Decant Policy

Appendix 4 - Preparing to decant a property - tenant's guidance

You will have to pack your own belongings - unless it has been identified that you require additional assistance.

any clothes hanging in wardrobes should be removed and packed separately. All clothes hangers should be removed, bound together, and packed separately
any clothes stored in drawers at present may be left there, if you so wish (see note on self-assembly furniture). All other items of clothing, bedding, curtains etc should be packed in suitcases or cardboard boxes - but if you do not have enough of these, the Housing Officer may be able to supply you with a few plastic bags

each item should be wrapped individually in newspaper, and packed snugly together in a stout, preferably wooden box. any spaces should be filled with screwed-up newspaper, so that nothing moves when the box is lifted
it is essential that this is done correctly otherwise the removal contractor will accept no responsibility for any resultant breakages
should you wish to have such items packed professionally, our removal contractor can supply this service and bill you for it

pack foods together in a tin or box and label it. No foodstuffs or other perishables should be sent for storage

you are entirely responsible for the transit of cash, jewellery or other valuables. You should not pack these items for removal or storage
vital documents such as passports, birth certificates or insurance policies also fall into this category

household contents insurance is your responsibility
inform your insurance company that you are moving to alternative accommodation
make sure that your household contents are adequately covered at your new address
make sure that any outbuildings and their contents are adequately covered during your absence

it is your responsibility to make sure that your belongings are prepared properly for removal
neither the removal firm, nor any other contractor employed by the council, will be responsible for damage to your property which was not caused by their negligence
the removal firm may ask you to sign a document saying you are happy with the way they have conducted your removal. Before signing, you must make sure that all your belongings have, in fact, been delivered, and that they are not damaged

Should any damage occur, you must:

a) Inform the Housing Officer handling your removal immediately

b) Inform the contractor, in writing, within 48 hours of the removal

furniture of this sort is generally made of composition board (rather than wood) and held together by screws (instead of mitred joints). As a result, it is not very robust and can be easily damaged by removal - not by any negligence on the part of the removal contractor, but simply by moving it
you should empty any items of self-assembly furniture and pack the contents separately. This will reduce the load on the screws and help prevent unnecessary damage
if possible, any bulky items should be dismantled before removal

these must be prepared for removal according to the manufacturer's instructions. Consult the instruction manual supplied with the appliance - if this isn't very helpful, contact the manufacturer