Over the past decade, the UK has seen a number of serious floods. When these occur, they are often well reported and the sheer devastation they can cause to home and business owners may well put potential buyers off properties in flood risk areas.
Statistics from Rainbow International indicate that a whopping 2.4 million people in the UK live in immediate flood risk areas, with one in six homes in the country at risk of being flooded.
If you are on the lookout for a new home and are concerned about the implications of buying in a flood risk area, here are some things to consider:
Understand the risk of flooding
It stands to reason that some areas are more likely to flood than others. The main cause of flooding is when rivers burst their banks, so waterside properties are more at risk. Coastal areas can also experience flooding, particularly during high tides.
The level of the land can sometimes impact flooding, meaning that properties at high level may be safe even though they are near a river and urban properties may be at risk from surface water flooding during heavy periods of rain. While some places are higher risk than others, you can never guarantee complete safety.
How will your home insurance be affected?
You can expect considerably higher home insurance premiums in areas that are high-risk flood zones, especially if there has been a history of flooding. Providing specific information about the likelihood of flooding from the Environment Agency may make your premiums fairer. There are also schemes available in Britain designed to cap premium costs for those living in flood risk areas.
Your conveyancer, such as https://www.samconveyancing.co.uk/homebuyers-survey/home-buyers-survey-London, will need to be aware of any flood risk. The typography of the area will be included in your homebuyers report London.
What preventive measures can you take?
If you fall in love with a house in a flood risk area, there are measures you can put in place to protect your home and belongings. Using tile or wood flooring on the ground floor instead of carpets can reduce expensive damage. Power points and electrical items, such as TVs and stereos, should be located higher on the walls or units if possible, while non-return valves in outdoor drains can provide some protection against flash flooding.
