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For property owners

Flooding

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Contents

04 What is the risk to propertyfrom flooding?

07 How do I find out if my property,or a property I am thinking ofbuying, is at risk of flooding?

09 How will the flood risk affectthe value and insurability ofmy property?

12 What can I do to deal with anyflood risk to my property?

14 What can I do to prepare fora flood?

16 Should I install flood defences tomy property?

20 What should I do if my propertyis flooded?

22 Why does it take so long toreinstate a property after a flood?

24 Useful links – who can I go tofor help in dealing with flood riskand reinstatement?

Introduction

The risk of flooding is growing.Flooding could seriously affect the value and amenityof your home or business premises.

There will probably be an increasingnumber of floods in the future dueto changes in weather patterns,the amount of new building on low-lying areas in recent years, andother local factors.

Many properties which have notpreviously been at risk of flooding noware. Of the 28 million homes in the UK,over 5 million are currently at risk, aswell as over 300 000 business premisesand many more public and utility servicesbuildings. For most of these propertiesthe risk of being flooded in any one yearis still small, but for several hundredthousand properties, especially thosewhich have been flooded in recentyears, the risk is more significant.

The increasing risk of flooding canreduce the value of your home orbusiness premises and may make itmore difficult and expensive to getinsurance cover.

A flood can threaten your safety, causeserious damage to your property and itscontents, and will result in many monthsof dislocation and disruption.

This Guide will tell you what you needto know about flooding and flood risk toyour property (the land and the buildingson it), and what you can do to deal withthis risk.

What is the risk to propertyfrom flooding?

There are a number of causesof flooding. A property can beflooded by

Surface water flooding in timesof heavy rain

In prolonged, exceptionally heavydownpours, which are becoming morefrequent, the ground may becomesaturated and the drains and sewerswhich carry away surface water maynot be able to cope, leading to surfacewater flooding. Although this is morelikely in low-lying areas, and to premisesat the foot of slopes, it can happen tomany other properties which are notspecifically designated as being at riskof flooding on the Environment Agency’sflood risk maps (which will be explainedin more detail further on in this Guide).

Surface water flooding may be triggeredor made worse in urban areas where theground consists of mostly hard surfacessuch as concrete or tarmac so therainwater flows straight off rather thansoaks away into the ground. It isestimated that nearly 4m properties areat risk of surface water flooding in theUK. Surface water flooding can affectone or two individual properties at atime, or may affect many more wherethis kind of flooding extends throughoutthe neighbourhood.

Groundwater flooding

Rising groundwater levels resulting fromheavier rainfall and reduced abstractionscan present problems. Groundwaterflooding generally occurs during longand intense rainfall when infiltration intothe ground raises the level of the watertable until it exceeds ground levels. It ismost common in low-lying areas overlainby porous soils and rocks, or in areaswith a naturally high water table.Irrespective of whether water showsat the surface, rising groundwater levelsare posing an increased threat tobuildings with basements. Such floodingmay occur separately or in conjunctionwith flooding from other sources suchas surface water flooding.

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Flooding – For property owners

River flooding

River flooding occurs when riversand streams are unable to carry awayfloodwaters within their usual drainagechannels. Adjacent low-lying propertiesand land are then liable to be flooded.River flooding can cause widespreadand extensive damage because of thesheer volume of water, and may belonger-lasting and more difficult to drainaway. Fast-flowing floodwaters can alsobe a threat to peoples’ and animals’safety and can structurally damagebuildings. Breaches in reservoirs posea particular hazard, with the potentialto release large quantities of water ifthe failure is catastrophic.

Coastal flooding

Coastal flooding is caused by high tidescoinciding with a low-pressure stormsystem which raises sea and tidal waterlevels, overwhelming coastal defences.This may be made worse by gale forcewinds blowing the raised body of wateronto the coast. Coastal flooding mayaffect not only property on the coastitself but also property in tidal river basinssome distance from the coast, due tofloodwater being forced up the tidalreaches of rivers and estuaries by raisedsea levels and gales. Such flooding maybecome more frequent in future yearsdue to rising sea levels.

A burst water main in the roadoutside the property

Considerable amounts of water may bereleased, which may flood the street orroad and enter adjacent properties. Theflooding is usually comparatively shallowand short-lived, but may neverthelesscause extensive damage to the groundfloors or basements of affected properties.

