buying a house that has flooded?

sl9192

Earlier this year myself and OH viewed a house which we absolutely loved. Unfortunately, somebody beat us to it, and it was sold STC for a couple of weeks. We learned last weekend that the sale had fallen through and so we expressed an interest in the property again, however we learned that the reason the previous buyer had pulled out was because the survey had found water damage in the house.

The estage agent "re-assured us" that the flood was a one off as the property is not in a flood risk area, but was infact from surface water build up in the garden (clay soil, zero drainage) and happened during the boxing day floods of 2015. There was also a large housing estate being built nearby which put some strain on the local drains for a while.

I put the postcode of the property into the environment agency map and it immediately brought up the fact that the area is considered to be at risk of flooding from surface water. I don't know how accurate these maps are but it is consistent with the lay of the land as the house is at the lower end of a downhill cul-de-sac, so the fact that the estate agent has said in plain black and white "it's not a flood risk area" is shady to me - it took me 30 seconds to google it.

Secondly we know for a fact that water has entered the house. What we don't know is how it came in or how much came in, and how much damage it caused. We are going to view again this weekend and see if we can find out some of these things. I have a feeling that it is something that could have easily been prevented by the owner if they had any prevention/drainage systems in place in the garden, but OH is not convinced and is really dead set against the house now.

Is there anything we can particularly look for at our second viewing that might put our minds at rest that this was a one-off due to the previous owner's ignorance? DPC height, garden drainage, etc? Or should we just walk away?

Doozergirl

DPC has nothing to do with flooding. The water will come anyway it can.

Your vendor needs to be absolutely up front with what happened, how the house was fixed and what steps are taken to eliminate the local risk.

2015 isn't long ago. We bought a house 8 years ago that was flooded by the brook at the bottom of the garden some 10 years before that. We'd never have known but the vendors were open. There was a full explanation of how it happened - the brook was diverted while a new housing estate was being built and it couldn't cope with particularly bad rain. We had terrible flooding locally in 2007 but that house wasn't affected then and so I made the choice on what was presented to me that it was no longer an issue.

It hasn't flooded again.

In your case, I think I would be nervous about flooding in only 2015 if I wasn't given an awful lot of information. I appreciated the big storm of 2007 because that and the passage of time gave me evidence that it wasn't an ongoing issue.

Surface water flooding is unpredictable.

Grant_Urismo

I would run a mile, and tell the vendor that the reason you're running a mile is because the EA lied to you. If we all did this then EAs would have an incentive to stop lying.

I'm no expert on surface water flooding, but my understanding is that it happens because the drains can't cope with the amount of water, so putting drainage in the garden wouldn't help. Having said that, the Environment Agency are experts on it, so if they say it's a flood risk, then it's a flood risk!

If you're not running a mile, then ask for a LOT of money off the asking price.

Marvel1

Happened once, may happen again and the hassle sorting out home insurance, I would be looking elsewhere.

booksurr

Grant_Urismo wrote: »

If you're not running a mile, then ask for a LOT of money off the asking price.

why?

the value would only be worth less if you can prove that the agent has not factored into their valuation the possible flood risk. That means the property's asking price must be significantly different to the asking price of all other similar properties in that relatively precise location, otherwise the asking price is simply the "suggested" current market value for any similar property in that location.

sl9192

I don't think they have factored it into their valuation at all infact the seller seems quite unconcerned that the house flooded and has not installed any defences since then branding it as a 'one-off' due to the housing estate putting strain on the drains until they were plumbed in. We are obviously suspicious of this as you said 2015 is not long ago, if the flooding was more historical we would have an easier decision.

As it stands we are being told that the flooding came from rainwater which was not able to drain from the garden and came into the house. Having a garden that might flood every now and then is not something that would concern me - The seller has no trees or plants to absorb any water, no gravelled area or water butts to deal with roof run-off. If I could be confident that this was the true cause then we would factor in the extra cost (approx £9k extra insurance over a 25 year mortgage) and the cost of installing defences before making an offer. However the fact that water has come into the house concerns us to no end. I can only hope that the seller has evidence of the flood and the subsequent repairs for us to look at and factor in. She's already had one sale fall through and I think many more will run at the mention of water damage, so it could be our chance to get a bargain.

The house next door is identical but with a garden half the size of 'ours' - it was listed with an asking price of £115,000 and sold, however this was listed as a project in need of refurb/modernisation throughout. This house needs no work doing to it, and is listed for £129,000.

G_M

I'd want toknow exactly :

* what caused the flood - was it the nearby development? Was it because of the construction going on (now finished) or the paving over of land or increase in housing? Was it to do with the garden? etc

and

* what remedial/preventative work has taken place eg more/bigger drains installed? Garden re-landscaped to divert water elsewhere? French drains installed in garden?

Mgman1965

Id be running a mile.

My house now if the rain is very heavy, it floods the front garden. It's never got into the house and drains away in a few minutes when it stops raining, BUT, as the water starts to rise I still look out the front window constantly nervous.

I also understand, insurance on previously flooded houses can cost a fortune if not be impossible to get.

[Deleted User]

With increased building loads and quite probably changing weather conditions I wouldn't go near a place with a recent history of flooding, whatever the discount. Getting a few thousand off won't help you if you the flooding is repeated again and again.

Jimmithecat

Walk away - you would be uninsurable

deFoix

The Environment Agency's maps are accurate. If the house has flooded before it's highly likely it will flood again in your lifetime.