TWIN Valley Homes is threatening - amid safety fears - to turf out tenants who refuse to let in gas inspectors.

The housing authority has a duty in law to make sure that gas fittings are safe to use in all their properties in Blackburn and Darwen.

Tenancy agreements signed by residents says that workmen from the authority must be let in to carry out the checks, and tenants are in breach of the contract if they do not allow this.

But the chief executive of the group, Phil Richards, has revealed that a number of tenants are refusing. Now plans are in the pipeline to evict such residents.

Residents who are evicted would then be forced to reapply for their home.

Mr Richards said his company had no alternative as the safety of tenants could be at risk.

He said: "Because we are a social landlord we have a statutory duty to make sure that all gas appliances in our 10,000 properties are working correctly.

"There is a hard core of tenants who we have so far been unable to reach.

"We do not want to take this action, but if we have to we will seek eviction orders so that inspections can be carried out."

Twin Valley arranges for more than 7,500 homes to have gas servicing every year, which is carried out by the council.

The inspectors have to make sure that gas fitting and flues are maintained and in a safe condition; that all installations, maintenance and safety checks are carried out by a CORGI-registered gas installer; and that the safety checks are carried out every 12 months.

If engineers cannot gain access to the property they are supposed to be checking, they will leave a card asking tenants to make an appointment.

But if residents do not allow access and fail to make an appointment, the association can apply for eviction through the courts, and pass on the cost of the legal action to its tenants.

Twin Valley Homes is on a shortlist of firms vying to take control of Hyndburn's 3,500 council houses.