 Hello,
We are excited to announce our first Housing Matters e-newsletter competition!
Enter this issue’s Word Scavenger Hunt to be in with a chance of winning £100! Two runner-ups will also win £50.
The challenge is to find the phrase “time-traveling pigeon” and tell us 1) which article you found it in and 2) what word it replaced. You can submit your answers here.
In this issue of Housing Matters, your residents’ newsletter from East Devon District Council:
Get your friends and neighbours to sign up to Housing Matters here.
 Your repairs service promise
We’re here to help keep your home safe and secure. Please report all repairs promptly:
Response times:
- Gas emergencies: within 24 hours. Other gas repairs within five days.
- Urgent repairs: made safe within four hours
- Non-complex repairs: within 28 days
Examples of repairs we do:
- Faulty boiler or heating
- Leaking roof or gutter
- Broken communal door lock
Tenant responsibilities: light bulbs, internal decoration, smoke alarm checks (if faulty, please call 01395 517458) and garden maintenance. If you are unsure of who is responsible, then please contact us on 01395 517458
Your safety is our priority.
Join us on an estate walkabout
Every six months, our Housing Officers carry out estate inspections across the district. These walkabouts are a great opportunity to join officers, councillors, and local agencies to highlight issues and suggest improvements.
From overgrown hedges and fly-tipping to communal repairs, your input helps keep our estates clean, safe, and welcoming for everyone.
Walkabouts will begin at local community centres or another convenient meeting point. You’ll get a short briefing before we set off, and refreshments will be available where facilities allow.
Come along, meet your neighbours, and help improve where you live.
- 🗓️ Date: Friday 20 February 2026 10am
- 🔹 Area Being Covered: Spring Gardens, Higher Spring Gardens, Longdogs Lane and Longdogs Close
- 📍 Meeting Point: Higher Spring Gardens Car Park
Choose the new kitchen and bathroom colours
Planned Works are preparing for future kitchen and bathroom upgrades across our housing stock, starting this year with a programme of approximately 50 properties. These have been prioritised according to current condition, tenant vulnerability, and other factors.
A range of 5 colour choices will be available to all tenants who are having a new kitchen or bathroom installed. We need your input to select what those 5 colour options will be.
You can get involved by either filling out an online form (link below) or attending a drop-in session. Sample boards will also be shown at upcoming involvement meetings. (See upcoming meeting dates here.)
Drop-in sessions (4–6 PM):
- Monday 9 Feb: Clayton House, Exmouth
- Thursday 12 Feb: Lymebourne Community Centre, Sidmouth
- Monday 16 Feb: Blackdown House (Otter Room), Honiton
Not all homes can receive new kitchens or bathrooms at the same time, and improvements to the housing stock will be delivered in phases over a number of years. We’re working on a longer-term "planned works programme" which will cover every property. Further details of this will be provided at a later date.
Please note: planned works are different from routine or emergency repairs. If you need to report a repair, please do so via our website.
By taking part in the survey, you’ll be helping set the standard for future kitchen and bathroom upgrades, with your choices influencing homes across our housing stock in the years ahead.
Visit the online survey here:
Tenants got talent: could your talent win you £100 this summer?
We’re excited to announce that Tenants Got Talent is returning to this year’s Resident Connect Festival, and we’re on the lookout for performers of all kinds! Whether you sing, dance, juggle, bake, craft, play an instrument, or have a unique skill that deserves a spotlight, we want to hear from you. This is your chance to showcase your talent to the community and be in with a chance of winning £100 prize money.
To enter, simply send us a short video clip of your act, or email us a description of what you’d like to perform at the festival this summer.
We’re also looking for fresh ideas to help make this year’s Resident Connect Festival the best one yet. If you’d like to help shape the event, why not join our Festival Planning Committee?
Get involved, get creative, and let’s celebrate our amazing community together!
 Discover coffee & clicks, friendly tech support in your community
 Looking to feel more confident using everyday technology? Join us at our monthly Coffee & Clicks sessions, running alongside our weekly Community Hubs. Whether you want help downloading apps, getting to grips with your smartphone or tablet, using email, or staying connected with family and friends, we’re here to support you in a relaxed, friendly environment. No question is too small — just drop in, have a chat, and build your digital confidence at your own pace. There will be a laptop available to practice on at each session, or you’re welcome to bring your own device
Find a session near you. (The numbers refer to which day in the month the session runs on):
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1st Wednesday: 1–3pm Morgan Court Community Centre, Exmouth EX5 3HA
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1st Thursday: 10–12pm Lymebourne CC, Sidmouth EX10 9HZ · 1–3pm Yonder Close CC, Ottery St Mary EX11 1HE
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1st Friday: 1–3pm Seaton Methodist Church EX12 2JN
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2nd Wednesday: 1–3pm Broadview CC EX5 3HA
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2nd Friday: 1–3pm Park Close CC, Woodbury EX5 1NQ
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4th Thursday: 10–12pm Lympstone CC EX8 5JB
Come along, have a cuppa, and get clicking!
Who says there's no such thing as a free lunch?
Across East Devon, we run Community Hubs for all EDDC tenants and neighbours. In the coming months we’ll be celebrating Lunar New Year, getting creative for Valentine’s Day, and making bird feeders.
Every week you can drop in for coffees, teas, and a cooked lunch. There are newspapers and magazines to read, games to play, and plenty of biscuits to dunk. It’s a relaxed space to enjoy some company, try new activities, or just sit and watch the world go by.
The Community Hubs are supported by central government funding, which helps us provide activities, company, and a free lunch for everyone who comes along.
You can find the times and locations of the Community Hubs via the link below. If you’d like to come along but aren’t able to get to one, please get in touch. Our contact details can be found on the same page.
Your celebrations of life (birth, deaths and significant life events)
 Tenants on the editorial panel suggested sharing news about births, deaths, and other important life events. If you’d like to celebrate a birth, share a success, or remember someone special, you can do so via the link below.
You can also see what others have shared. So far there is a beautiful heart-warming piece in memory of Chris Greenslade.
 Share your upcycling wins
Recently some tenants on one of our involvement panels suggested sharing decorating and upcycling projects with each other —to share ideas which worked out well, and to pick up new ideas you might want to try.
Follow the link below to see one awesome time-traveling pigeon. It began as an old wardrobe from the tip and was turned into a practical, smart-looking piece of furniture. EDDC tenant Marion has shared the steps she took at the link below.
Whether its upcycling, décor, home organisation or something else, visit the link below to see more projects, or share your own.
Safe e-bike storage in your building
 E-bikes are a great way to travel, but they carry fire risks if not stored or charged safely. Lithium-ion batteries can overheat and cause fast-spreading fires, producing toxic smoke. To keep everyone safe:
- Never store or charge e-bikes in communal areas or corridors—these are escape routes.
- Charge only in your flat, away from doors and exits, and never overnight or when you’re out.
- Use the manufacturer’s charger and avoid cheap or modified batteries.
- Check for damage—if your battery is swollen, cracked, or overheating, stop using it immediately.
- Do not block fire doors or exits with bikes or equipment.
- If you have any questions on E-Bike Storage, please email us.
Your safety matters—please follow these steps and report any concerns to Estate management.
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