ONE IN 10 Southampton homes are unsafe from dangerous gas appliances due to a failure in safety check procedures.

More than 800,000 people in the south east are putting their health and finances at risk by forgetting to check their gas appliances each year, according to surveys carried out by the Gas Safe Register.

Dangerous appliances have been installed in 100 out of 1,087 homes in the Southampton area in the past five years, which can cause carbon monoxide poisoning, explosions and fires.

Jonathan Samuel, chief executive of Gas Safe Register said: “While we’re seeing more people getting gas safety checks compared to last year, millions are still taking risks.

“It is crucial to remind people to make sure all their gas appliances are safety checked every year.”

Safety checks are a legal requirements for landlords managing rental property.

The Gas Safe Register will be offering free advice to homeowners in securing the safety of their home, including how to check for warning signs on appliances and an interactive map of homes in their neighbourhood which have recently experienced issues.

For more information visit staygassafe.co.uk.