Apparently the alarms are going off because of a heat problem in the flats setting them off”, Mr McGuire added, but residents are being told by CHS not to worry, because "if there’s a problem they will smell the gas”.

That was despite carbon monoxide’s nickname as the “silent killer”.

Responding, Waverley denied CHS had been instructed to remove carbon monoxide alarms from all council homes.

It stressed the removal of the alarms applied only to those in lofts without vertical flues.

The council previously asked CHS to fit carbon monoxide detectors in lofts with vertical flues as a precaution for tenants’ peace of mind.

But the property firm fitted them in all lofts – leading the council to ask for the wrongly-fitted alarms to be removed.

Waverley has, however, conceded the alarm should not have been removed from Mr McGuire’s home and has vowed to refit it in his loft space.

A council spokesman said: “Waverley instructed its contractor to only remove unnecessarily placed monitors from lofts, where there was no vertical flue or they were not required. In this case the contractor wrongly removed the monitor and we have instructed them to reinstate the alarm.

“The safety of our tenants is of paramount importance to us. All our properties have carbon monoxide alarms fitted if they have a solid fuel appliance, or where it is legally required for us to do so.

“In addition to this, carbon monoxide alarms are also fitted in lofts where there are vertical flues as a precaution.

“We ensure all of our homes have annual gas safety checks, which include assessments to make sure carbon monoxide (CO) alarms are working and fitted, where required.

“This is why it is so important that residents make their gas safety check appointments promptly and ensure there is someone available to let inspectors in.

“If any tenant thinks there is a problem with their CO alarm, or think they need one but don’t have one, they should contact CHS or the council.”