A burst water tank, water supplypipe, radiator, or drain withinthe building

This type of flood is more accuratelyreferred to as an escape of water. It maycause damage, but it is not consideredas serious as other types of floodingbecause the amount of water is usuallysmall in comparison. It is treateddifferently from other types of floodingfor building insurance purposes becausethe cause of the escape of water canreadily be put right. Though the cost ofthe damage caused may be claimable,some policies may not cover the costof finding and repairing the plumbingdefect, however, trace and access coveris now becoming more common andwould pick up this element of the claim.

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Reservoir or dam failure

The UK has approximately 5000reservoirs. Many of these were createdby building a dam across a river or stream.Dam failures in the UK are howeveruncommon. Nevertheless, there area significant number of “large” raisedreservoirs in the UK which may pose apotential risk. It is recognised that whilstthe chances of reservoir failure areremote the consequences are potentiallycatastrophic and could affect areasseveral kilometres from the dam itself.

A flood can happen to any property,from one or more of these causes.For most property in the UK, the riskis still small. But some premises aremore at risk than others because oftheir geographic location and particularlocal situation.

Properties in river basins (areas of landdrained by a river and its tributaries),coastal properties on low-lying ground,properties in urban areas with old drainsand sewers at the limits of their capacity,properties on absorbent ground with ahigh water table, and properties inhollows, or at the foot of slopes orgradients down which surface watercould flow, may be at a significantlyhigher risk of flooding.

Flood risks from burst water mains inthe public road, or escapes of water fromdefective plumbing within the property,are not considered significant in assessingthe notional flood risk of a property as awhole for insurance or valuation purposes.Unremedied defective plumbing resultingin a higher chance of a further burst anda repeat claim may nevertheless havesome impact on property valueand insurability.

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How do I find out if my property,or a property I am thinking of buying,is at risk of flooding?In view of the increasing likelihoodand seriousness of the floodingrisk to some properties, RICSrecommends that property ownersand prospective purchasers shouldbe aware of any flood risk totheir property.

The first check that you can do,and which doesn’t cost anything, isto investigate whether your propertyis in a river or coastal flood risk area,on the Environment Agency’s website.(See Useful links for details of how toaccess this site, on page 24). Thesemaps give a general guide only, andare not accurate down to individualproperties. They show areas at risk,and if so, whether there are consideredto be adequate flood defences inplace. However, they do not take intoaccount local variations in physicalfeatures, nor the height of a property’slowest floor above the surroundingground levels, so the risk of floodingto individual properties within these riskareas is varied – one property with alow-lying ground floor, or a basement,may be vulnerable whilst a neighbouringproperty on slightly higher ground maybe at a much smaller risk. Also, theydo not give any information on surfacewater or groundwater which accountsfor about 50% of UK flooding. Forexample, the Hull flooding in 2007was mainly as a result of surfacewater flooding.

The Environment Agency maps will giveyou a risk factor for your property basedon its postcode. If your property is in anarea identified as being at risk of flooding,the risk is graded as low, moderate,or significant.

For a more accurate assessment offlood risk you can go to a specialistsearch provider who for a small feewill provide you with a more detailed,property-specific report. This willdetermine the risks from the differenttypes of flooding, including localgroundwater and surface water floodingrisks which are not currently includedon the Environment Agency’s flood riskmaps. However, this type of report willnot identify how floodwater may enterand damage the property itself, as itdoes not involve a survey of the propertyand therefore does not take into accountsuch factors as whether there is abasement or how the structure andcontents of the property will be affectedby a flood.

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Prospective purchasersshould note that detailed FloodRisk Surveys are not currentlymandatory in the searchescarried out for the standardproperty searches.

Prospective purchasers should enquireof the vendor, whether there have beenany incidents of flooding to the propertyin the past or any related insuranceclaims, and if so, when, and with whatadditional consequences. This is necessarybecause there may be issues about theproperty’s insurability for flood risk,which will also impact on the ability toraise a mortgage on the property andhence its value.

If the property is found to be at asignificant risk of flooding, or has floodedpreviously, or if insurance is provingdifficult or expensive to obtain, or if youare worried about the property potentiallyflooding in the future, you may considerseeking some professional advice. Asuitably-experienced chartered surveyorwill carry out a detailed survey of theproperty and report on the likely impactof a flood on the property and contents,with recommendations of the stepswhich may be taken to reduce oreliminate these adverse effects in theevent of a flood. Further details aregiven at the end of this guide.


Flood risk does reduce thevalue of a property, comparedwith a similar property withoutsuch a risk.

The reduction in value may range fromnegligible to severe, depending on theparticular circumstances of the property’slocation, situation, form of construction,and provision of flood defences both tothe geographic area and to the propertyin particular. The impact on valuedepends on the degree of risk of aflood happening or recurring, theseverity of any previous flood in termsof depth, flow rate, and timescale,and the potential for loss and damageaccording to the vulnerability ofthe property.

