Tom: Please make sure you’re set for winter

A politician is urging people to make sure their homes are winter-ready.

MSP Tom Arthur, who represents Renfrewshire South, wants householders to make sure their homes are ready for anything the weather might bring.

Last winter, more than 154,000 homes across Scotland experienced a boiler breakdown, leaving residents unable to heat their homes.

When the beast from the East struck, temperatures as cold as -10°C and wind speeds of over 60mph led to the busiest week on record for Scottish Gas, with 104 calls for assistance coming in every second – 13 times the usual call volumes.

Mr Arthur said:“It’s really important to keep a step ahead of winter.

“I want everyone in Renfrewshire South to understand what help is available to them, and for their family and friends.

“Being energy efficient and keeping bills under control is also really important, so I’d encourage people to seek advice from their energy supplier and take practical steps to stay smart with their energy use this winter.”

Scottish Gas service and repair engineer Julie Dickson said there are steps people can take to help prepare their house for winter.

“But if something does go wrong, we’re always on standby”she added.

Tips can be found at www.scottishgas.co.uk