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Original poster

flooding info?

9 replies

MrsBucketxx · 09/07/2013 10:17

I have felt in love with a house online which is right next to the river,

the river seven by me has flooded several times over the last year or so. do you think if I called the agent and asked if they where affected and if so would they even tell me?

I dont want to view without this information.

wwyd.

OP posts:
nemno · 09/07/2013 10:21

Have you looked on the Environment Agency website for the flood risk of that postcode (they show a map with specific areas coloured in).

How high above the river is the lowest floor of house? I'd research the river too as to whether it flash floods or rises gently.

ArtemisCake · 09/07/2013 10:25

Also try searching the local paper archives, that's where we found out about a flood on a house that an agent assured me had never flooded (that was 11 years ago so agents may now be more honest).

specialsubject · 09/07/2013 10:27

look on the environment agency site for the postcode concerned, that will tell you instantly if it is in a flood risk area.

if it is, think very hard and make serious enquiries about insurance.

the Severn always floods.

frostyfingers · 09/07/2013 13:42

Even if the house itself doesn't actually flood, if it is in the blue on the EA map that's all the insurers need to know....

Flooding was one of the reasons we sold our last house - the house itself never flooded, but it came close which caused stress if we were away and it poured with rain and the insurance was starting to get tricky - NFU are probably the most obliging but there are no guarantees. In fact the EA map for our area was hopelessly inaccurate with houses nearer the river that had flooded not included, and ours further away which hadn't was.....when this was pointed out they were totally uninterested.

I would have to think long and very hard about whether to buy in a flood zone again - not so much because of the flooding, but because of the insurance.

Turnipinatutu · 09/07/2013 18:22

I think they have to tell you about any previous problems of that nature.
I've just viewed a house that flooded and the the EA told be at the viewing. It was also mentioned in the printed house details as the vendor had done all the preventative works that they were advised to do.
As has been mentioned previously, insurance in a previously flooded house my always be a problem.

GettingVerySleepy · 09/07/2013 19:05

The river Severn has the third highest tidal range in the world and is notorious for flooding.

The EA maps don't take flood defences into account so may not reflect the flooding you could actually expect to get. That said,insurance could be an issue.

Best bet is to check local papers and look at local council flood risk management strategies but keep in mind climate change scientist mostly agree that things are getting worse more quickly than expected so proceed with caution buying anywhere near a flood-prone area.

BramblyHedge · 09/07/2013 22:22

We are in a similar situation except the river is a practically dry stream. We called an insurance company up and they could tell us the house had never flooded. Our local council also has historic flood maps.

Original poster
MrsBucketxx · 10/07/2013 08:51

well I had a drive by yesterday and its a no it has a horrid access steep narrow lane to get to the house, our scenic barely fitted Shock

and the garden floods yearly eeeekk.

OP posts:
specialsubject · 10/07/2013 10:15

proving that a drive-by is always a good idea!

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