The impact on value may be mitigatedby ensuring more effective flood defencesto the locality or to the property or to both,and by increasing the Flood Resilienceof the property and its contents tothe effects of flooding. What is meantby Flood Resilience is explained onpage 11.

It should be noted that for some ‘at risk’property, the reduction in value due toflood risk may be offset by an increasedue to the property’s amenity value closeto a river, stream or coast.

Flood risk will affect the value of aproperty for two reasons. The first is theimpact of a flood on the continued useof the premises, the health and safety of

the occupants, and the consequentialdamage and disruption. A flood tobusiness premises may have an impacton the effective running of the businessfar beyond that of the damage itself.

The second is the effect on the buildingsinsurance cover, which in the UK is usuallyrequired to be comprehensive, that is,including flood risk, for the property tobe eligible for a mortgage. If it is difficultto arrange flood risk insurance cover,or if cover is severely restricted ordenied, it will be difficult or impossiblefor a prospective purchaser to arrangemortgage finance, which will reduce theproperty’s market value. Fortunately, atpresent only a few thousand propertieswill be denied flood risk insuranceentirely, though other properties at highrisk may incur insurance exclusions,high excesses, or high premiums toreflect the level of risk. The reason forthis is shown in the quote below fromthe Association of British Insurers:

“For example, an annual probabilityof flooding of 0.5% (1 chance in 200 inany given year) may not seem high, butif an average home were to flood to adepth of 0.5 metres the damage likelyto be caused (£30 000–£40 000) is stillequivalent to average damages of£150–£200 every year, requiring aconsiderable increase in the averagepremium, typically about £350.”(ABI, Climate Adaptation)

How will the flood risk affect the valueand insurability of my property?

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Property owners should also be awarethat flood risk cover and storm damagecover are treated as separate risks forinsurance purposes.

Many leading insurance companies carryout their own internal assessments offlood risks. You may not be made awareof the details of this assessment whenyou are given an insurance quote or whena policy is agreed, as it is only one ofmany assessment components affectingthe premium and excess they quote.

Insurance companies assess andgrade Flood Risk to properties in 3 bandsaccording to the likelihood of floodingin any given year:

Band 1 defines the risk at up to 200:1chance of a flood annually

Band 2 is between 200:1 and 75:1chance annually

Band 3 the most serious (but which onlyaccounts for about 200 000 or 4% of theflood risk properties in the UK), greaterthan 75:1 chance annually.

Properties in Bands 1 and 2 will usuallybe able to maintain insurance cover withthe same provider, though premiums andexcesses are likely to be higher to reflectthe flood risk.

Properties in Band 3 may be able tomaintain insurance cover, however,where cover is available it is likely toentail higher premiums and excessesand may be subject to certain conditionsand exemptions. The conditions mayinclude a requirement that either areaflood defences, or individual propertyflood defences, or both, are upgraded

to reflect the high risk. It should benoted that from 2013 the Associationof British Insurers (ABI) will no longerguarantee automatic flood riskinsurance to properties in this band.However, this may be subject to review.

These bands are broadly comparable tothose risk bands of low, moderate, andsignificant, which you will find on theEnvironment Agency’s flood risk mapspreviously referred to.

Owners or purchasers of leasehold orcommonhold flats and maisonettes abovethe basement or ground floors shouldnote that as the buildings insurance coveris for the whole building, a significantflood risk to the lower floors whichaffects the availability and terms of theinsurance may have some effect on thevalue of their property as well.

Area flood defences, which are theresponsibility of central and localgovernment, and the water and drainageutility companies, are financed on thebasis of offering the greatest protectionto the greatest number of properties.Consequently, funding is targeted towardshigh density and high risk areas, andtowards improving defences where manyproperties have been flooded, to lessenthe chance of another flood in the future.This means that isolated rural propertiesor small groups of properties may notbenefit from area flood defences andthe owners may therefore need to provideproperty-specific flood protectionmeasures to remain eligible for floodrisk insurance.



Because buildings insuranceis so important in determining themortgageability and therefore the marketvalue of a property, owners and prospectiveowners are recommended to verify thiscover is provided and maintained, bydetermining the property’s Flood Risk.

If the Flood Risk is significant, this maynecessitate some measures to protect theproperty from flooding, (this is calledFlood Resistance), and to limit thedamage a flood may cause to the propertyand contents (which is called FloodResilience). Flood Resistance and FloodResilience measures are described ingreater detail on pages 16 and 17.

