Home insurance

We strongly advise all tenants to take out household contents insurance. You can do this either through our scheme or by making your own arrangements.

Many council tenants believe that we automatically insure their furniture, belongings and decorations against fire, vandalism or burst pipes.  This is not the case.  Unfortunately, many people only realise this after the damage has been done.

The council makes it easy for you to insure your belongings under a special household contents insurance scheme available only to council tenants.

You can insure your furniture, television, clothing, carpets and electrical goods.  Most of your household goods and contents are insured when in the home.  You are also insured for the theft of keys, freezer contents and your own liability to the public.

New for Old - the policy insures your contents up to five years old on a "new for old" basis, meaning they should be replaced as new if destroyed by an event insured by the policy.

Therefore items up to five years old will be at their current replacement cost as new with the exception of clothing and household linen.

Items older than five years, clothing and household linen are insured at their current replacement cost less wear and tear.

To apply, contact the Income Account Team for an application form which can then be returned upon completion either to that office or to the Contact Centre.

To ensure that you are always covered, you must keep up your payments which are made together with your rent.  Payments to your rent account will go first towards your rent, then to other charges and then to your insurance.  So, if you fall behind with your rent your insurance will not operate.

Your insurance will start when the council informs you that you have been accepted onto the scheme. We will write to you with details of your weekly insurance and the date you should start paying.

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