Council leaders have refused to renew the contract of an organisation responsible for gas boiler safety checks, after it emerged up to 2,000 homes had not been dealt with.

Earlier this month, Oxford City Council's executive board was told the homes were not checked by Signpost Housing Association staff within a 12-month deadline.

The council immediately issued tenants with carbon monoxide testing kits, and yesterday board members decided not to renew Signpost's contract when it expires on March 31.

No-one from Signpost, which has a head office in Dorset, was available for comment. Council staff working for Oxford Building Solutions, the housing department's repairs section, will be allocated the work until a contractor is found. It is understood the chief executive of the council, Marion Headicar, is to hold an internal inquiry to see if errors by her staff contributed to the safety check backlog.

Cllr David Connett, executive member for housing, said: "There may have been faults on either side, but whatever the issues are, the people suffering have been the tenants."

Since the lack of safety checks came to light, 751 tenants have booked safety checks, 300 of which have been carried out. But 900 have so far failed to respond.