In any case, buildings insurance will notusually cover damage to outbuildings andgardens as a consequence of floodingunless the policy conditions specificallystate otherwise.

You should note that this sectionreflects the broad policy of the ABImembers at the time of writing, andindividual insurance companies may havedifferent approaches to insuring propertyat risk of flooding. Also, the ABI hasreserved the right to alter its policyguidance in the future if it considers therisks of insuring against flooding havebecome commercially unacceptable, forinstance if investment in flood defenceinfrastructure were considered insufficientto curtail the risk.

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You will need to classify what theFlood Risk is to the property itselfand its Resistance and Resiliencecharacteristics. Such details may berequired in order to decide whether andunder what terms flood risk insurancecover is given for properties identifiedas being at a significant risk of flooding.

Next you should consider whetheryou need to prepare a Flood Plan;that is, a plan of action, contact numbers,information, and a Flood Pack ofemergency equipment such as flashlights,so you are prepared in the event ofreceiving a flood warning. Furtherdetails are given on page 14.

You may consider measures to improvethe Flood Resistance and the FloodResilience of your property.

Whether and to what extent FloodResistance and/or Flood Resiliencemeasures are necessary will dependon the degree of flood risk, and thevulnerability of the property, itsoperations, or occupants to theeffects of a flood.

You should note that the EnvironmentAgency classification for your propertymay not reflect all local risks of flooding,for example surface water floodingas a consequence of inadequate oroverflowing drains.

As a minimum you should investigatethe degree of risk to your property usingthe Environment Agency’s flood riskmaps (details on page 24 of this Guide).These will designate your property’spostcode flooding risk as negligible(shown to be not at risk), low, moderate,and significant.

If there is a negligible risk to theproperty, you may decide to take nofurther action, though it is very importantto note that ‘negligible’ does not equateto zero risk. There may still be risk offlooding from surface or ground waterflooding neither of which are shownon the Environment Agency’s floodrisk maps.

If there is a low risk, usually 1 in 200per year or less, (Insurance Band 1 typeproperties as a broad guide) but the riskis not serious enough to significantlyaffect the buildings insurance, you shouldstill make some plans about how youwould deal with a flood if one was tooccur, bearing in mind that floodsare happening to many propertieswhich have never previously flooded.As a minimum, you need a Flood Plan.You may also consider introducingFlood Resistance and Flood Resiliencemeasures when convenient, for examplewhen you are carrying out refurbishmentand replacement work.

What can I do to deal with any flood riskto my property?



If the risk is moderate, between 1 in 75and 1 in 200 per year (Insurance Band 2properties and some others at local risk),for example if the property has previouslybeen flooded, you should have a FloodPlan, and you may also consider whethersome Flood Resistance and FloodResilience measures to the propertywould be appropriate. These measurescan be implemented when improvementsand alterations are undertaken, perhapsas a consequence of new ownership, ormay be undertaken solely to ensurepeace of mind and to protect yourproperty’s amenity and value.

If the risk is significant, 1 in 75 orgreater per year (Insurance Band 3properties, and those which have been

flooded more than once within the lastten years or so), you will need a FloodPlan, and you should actively considerFlood Resistance and Flood Resiliencemeasures, in order to maintain insurancecover and to minimise the negativeimpact on market value.

If you are concerned that your areaflood defences are or remain inadequate,for example if your property has alreadybeen flooded, you should contact theEnvironment Agency and your LocalAuthority. You can also participate in oneof the national or local flood awarenessgroups such as the National FloodForum, details of which can be foundon the Environment Agency’s websiteand at the end of this guidance.

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You need to prepare a Flood Plan.

The first part of a Flood Plan is toarrange to receive Flood Warnings foryour property from the EnvironmentAgency, details of which are as follows:

“The Environment Agency offers a freeflood warning service in many areas atrisk of flooding from rivers and the sea.‘Floodline Warnings Direct’ (FWD) givesyou an advance warning for your areaby telephone, mobile, fax, pager, textor email. All you need to register is atelephone or fax number to which theEnvironment Agency can send floodwarnings at any time of the day or night.

Find out if you can receive free floodwarnings from the Environment Agencyin your area by phoning:Floodline on 0845 988 1188.”(Environment Agency: Flooding:Minimising the Risk, April 2009)

Warnings are given as:

� Flood Watch:Flooding expected to roads andlow-lying land. Be alert for furtherwarnings.

� Flood Warning:Flooding of homes and businessesis expected. Act now!

� Severe Flood Warning:Severe flooding is expected. There isextreme danger to life and property.Act now!

