Searches - Significant Flood Risk

davidmcn

homeless9 said:

I guess I just need to let the company that is going to be providing me with housing insurance is aware of the search coming back as a 'significant surface water risk'

Only if they ask a relevant question, surely? In practice I expect insurers figure out the risk from the postcode.

Davesnave

OldMusicGuy said:

Have you tried this map: https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/long-term-flood-risk/map ?
You can specifically search for sea/river flood risk, surface water flood risk and reservoir flooding. It's more detailed that the Planning Flood Risk map.

Funnily enough, I was looking at that map on Monday. It's unable to predict possible surface water flooding with complete accuracy. Using my neighbour's house, (we have farms) I was given an assessment of very low risk, yet in 2012 he had to take action when run-off from the fields combined on his entrance track and became a stream heading for the house. He was able to place haylage bales to divert it, but if he'd had no means of doing that, they'd have been flooded.

When you look at many properties there is a risk. Very few of them are like mine, which sits on quite a narrow ridge between two valleys.

homeless9

I remember reading somewhere in one of the documents sent to me the developer wrote that there was no history of flooding in the area. But that's the developer....who is obviously trying to sell the property.

I have also noticed that there are steep roads that lead to where the house sits, all rain water not collected by drains would flow down to the property. 

There are 4 properties clustered in this new development, one has sold, the other 3 are in the process of the sale going through. So doesn't seem to worry others.


My house insurance policy covers: Fire, theft, malicious damage, vandalism, subsidence, heave or landslip, storm, flood and escape of water or oil.

At the end of the day, if a rare flood event happened causing my house to be flooded by, for example, a foot of water, what happens? I go live somewhere else while builders fix the damage and the insurance pays for it all. And maybe the house is more difficult to sell in future, devalued?

[Deleted User]

I'd forget it, or at least ask for a massive discount due to flood risk. If you get flooded it's awful, all your things get ruined and you have to live in a hotel for months, the stress is huge and your insurance premiums go way up. Also a lender may not want to get involved with that if you need a mortgage.

Davesnave

[DELETED USER] said:

I'd forget it, or at least ask for a massive discount due to flood risk.

Have you read the whole thread?

At present there is a discrepancy between what the Environment Agency's Flood Mapping says and the search result . They can't both be right, but there is nothing obvious, nor have other houses failed to sell, so it looks as if such a request would fall on deaf ears.

What's needed is more research, not a knee jerk reaction.

homeless9

[DELETED USER] said:

I'd forget it, or at least ask for a massive discount due to flood risk. If you get flooded it's awful, all your things get ruined and you have to live in a hotel for months, the stress is huge and your insurance premiums go way up. Also a lender may not want to get involved with that if you need a mortgage.

What does the lender do to find out about any flood risk? I have not heard anything from them about the flood risk I have been made aware of...... does the lender also get sent the Search reports?