Significant surface water flood risk at first floor flat

sedaker

Hi all,

My partner and I are in the process of buying our first home. It's the top floor flat of a three-storey Victorian conversion in Islington (London). 

The searches came back and there are no red flags, apart from a "significant surface water flood risk".

My thinking is that it may as well be because the ground floor is a basement below street level.

However, as that is part of the two-storey maisonette that's below the flat we're buying, I'm thinking that we shouldn't stress too much about it.
It has also been confirmed that there have been no flooding episodes in the past.

Not sure, however, whether we should just discount this, or it may have other implications?

Any help would be much appreciated!

Thanks,

doodling

Hi,

Other than being careful to choose where to park your car if you have one and accepting the possibility that your electricity might be turned off if the location where it comes into the property floods then I don't think you have much to worry about.

user1977

I suppose there's the possibility of damage to common parts downstairs, or the drains being out of action if they've been flooded.

propertyhunter

I was in your position with my first property due to a river running next to the block of flats, but it too had no history of flooding. I proceeded with the sale on that basis. If the building and nearby roads have no history of flooding I wouldn't worry too much. If you're close to a canal in Islington, it might be because of that. There has been random flash flooding in London this year, so it's always a possibility wherever you are - but there's a risk to anything in life. If I was in the basement I'd be more worried, since your contents are at risk. 

Section62

Access to/from the property can be difficult (or impossible) in case of surface flooding.  If there is a real risk of flooding then you'd need to account for the possibility of not being able to get to work etc (if at home* when the flooding happens), or having to find some alternative accommodation (if you are elsewhere).

Local authorities usually provide some form of emergency shelter, but would you be happy using that, particularly if the flooding incident went on for days?

(*as doodling says that could mean being at home without electricity [or gas, water or sewerage])

AskAsk

my friend was buying a flat recently and this was flagged up, which i believe is to do with heavy rainfall and the drain can't cope with it.  for as long as i can remember, the road there had never flooded so we didn't worry too much.

if there is no history of flooding, personally i would take the risk.

sedaker

Thanks everyone!

I have checked all publicly available sources and there doesn't seem to be any record of flooding on that road (nor the roads around).

I have also checked the Government's database for surface water flood risk and - oddly enough - says that the address is at "low risk", contrary to the report.

I guess we'll take the risk and - worse comes to worst - it will be a day off work if we can't leave the house (or a night at work, if it happens during office hours)...

LAD917

It's common for London searches to indicate surface water flooding risk.  My entire neighbourhood in London is subject to surface water flooding - the 500m circle is completely shaded in dark blue.  There's nothing I could do, short of moving to a different neighbourhood, to avoid this risk.  If your property made it through the crazy rains in July without issue, that's probably a good sign.

I will say be diligent, and make sure your neighbours are diligent. It's not just the lower ground floors.  Set-back terraces, balconies, etc. can be significant risks in heavy rains.  I had 30 litres of water come through my ceiling in July from a small (< 1 metre) set-back terrace two storeys above.  The drain backed up, turned the balcony into a swimming pool, got into the walls/windows of the adjacent flat, and flooded the entire building.  If several of us hadn't been working from home and able to collect the water, the damages may well have been 100k+ instead of 10k.