Advise please: flood risk map

[MeMeMeow85]

We’ve been super excited about a house we are in the process of buying. Currently SSTC. Building survey booked for early next week.

When we viewed, I noticed that there are storm drains along the road. I’ve just checked the online flood risk map and this particular house has shown as high risk!!! It’s across the whole depth/width of the large garden and a little bit to the front of the house...

Any advice please? I know this sounds ridiculous, but I feel devastated that we will likely have to walk away.

Assuming this type of risk impacts not only the plans I had for landscaping, but also the use of the garden, as well as damaging potential resale and possibility of getting insurance??!!!?

Any advice please? Best to move on?

flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/long-term-flood-risk

We live in a “high risk” area: but it hasn’t flooded in 50 years. When the rain is bad we get warnings and we take sensible precautions, have a flood plan, and have never had a problem. This wouldn’t put me off.

Flooding is an increasing risk for society and people need to respond accordingly: don’t put anything of value on the floor of a garage or shed (that goes for flood risk or not, they aren’t intended to be water tight and can easily flood even in a low risk area). In fact we don’t leave anything on the floor that’s liable to be damaged by water. There are detachable plinths on the kitchen and when the rewire was done we had the sockets raised in accordance with current regs/advice for all properties (DDS compliance maybe it was called?).

Serious flooding is devestating, but for most people they aren’t going to ever be effected by that, even in high risk areas.

The pluvial flood risk maps are far, far less reliable than the fluvial ones. The variables are much too complex to model it effectively. And it’s often hard to find a house without significant risk of big puddles somewhere nearby - that doesn’t mean it’ll actually flood.

My friend who is a professional modeller told me as much. And my experience is that a high pluvial risk within 25m doesn’t affect insurance prices. A risk from rivers or the sea will though.

Re the above all I can say is that my previous house was subject to risk of surface water flooding due to inadequate drainage and looking at that detailed map of where I live it is pretty accurate (including the corner of my previous house which caused issues.

It also shows various places where water always accumulates accurately as well

OP - as someone who has been seriously stressed every time there was a major rain storm I would treat with serious caution and consider walking away

I would research further and get a few insurance quotes to start.

Personally, I would just walk away: it will affect resale. The country is having a dry patch which means that the next heavy rains will probably end up in flooding, dry ground and all that.
Insurance is likely to go up for everyone, but if you are in a risk zone, it will be even worst.

Hi,

Our house has been upgraded to high flood risk from surface water from once in 75 years to once in 35 years in the two years since we moved in. The house never flooded previously in 100 years and as such it is a theoretical risk. We are happy with our house and do not regret our purchase.

One thing is that we will never get planning for any extensions and if you want to extend, then I would recommend walking away...

Good luck!