Gas company wants to carry out testing - what are my rights?

[KatDubs261]

Just had an easy breezy text from a gas company saying my letting agent has instructed them to arrange for them to come and carry out legionella testing in my home this week.

I feel very uncomfortable and dont want them to do this. Aside from the safety concern, I am working from home long hours every day and it would be very disruptive.

Does anyone know if I have any legal rights to refuse them entry just now?

Your landlord is legally required to ensure this testing is carried out, and to pay for it. It is for your benefit - to protect your health.

Ask the testing company to provide you with a copy of their COVID-19 safety measures, what the testing involves, and how long it will take.

You cannot catch legionnaires disease from a mask. ..

*taylornats..

Another quick thought - I thought if you kept your water cylinder thermostat up high enough that you won’t need a test for legionella?

Legionella is a bacteria. As like all bacteria, it only causes issues when there are enough of them to firstly get into your system, and secondly start to reproduce and infect you. Legionella is a really nasty disease, if you're young, fit and healthy yes you'll probably survive, but older people are frequently not so lucky.

Legionella needs standing water. If you are running your kitchen taps every day, or having a shower every day the risk is very, very low. But this is why large hotels which were shut during the pandemic has people going round every couple of day running taps and showers in every room. Legionella also loves "dead ends" of pipework where it can collect, undisturbed, and start to grow. It is true that much hotter temperatures will kill legionella (and other bacteria too) but if there are unused taps and standing water in the pipes then having your thermostat high is not going to eliminate risk. And it's the landlord's job to check.

The testing is very quick. Someone will come into the house and take a sample of water from each tap. It will then be tested in a lab and ONLY if something is found will there be further work to flush through the system with disinfectants and biocides.

OP you sound very anxious about this but the risk of having someone in your home is very low. We have had workmen in during the height of the pandemic to fix boilers and stuff and you just need to be sensible. Keep your distance. Ask them to wear a mask. And that's it. No need for cling filming surfaces. They'll be touching your taps and in and out in 10 minutes.