� All Clear:Flood watches or warnings are nolonger in force in this area.

The second part of the Flood Plan isto prepare yourself, your family or yourbusiness, for immediate and effectiveaction in the event of receiving a floodwarning. Guidance for making a FloodPlan, and a template, is available fromthe Environment Agency’s website:

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/31624.aspx

The Flood Plan will have:

� Contact details for warnings andfor assistance

� Arrangements for evacuation of theoccupants and moving to safety ofimportant belongings

� Insurance details and contactnumbers for a claim

� Safe and secure locations specifiedfor valuables and irreplaceabledocuments and mementoes

� A flood kit with a wind-up or battery-powered torch and a wind-up orbattery-powered radio

� Knowledge of how and where to turnoff electric and gas supplies

� How to deploy the property’s flooddefences such as flood barriersor sandbags

� Purpose-made watertight polythenebags of various sizes to protect goodsand furniture which cannot bequickly moved away from theflooding areas.

You may also choose to participatein community flood planning as avolunteer, or register with any suchlocal group if you are unable to arrangeyour own household’s flood defenceand evacuation. The EnvironmentAgency’s website contains details anddownloadable guidance documents.

Flood Resistance and Flood Resiliencemeasures may be installed to anyproperty at risk from flooding, to ensurepeace of mind and to minimise anyadverse effects on the property’s use,value and insurability.

However the particular circumstanceswhich may warrant active considerationare:

* if the property has been flooded,especially if more than once

* if flood risk insurance is difficult orimpossible to obtain because theproperty is at a significant risk offlooding (some Band 3 properties)

* if your business would experiencesevere disruption in the event ofa flood.

Flood Resistance measures defend theproperty by ensuring the walls, floors andservice intakes and drains are upgradedto keep floodwater out of the building. Notethat, to be effective, the whole buildingperimeter exposed to floodwater needsto be resistant. Partial measures, forexample installing doorguards but notdealing with walls, floors and drains, willnot exclude floodwater.

Treating party or shared walls to makethem flood resistant may necessitate thelegal requirement of agreeing a PartyWall Award with the neighbouringproperty owner(s).

Examples of Flood Resistantinstallations and works are:

� Demountable, purpose-made door,window, and opening guards in allexternal wall openings. Acceptableproducts now have a British StandardsKitemark. They can be deployed in afew minutes in the event of receivinga flood warning. They need specialistinstallation to ensure effectiveness

� For larger or vulnerable propertiessuch as historic timber-frame buildings,demountable Flood Skirts which canbe raised around the perimeter wallsof the building

� Guards for openings such as airbricksin the exterior walls

� Treatments to ensure the external wallsare water-resistant. These may rangefrom applied silicone to torched-onbitumen membrane, according to theconstruction and vulnerability of theexternal wall

� Tanking of internal floors and basementwalls to prevent water ingress.

Should I install flood defencesto my property?



Flood Resilience works are measuresto make the fabric and services of thebuilding more robust and easier to clean,dry out, and reinstate, in the event offloodwater entering the building.

Examples of Flood Resilientconstruction and services are:

� Replacing timber, tiled or flaggedground floors with solid or suspendedconcrete floors incorporating robustdamp proof membranes (DPM’s) toresist floodwater and rising groundwater.These floors are also easier and quickerto clean and dry out after a flood

� Incorporating a slight fall and a sumppump to ground or basement floors topump out any floodwater entering

� Raising gas and electric intakes andpiping/cabling, and electric socketsand cabling, above the likely level ofany flood (usually at least 1 metre)

� Installing backflow valves on sanitarydrains to prevent sewage surging upthrough w.c’s, sinks, baths and showersin the event of a flood

� Minimising the use of timber andchipboard (including kitchen andbathroom units) in ground floor orbasement locations. Use PVCu doors,frames and windows instead oftimber, for example

� Using water-resistant finishes, e.g.lime or cement/sand plaster, or tiledfloors over concrete, to lowest floors.

Although simple Flood Resistance andFlood Resilience works will not usuallyrequire Planning Permission, there arecases when they will. You should checkwith your local planning authority if youare planning such works; in particular ifunder current planning legislation yourproperty is Listed as being of HistoricInterest, or is in a Conservation Area.

Depending on the scope and extentof any Flood Resistance and FloodResilience works, approval under theBuilding Regulations may also be required.

If you own a leasehold property atrisk from flooding and you wish toundertake Flood Resistance and/orFlood Resilience works, you may needto seek permission of, or agreement withthe freeholder and/or other leaseholders,depending on the terms and conditionsof your lease.

