Can't sell house due to flooding risk

Black_Monk

Dear All

I am trying to sell my mother's house but our buyer has been refused a mortgage by three different lenders because the house is allegedly in an area of high risk of surface water flooding. If I can get the risk reduced to medium then more lenders may be prepared to lend so I would be very interested to hear from anyone who has successfully appealed against their flooding risk.

According to the Environment Agency website, high risk means a greater than 3.3% of flooding in any year. This would mean greater than 6.6% in two years, 9.9% in three years and there would be a major flooding incident every 30 years. My parents have lived in this house house for 34 years and there has never been any flooding so I believe the risk to be erroneously high.

Regards

Black Monk

DayDreamerandGeneralWaster

Where has this risk information come from? l've not heard it described in those terms before. Normally it would be described as a 1 in 50 year event or whatever. Surface water flooding so what are we talking is it near a water course or heavy rainfall event?

Black_Monk

Thank you for your reply.
The information came from the Environment Agency website (https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/long-term-flood-risk/postcode).  You enter in your postcode then select the house number.  By surface water they mean flash flooding, rain water cannot drain away fast enough.  'Rivers and the sea' is very low risk.

greatcrested

Historic flood events (or lack of them) do not necessarily reflect future risk.

The climate has changed. The local environment will have changed. So although there may have been no floods in the 34 years of your mother's occupancy, there might well now be likelihood of a flood within the next 30 years.

I've no idea how the EA calculate these risks, but I doubt you can easily pursuade them to change the way they make the calculation.

davidmcn

Black_Monk said:

According to the Environment Agency website, high risk means a greater than 3.3% of flooding in any year. This would mean greater than 6.6% in two years, 9.9% in three years and there would be a major flooding incident every 30 years. My parents have lived in this house house for 34 years and there has never been any flooding so I believe the risk to be erroneously high.

You do realise that's not how statistics work?

mooneysaver

You will need to wait for the next flood. After that a buyer will be able to get a 29 year mortgage as that will end before the next flood occurs.

AnotherJoe

Black_Monk said:

Dear All

I am trying to sell my mother's house but our buyer has been refused a mortgage by three different lenders because the house is allegedly in an area of high risk of surface water flooding. If I can get the risk reduced to medium then more lenders may be prepared to lend so I would be very interested to hear from anyone who has successfully appealed against their flooding risk.

According to the Environment Agency website, high risk means a greater than 3.3% of flooding in any year. This would mean greater than 6.6% in two years, 9.9% in three years and there would be a major flooding incident every 30 years. My parents have lived in this house house for 34 years and there has never been any flooding so I believe the risk to be erroneously high.

Regards

Black Monk

Interesting I'm possibly in the same boat (no pun intended) on the other side of teh transaction.  The house I'm looking to buy has, according to the environment agency a "very high chance" of surface water flooding (a recent proposed sale fell through because of this) yet the houses directly across the street on the same level are medium risk and houses about 3 houses away on the same side also medium risk. I also believe its never flooded since being built perhaps 30 years ago. So yes, though your calculations are wrong, no flooding in 30 years puts a lie to this IMNSHO.And when i first viewed there had just been torrential rain an hour ago and there was no surface water anywhere.

I've just done a test home insurance quote and no issues there.  

I wont be needing a mortgage but now am wondering if I might have an issue reselling if they are going to take this approach at what to me looks like complete kack ....dammit.

I dont want to get into a dispute with the environment agency on a new  (to me) house as a i move in.

AnotherJoe

Follow up from me, seems half the houses (almost literally) round where I am are marked as very high risk of surface water flooding yet they seem to be selling. I spoke to a mortgage adviser i've used in the past who said this is only an issue if you cant get insurance and I've checked and i can, so I'm proceeding.

OP can you get insurance on your mums house?