Damp and condensation
If your home is damp, your first reaction may be to think there's something wrong.
However, most damp comes from condensation which occurs when warm air meets a cold surface. This is caused by the way we live. In a small number of cases, damp is a result of water penetrating through the structure of the house.
To help you find out what’s happening in your home, please watch this video.
If after watching the video you think you have damp in your home and it's structural and not due to condensation, please register for or sign in to your online account to read our Damp and condensation leaflet [pdf] for more information. You can also report it to us immediately and we’ll help you get it sorted.
Dealing with household pests
Insects and rodents can pose a serious health and infection risk to your home. Rodents can also cause extensive damage to your property.
It’s your responsibility to sort out any pest problems you have. You can read our Pest control leaflet [pdf] 1MB for advice on what you can do to reduce the chance of rodents and insects in your home. You can get this by signing up or signing in to your online account. It’s our responsibility to fix holes in the brickwork, roof or skirting board in your home where rodents can gain access. Please report these to us via your online account.
If you need more support, please contact your Local Authority and speak to the Environmental Services Department.
Contents insurance
You’re responsible for insuring the contents of your home. We recommend you take out insurance, covering theft or damage to your personal possessions, carpets, furniture and other household items. This will give you the peace of mind that you won’t have to find the money to replace your belongings if they’re damaged or stolen.
We work with an insurance company to provide special rates for our customers. If you’d like to arrange cover sign in to your online account.
Buildings insurance
It’s our responsibility to arrange buildings insurance which covers damage to the structure of the building. Your service charges cover the cost of the insurance. You can’t opt-out or arrange cover with another insurer. If you're a shared owner or leaseholder and need to make a claim, you must contact the insurance company directly. You can find a summary of the cover below.
Buildings insurance summary of cover (leaseholder/shared owner) 2021-2022[pdf]
Disposing of large household items
It’s your responsibility to dispose of large household items which are not normally collected by refuse collectors e.g. furniture and large electrical equipment. We don’t offer a collection service. You can contact your local authority directly who will collect some large items or visit www.essex.gov.uk/waste-recycling to find out how to arrange this.