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Flood Resistance and Flood Resiliencemeasures may form a dedicated projectin themselves, or may also be incorporatedinto other maintenance and refurbishmentwork programmes, either in full or inpart. For example, when rewiring theelectrics of a property at risk of flooding,it may be appropriate to design therelevant parts of the installation to beFlood Resilient.

If you want to instigate FloodResistance and Flood Resiliencemeasures as a response to a floodduring the reinstatement works,you will need to discuss this with theInsurers’ Loss Adjuster as soon as youlodge your claim, because the extracosts of this work will not be covered inthe claim settlement. However, insurers

are generally supportive of claimantsproviding enhanced protection toproperties which have flooded, andin some cases this may even be arequirement to continue being coveredfor future flood risk. The finance for thismay be arranged through a mortgageextension in consultation with yourmortgage lender. In some cases, resiliencemeasures may not incur any extra costwhen compared with reinstating theprevious vulnerable fabric or service.

As an incoming property owner, orwhen you plan a refit or refurbishmentto the lower floors of your property, youshould consider incorporating FloodResistance and Flood Resilience worksin your programme. This is both themost cost-effective and least disruptive

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way to upgrade the flood defences ofyour property.

In any case you will need specialistprofessional advice to ensure not only theeffectiveness of any Flood Resistanceor Flood Resilience measures you putin place, but also to ensure the work isappropriately specified and properlyexecuted, so that it is certifiable andacceptable to insurers and mortgagelenders. In any case such specialistmeasures require expert guidance andsupervision to ensure an effective andcomprehensive solution is achieved.

A chartered surveyor with experiencein providing flooding related servicesand advice may be able to organise allaspects of flood defence, from providingadvice on Flood Risk to recommending

appropriate solutions, arranging andsupervising any required works, managinginsurance claims, and providingreports and documentation for insurersor mortgage lenders. Contact RICS(www.ricsfirms.com) to find a charteredsurveyor specialising in flooding inyour area.

For further information you may alsorefer to the attached document availablefrom the ABI website:Flood Resilience and Resistance –Customer Factsheet

Prepared jointly by the Association ofBritish Insurers (ABI), National FloodForum (NFF) and Flood ProtectionAssociation (FPA).

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Detailed guidance on what to do ifyour property is flooded, in the form of3 downloadable documents: Preparingfor a Flood; During a Flood; and Aftera Flood; are available free from theEnvironment Agency’s website. Werecommend you refer to these. A briefsummary of key points only follows:

If you are registered with the EnvironmentAgency and you receive Flood Warnings,you should activate your Flood Planbefore the flood begins.

If you have received no warning of theflood, your first concern should be thehealth and safety of the property’soccupants and animals.

Floodwater is filthy!

– It may contain sewage, dangerouschemicals, viruses and bacteria. Youshould avoid all direct contact withfloodwater, and wash or clean with handcleaning gels, if you do come into contact.

Everything which has been in contactwith floodwater should be regarded ascontaminated. This is why cleaning anddisinfecting the building and any savedcontents is very important.

Moving through floodwateris hazardous!

– Unseen obstacles may trip or injureyou if you walk through floodwaters, evensomething as simple as a kerb. The watermay be cold, so prolonged exposure

could lead to hypothermia. The watermay be fast-flowing or eddying, whichcould unbalance you or carry you away.

Floodwater and electricity is adangerous combination!

– Do not try to operate anything on mainspower, including switching off the electrics,whilst standing in floodwater. Try to switchoff the electrics as soon as it is evidentyour property is about to flood. If anypart of the mains electrics has beenaffected by floodwater, do not switchpower back on – leave the reinstatementof power to a qualified electrician.

In the first instance, you should moveoccupants and valuables upstairs to aplace of safety, ensuring that you havewith you sufficient drinking water andfood for 24 hours. Then await rescueby the emergency services, or for thefloodwaters to subside.

What should I do if my property is flooded?



If the flood is very deep, or the floodwateris fast-flowing and carrying large objectssuch as trees with it, structural damageto the building may be caused. In thiscase early evacuation is essential andconstitutes an emergency. In the eventof possible structural damage you shouldnot return to the property, even to collectbelongings, until it has been evaluatedby a structural engineer, building controlofficer, or chartered surveyor withexperience in this type of work, anddeemed safe to enter.

When it is safe to return to the property,or to move downstairs again, you will betempted to start clearing up and salvagingat once. Please be aware that this canbe a hazard to you and the health ofothers because of contaminationcaused by the floodwater.

