A JOHNSTONE man is involved in a heated row with council chiefs after they threatened to cut off his gas supply.

Kenny MacMillan, 62, had arranged for Renfrewshire Council to carry out an annual gas inspection at his Elm Drive home in February but had to cancel when his mum Margaret died suddenly.

Now he is fuming after a ‘final warning’ from the local authority was delivered, telling him he must have his boiler checked by an engineer – or face being left out in the cold.

Gas safety checks are a legal requirement in Scotland but Mr MacMillan has questioned the rush to complete the work at a time when he was asked to stay away from his cousin’s funeral due to social distancing guidelines amid the Covid-19 outbreak.

He told The Gazette: “When my mum passed away in hospital, it was all just too much and I had to cancel the original appointment.

“Once things had settled, I phoned them back to rearrange this test but was told they weren’t doing them now because of the social distancing rules.

“Then I got a letter from them to say this was my last chance to get it organised.

“It also hinted that, if I didn’t, I would be in breach of my tenancy agreement. Basically, the message was that, if I don’t get it done, they will just switch off the gas.”

People across Renfrewshire are following strict social distancing guidelines and Mr MacMillan is concerned about the risk Covid-19 poses to his health, as he has suffered three heart attacks in recent years.

He added: “We have to stick to the plan and then I get this letter, asking me to let a complete stranger wander around my house.

“This makes no sense. Why are they asking people to go into people’s houses when we’re meant to be isolating?”

A Renfrewshire Council spokesperson said: “We are still legally required to carry out gas servicing and several extra checks are in place to ensure that staff and tenants are safe at all times.

“If a tenant is concerned about having someone in their home, they can contact customer services to discuss this and have their appointment rescheduled for a future date.”

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