Has the Search Industry gone Mad

royP_2

We were in the process of selling our House and about to purchase a smaller property, but today we have heard that our buyer is dropping out because a search has shown that we are in a flood risk area.

What a joke, I would laugh if didn't mean that a chain collapses.
We live in an area of Rugby miles from a river, 100's from the sea, the house is at the top of a hill with no ground surrounding it at a higher level, and it is impossible for it to be flooded.
But somewhere someone has decreed it is a risk and a whole chain of 9 people disintegrates.

Who makes these decisions?
To whom can I go to complain, because if I find another buyer it is likely to resurface?

My own searches for the prospective property we were hoping to buy was just as vague, the HIP said - no danger of flooding, the environmental search says danger of flooding, the house is on top of a slope.
The Hip says no risk from Radon, the environmental search says it is medium risk.

Who do you believe at the end of the day?
Sorry to rant, but it is so frustrating, because it is nonsense, we would need a Noah rainfall and flood for my house to be affected.

keith969

Check the flood risk maps that the Environment Agency has online:

http://maps.environment-agency.gov.uk/wiyby/wiybyController?x=531500.0&y=181500.0&topic=floodmap&ep=map&scale=3&location=London,%20City%20of%20London&lang=_e&layerGroups=default&textonly=off

royP_2

Done that, nothing, no risk.

Richard_Webster

The Environmental Search that I normally do has a question about whether the property is within 250m of land potentially affected by flooding. So, if there is a stream 240m away at the bottom of a hill then you could get a bad result!

Why can't buyers use their common sense though? It is just as silly as pulling out because you have had another look round the house and you don't like the colour of the wall paper in the third bedroom.

caveman_si

Ask the buyer for a copy of the search that says you are in a flood risk area.
Then ask the Environment Agency for their thoughts on it if it looks wrong.

Btw there a number of different types of flooding, fluvial, pluvial, tidal, groundwater, sewage. You need to ask what type of flooding you are at risk from. If it is pluvial I would ask the search provider where they got the information from and whats does the Environment Agency say about their data. If it is fluvial flooding then I would check on the Environment agency website and if they differ raise the issues with both the EA and the buyer as The EA are the definitive source of information in the UK on Fluvial and Coastal flooding.


Also I hate to rain on your parade just because you live at the top of a hill doenst mean you cant flood. Just makes it less obvious that you are at risk of flooding and less likely. So be prepared for the possibility that the report is right. But im betting it is pluvial flooding.

Emmzi

rugby is at risk of radon (but low)

houses within 250m of the canal get a standard flood clause in the survey

however it is possible to buy near the canal - you need a decent insurer and the environmental report for your lender.

it's recoverable!

royP_2

Thanks all for your replies:

[So, if there is a stream 240m away at the bottom of a hill then you could get a bad result!] I am not even close to a stream or river, nearest stream is at least 1/2 mile away.

[But im betting it is pluvial flooding.] I suspect that you are right, because I had a similar result with the house we were trying to buy, but I would think that result covers every household in the UK.

[Houses within 250m of the canal get a standard flood clause in the survey,] canal is 1/2 mile away.

I will try and find out what the search actually says and from whom it originates, but I think that it is all to late now the harm has been done and my buyer has been frightened off.

Hailstorm

Hi,

Try suggesting to your buyer that they have a flood risk assessment report produced. These can be done against an individual properties and are not expensive (about £20).

I recently moved in October. My survey highlighted that the property was in an area prone to flooding and my environmental searches said there were flood risks within 250 metres. I asked my solicitor if there was anything more that could be done and he suggested a flood risk assessment report against the property.

The report models shows what is expected to happen in 1 in 75, 1 in 100 and 1 in 1000 year floods. None of the three showed the house I bought as at risk. All three did show properties within 250 metres being flooded. As a result of the report I decided to go ahead with the purchase. Interestingly the report did show some areas flooding that are not shown as at risk on the Environment Agency's web site.

Running_Horse

While it is easy to blame the buyer for pulling out, they may be unable to arrange normal insurance once the risk has been identified.

royP_2

The point is there is no risk, I have not had the slightest problem in getting Insurance, nor has anyone else in the area.
Incidentally I am not blaming the buyer, I blame the idiots who come up with these answers, which are just not real.

DVardysShadow

Richard_Webster wrote: »

The Environmental Search that I normally do has a question about whether the property is within 250m of land potentially affected by flooding. So, if there is a stream 240m away at the bottom of a hill then you could get a bad result!

I think that this is a bad search which helps no one - it is inevitable it will produce misleading results.

Horizontal distance is almost completely irrelevant, with flooding, it is vertical distance which matters. It is safer to be within 10 metres of a flood risk, but 5m above the expected level than it is to be 250m away and only 0.5m above the expected level.

Why can't buyers use their common sense though? It is just as silly as pulling out because you have had another look round the house and you don't like the colour of the wall paper in the third bedroom.

As a professional, why are you commissioning a search which is this misleading? Obviously, the Insurers will use similar searches and this is where the problem lies, but the issue will continue unless someone takes a stand and says that the search is giving too many false positives.