As a landlord we insure the building and anything we provide, but we don’t insure contents, such as furniture, belongings and decorations against theft and damage.
We strongly advise all tenants to take out household contents insurance. You can do this through the Council's Tenants' Insurance Scheme, or by making your own private arrangements. The scheme charges the same rate wherever you live in the district, not according to your post code.
This insurance scheme has the benefit of low cost premiums exclusive to council tenants. The policy is arranged with Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Company (RSA) and only available to council tenants.
The policy financially protects the contents in your home, garage and shed. Cover includes improvements you make to your home, such as new laminate flooring or a fitted kitchen.
What will it cost?
Premiums vary according to whether you choose to pay weekly, fortnightly, monthly or annually and are set out in detail in the policy document. The price you pay will depend on your individual circumstances and the cover you chose.
How to apply
Please see below for details of the scheme and an application form. If you complete the application form make sure you answer all the questions and sign the declaration. Return it to RSA as shown on the form.
Call 0345 671 8172 if you have any questions or would like to apply by phone.
Submitting a claim
To submit a claim you can access an online claims portal provided by the insurer. You can use the portal to submit a claim and track its process.
Claims against the council
Council tenants may make insurance claims against the Council for any damage we cause to the tenants' possessions, or injury to the tenant or members of their family. To make a claim please complete the Public liability claim form.
As an example, if a council tradesman were to hammer a nail into the wall and burst a pipe which led to the floor being flooded and ruining the tenant's carpet, we would be responsible for the cost of replacing the carpet.
There are a variety of other issues for which we may not be at fault. For example, if there is a particularly bad storm which lifts a tile off of a roof and as a result water comes through the roof and the ceiling, damaging a bedroom carpet, we would claim this is not negligence, as we could not have prevented that from happening.
In these circumstances we reject a claim. If you are unsure about whether you could make a claim against us, please use our Contact us form.