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Birmingham City Council is reminding landlords of the importance of carbon monoxide detectors following an inspection that found a family of four in a life-threatening situation.

An officer was conducting a routine compliance inspection of a privately rented property when they found a family who believed they had food poisoning.

An alarm had been going off for weeks, but the tenants didn’t realise it was the carbon monoxide detector.

The officer quickly called emergency services. Three ambulances arrived, and the family was taken to the hospital and kept overnight.

Had the family stayed in the property for much longer, they would have almost certainly died.

Initial investigations revealed that a newly installed gas boiler was not vented properly, allowing carbon monoxide to enter the home.

Jayne Francis, Cabinet Member for Housing and Homelessness, said:

"This property was inspected as part of the council's selective licensing scheme, which requires private landlords to have a licence.

"This shows how the scheme can be life-saving as well as improve standards in the rented sector.

"Currently, around 25% of compliance inspections require landlords to take action.

"We also want to remind private landlords of the importance of carbon monoxide detectors and their gas safety responsibilities.

"I urge landlords to make sure their tenants understand what the carbon monoxide detector does and what to do if it sounds.

"Landlords should also ensure their gas boilers are installed by qualified professionals registered with 'Gas Safe.'

"I want also to thank the officer who conducted the visit for their quick thinking that saved this family."