You should not attempt to turn on theelectricity until the floodwaters havesubsided. A qualified electrician shouldbe called to check which circuits aresafe to reinstate, and to turn the powerback on.

Before discarding items or repairingdamage, you will first need to contactyour insurance company to lodge yourclaim and to arrange matters with theinsurer’s Loss Adjuster. Nothing thatyou may subsequently claim for shouldbe thrown away or repaired without theLoss Adjuster’s consent and without

keeping a proper written and photographicrecord, or your claim for such items maybe jeopardised.

You may need your Loss Adjusterto arrange or approve temporaryaccommodation whilst your propertyis reinstated. In the case of an extensiveflood affecting many properties, this maytake several months, and in some caseshas taken over a year. The temporaryaccommodation may be a caravan outsideyour property, staying with relatives, orin a guesthouse or rented property. Insome cases it may be possible to continueliving in/using the upstairs parts of theproperty, possibly in conjunction with acaravan outside, whilst the reinstatementis in progress.

If you plan to incorporate FloodResistance or Flood Resiliencemeasures as part of the reinstatementyou need to discuss and agree this withyour Loss Adjuster early in the processand well before reinstatement work starts.You may have to pay extra for such works,but you may be able to extend yourmortgage to finance this.

Once your moveable belongings havebeen removed and your temporaryaccommodation is arranged, thereinstatement process will begin.

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Reinstating a property after a flood willtake anything from several weeks to manymonths, depending on:

� The extent of the flood and theamount of properties affected

If the flood is widespread, such as the2007 floods, there may be hundredsor thousands of properties requiringassessment and remediation. Althoughloss adjusters will draft in extra staff,contractors, and equipment from otherareas, the sheer scale may mean thatsome queuing is unavoidable.

� Processing the insurance claim

The claim must be lodged, a LossAdjuster must be appointed and mustarrange to visit to assess the damage.Other functions include; arrangementof temporary accommodation;instructing and programmingcontractors to dispose of contaminatedfabric and contents such as furniture;drying the property; reinstating thefabric and service installations; anddecorating and refitting.

� Cleaning and drying operations

The time taken to clean up and dryout the property may run into manyweeks or months, depending on theseverity and duration of the flood,and the nature of the building fabric.Because there are many hidden areas,cavities and voids in most forms of

building construction, care must betaken to expose and dry thesethoroughly. This is work for specialistdrying contractors, who certifythe property is properly dried oncompletion. Structural timber may takesome time to dry out thoroughly, andmay need to be treated as a precautionagainst wood-rotting fungi such as dry rottaking hold.

Once the floodwater has beenpumped out, and the contents anddamaged fabric such as saturatedplaster and swollen doors have beentaken off and disposed of, thebuilding is sealed to permit the use ofindustrial dehumidifiers. These heatand dry the air in the building so thatthe hot, dry air draws the remainingmoisture out of the building fabricover a period of days or weeks.Subsequently the building is ventilatedand heated to remove any residualtraces of dampness.

If the drying process is hurried andnot completed in depth, problemswith dampness and wood rot maysubsequently become apparent.

� Reinstatement works

The time taken to select and ordernew kitchen units, etc, and the timetaken to repair and redecorate theproperty may in itself run from a fewweeks to several months or longer.

Why does it take so long to reinstatea property after a flood?



So from the flood event to reoccupationis necessarily a lengthy and disruptiveprocess. For business premises thedislocation, loss of stock, and disruptionmay have a far greater impact on theviability of the business than is coveredby any insurance damages claim.

Individuals whose home is damagedby flooding may experience stress andtrauma, and may therefore need helpand counselling. The National FloodForum provides such a supportivenetwork and contacts. Local floodvictim groups are often formed in thewake of a neighbourhood flood to providemutual help and support, and to lobbyfor more effective area flood defencesto prevent a recurrence.

The loss of one’s home andbelongings with little or no warning,and the subsequent waiting for weeksand months whilst others carry outthe reinstatement works, not knowingquite when the building will be readyfor reoccupation, is profoundlydisorienting for many people. This maybe made worse by ongoing uncertaintyof whether the property may flood againin the next year or ten years, and on thepotential negative effect on the property’svalue and the stakeholder’s equity in it.

It is for these two reasons: the impacton insurability and property value,and the disruption and distress causedby flooding, that property owners whohave experienced a flood should considerwhether appropriate Flood Resistanceand Flood Resilience measures shouldbe put in place, to mitigate the effectsof any future flood.

23rics.org/flooding

Useful links

Who can I go to for help in dealing with floodrisk and reinstatement?

