Road flooding causing damage to business - what are my rights?

Rachel5048

Can I put cones on the road outside my business when the road floods? Cars are driving through the floods sending water over the pavement and under the door into my business premises. The council have admitted the repair lies with them but have no budget for at least 6 months to repair.

Rodders53

Seek advice from your insurers Legal people?  They may wish to reclaim the damage / costs from the Council, perhaps if it is that clearly the Council's fault.  Such litigation might make them act quicker?

YOU can't block the Highway with cones (or anything else) but the Council / Highways Department could if they deemed it wise to do so, to mitigate the issue you have.

You could ask the Council to provide a dam e.g. a sandbags to prevent the water entering your premises if you have no rights to do so on your property (as the pavement may be Highways, too)? 

But you might be best to invest in some form of floodwater doorway barrier to protect your property ?https://www.lakesidefloodsolutions.co.uk/products/flood-barriers/ is an example supplier Google has many hits for the term.

twopenny

In the old days the councils around here would leave sandbags for those who might be affected.

The general public would help fill them.

Can't see that happening but could you make your own? The reason I ask is because it's possible to step over them which is essential for home or business.

Some homes that were regularly flooded by tides tacked a batton at each side of the door that would take a deep plank - put in when flooding and take out and store other times.

You don't notice the battons the rest of the year if they are painted to match the frame so were acceptable on listed buildings and should be ok on the high street. There's probably a metal or plastic version you could make with some research but wood would be quicker if it's happening now.

KittenChops

Rachel5048 said:

Can I put cones on the road outside my business when the road floods? Cars are driving through the floods sending water over the pavement and under the door into my business premises. The council have admitted the repair lies with them but have no budget for at least 6 months to repair.

What does your insurance company say?
I ask because not far from where I live, several residential buildings were regularly getting flooded in the same way as your business premises.  We have a facebook page for local flooding and in Jan 2024, one of the affected residents said that this was the 6th time it had happened & they expected their insurance company would "take a legal route".  They live on an A road - at some point last year some sort of drainage solution was installed on both sides of the road and it hasn't happened again since (so far).