Surface Flooding Risk

craftyali

We are buying a house in our local town (offer accepted on 3rd December - there have been delays due to slow seller, Christmas/New Year and a wait for searches).  This is an investment property for us and will be rented to my stepdaughter initially.  

The searches came back yesterday and show a ‘high risk’ for surface water flooding (there is a slight dip in the road outside).  We have known this area for over 50 years and never known it to flood.  This obviously worries us.
Solicitor says a more detailed flood report can be done.  We don’t want to delay the purchase if not necessary (renovations are needed and want to get our stepdaughter/grandchildren settled there by the summer).  My head says that this is just the search being ultra-detailed, but it is the first house purchase for my husband and he is more concerned (even talking about looking for a different house - prices have gone up since December).
Anyone had experience of this?

UnderOffer

This is an investment property for us and will be rented to my stepdaughter initially.  

Just to ask, are you buying with a mortgage? You may find you can’t let to family members. 

Flooding - have you looked at the various websites where you can put the postcode in to determine risk? I’d try a few websites and see what you get. Our home has medium risk for surface flood but some sites show it as low. 

https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/warnings

OldMusicGuy

I would walk away. The first thing I do with any potential house purchase is to see if it is any flood risk zones using the online resources. If it is in any type of flood zone, it is ruled out. Flooding is getting more frequent, not less. If this is an investment property, it's a pretty poor investment strategy IMO to place your capital at risk by putting it in a high risk flood zone. If this was your forever home and had some features that you really couldn't find elsewhere, then maybe it's worth taking the risk, but for an investment property it seems a very unwise decision. 

Mercurial

I own a house which has a high risk of surface water flooding.  I asked around the area before I put my offer in and everyone said the same that the street has never flooded.  It was a risk I was prepared to take.  The house is in an area with outstanding schools and good value property prices and always gets tenants within a week or two of being advertised.  If you think it will cause you worry it's probably not worth the risk.

Irishpearce26

I just bought a house with a high risk for surface flooding, never in the 28 years has there been surface flooding. Surface flooding isn't the same as a flood risk you may have with a river near by as its usually based on the capacity of the drainage if there is torrential rain.

Thrugelmir

If there's a heavy localised downpour then flooding can occur in the most unexpected places. Ground water doesn't just drain away. Natural springs pop up in all sorts of places. 

AdrianC

Your personal experience of the local area may override the flood map for you - but the lender won't have that personal experience.

craftyali

UnderOffer said:

This is an investment property for us and will be rented to my stepdaughter initially.  

Just to ask, are you buying with a mortgage? You may find you can’t let to family members. 

Flooding - have you looked at the various websites where you can put the postcode in to determine risk? I’d try a few websites and see what you get. Our home has medium risk for surface flood but some sites show it as low. 

https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/warnings

We are buying with cash.
Yes, checked and there are no flood warnings for the property - they do not include surface water risk.

craftyali

OldMusicGuy said:

I would walk away. The first thing I do with any potential house purchase is to see if it is any flood risk zones using the online resources. If it is in any type of flood zone, it is ruled out. Flooding is getting more frequent, not less. If this is an investment property, it's a pretty poor investment strategy IMO to place your capital at risk by putting it in a high risk flood zone. If this was your forever home and had some features that you really couldn't find elsewhere, then maybe it's worth taking the risk, but for an investment property it seems a very unwise decision.  

Thank you.  Now we know to check these things ourselves before even placing an offer.  However, we chose this house as it is within walking distance to the best primary school in the town (for our 2 young grandchildren, but also future possible tenants) and both secondary schools.  It is also walking distance to the hospital, retail parks and town centre.  Very popular area, where houses rarely come on the market and waiting list for rentals.  

This is the only possible negative, which we found out yesterday nearly 4 months after initially having our offer accepted.
House prices are continuing to rise and being sold almost immediately, and we would need to spend £40k more now to get a similar-sized house in that area (one came on the market yesterday).  

There is a slight dip in the road, and we can see that it could possibly flood in very wet weather, but hasn’t in living memory.  The same risk is listed for the end of a nearby cul de sac, and they only get a puddle in torrential storms.  

We just want to hear from anyone with experience of this situation before deciding whether to proceed.

lookstraightahead

Did you look at the radius of the flood zone? Does it say within how many metres? There might be a waterfall 200 metres away which makes you close to it but no risk to you. What did the vendors say on their TA form about flooding?

Alter_ego

Have you checked that you can get insurance for a reasonable price?