The Environment Agency has anextensive website covering flood risksand what to do to prepare for a flood,during a flood, and after a flood.

To access the Flood Risk maps foryour area:

For England and Wales this is:

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/37837.aspx

For Scotland the site is:

http://www.sepa.org.uk/flooding/flood_map/view_the_map.aspx

And for Northern Ireland:

http://212.147.136.137/floodmaps/main.aspx

You need to read carefullythe guidance notes for usingthese maps.

For other flooding information theaddress is:

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/31624.aspx

Other useful contacts

The National Flood Forumwww.floodforum.org.ukt 01299 403055

An extensive site offering a wide rangeof help and advice about flooding.The Blue Pages Index on the NationalFlood Forum website gives suppliersand contractors for all aspects offlood defence and flood remediation.

Association of British Insurerswww.abi.org.ukt 020 7600 3333

Provides reports and Policystatements on flooding risk andinsurance issues, and guidance onchoosing appropriate insurers.


RICS have a range of free guidesavailable for the property issueslisted below.� Buying a home� Selling your home� Property surveys� Extending your home� Subsidence� Boundary disputes� Party walls� Right to light� Compulsory purchase

� Letting a property� Renting a property� Property auctions� Buying and selling artand antiques at auction

To order your free copies, visitwww.rics.org/usefulguidesalternatively [email protected] call the RICS Contact Centre

0870 333 160025

Free RICS guides

rics.org/flooding

For more informationChartered surveyors, members of the Royal Institution of CharteredSurveyors (RICS), can help in managing all aspects of flood riskassessments, negotiations with insurers about insurability, premiumsand claims management, and specifying and commissioningappropriate Flood Resistance and Flood Resilience works.

ContactTo find a chartered surveyor in your area visitwww.ricsfirms.com

alternatively [email protected]

or call the RICS Contact Centre

0870 333 1600

If you want to find independent, impartial advice from a qualifiedprofessional with good local knowledge, contact us.

Look out for firms that are ‘Regulated by RICS’. Estate agents andsurveying firms that are regulated by RICS will be easier to spot asthey will be using ‘Regulated by RICS’ on their stationery andadvertising material.

Find an RICS member

26

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors is a member of theInter-Institutional Flood Group which comprises the CharteredInstitution of Water and Environmental Management, the Institution ofCivil Engineers, the Landscape Institute, the Royal Institute of BritishArchitects, The Royal Town Planning Institute, and the Royal UnitedServices Institute and seeks to develop a consensus about themanagement of water.

rics.org/flooding

Advancing standards in land, property and construction.

RICS is the world’s leading qualification when it comes toprofessional standards in land, property and construction.

In a world where more and more people, governments, banks andcommercial organisations demand greater certainty of professionalstandards and ethics, attaining RICS status is the recognisedmark of property professionalism.

Over 100000 property professionals working in the major establishedand emerging economies of the world have already recognised theimportance of securing RICS status by becoming members.

RICS is an independent professional body originally establishedin the UK by Royal Charter. Since 1868, RICS has been committedto setting and upholding the highest standards of excellence andintegrity – providing impartial, authoritative advice on key issuesaffecting businesses and society.

RICS is a regulator of both its individual members and firms enablingit to maintain the highest standards and providing the basis forunparalleled client confidence in the sector.

RICS has a worldwide network. For further information simply contactthe relevant RICS office or our Contact Centre.

AsiaRoom 1804Hopewell Centre183 Queen’s Road EastWanchaiHong Kong

t +852 2537 7117f +852 2537 [email protected]

Americas60 East 42nd StreetSuite 2918New York, NY 10165USA

t +1 212 847 7400f +1 212 847 [email protected]

OceaniaSuite 2, Level 161 Castlereagh StreetSydneyNSW 2000Australia


Middle EastOffice F07, Block 11Dubai Knowledge VillageDubaiUnited Arab Emirates


RICS HQ

Parliament SquareLondon SW1P 3ADUnited Kingdom

Worldwide mediaenquiries:

e [email protected]

Contact Centre:

e [email protected] +44 (0)870 333 1600f +44 (0)20 7334 3811

rics.org/flooding

AfricaPO Box 3400Witkoppen 2068South Africa


India48 & 49 Centrum PlazaSector RoadSector 53, Gurgaon – 122002India


Europe(excludingUnited Kingdom)Rue Ducale 671000 BrusselsBelgium

t +32 2 733 10 19f +32 2 742 97 [email protected]

United KingdomParliament SquareLondon SW1P 3ADUnited Kingdom

t +44 (0)870 333 1600f +44 (0)20 7334 [email protected]

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