Torn About Buying a House with High Surface Water Flood Risk – Need Advice

[ilovemylittleone]

Hi everyone,

We’ve found a house that ticks almost all our boxes: close to the station, near family, good schools, and great amenities. The only concern is that during our home search, we found out the surface water flood risk is high for the road the house faces, though the property itself is low risk. Interestingly, on the same street, only our house and a few others nearby have a high risk—most other houses along the road are marked as low risk. The house is not near a river, and there are no recorded incidents of flooding in the area. We’ve lived nearby for over three years and haven’t seen any flooding issues ourselves.

We’re torn because we love the house, but we’re worried about future resale value and potential flooding. The long-term flood risk website in the UK shows the road as high risk, and I’m concerned that this could turn off a lot of potential buyers in the future. On the plus side, our insurance company has no issue covering the property, even for flood damage. My family thinks the risk is mainly on the road and that it could be mitigated if the council improves drainage.

Would love to hear your thoughts—especially if you’ve dealt with a similar situation. Should we proceed or reconsider?

Thanks in advance!

Sorry this isnt what you want to hear and to be fair I don't have experience in this but if I were looking to buy a property I'd 100% be put off by that. Just thinking about your future resale. Maybe I'd be in the minority, so obviously see what others say. I tend to be fairly relaxed about most things, eg i'd consider a property on main road / with a bus stop outside / next to a HMO but I couldn't handle worrying about flooding every time it rained heavily. So it would be a no from me. Sorry

It depends. Our house is in a flood risk zone and when you get exceptionally heavy rains then the garden sometimes gets water in (perhaps once every 3 years for a few days)….but everyone says that on this street the water has never been in the houses, which have been here 120 years, and when you look at the heights of the houses and how the gardens are landscaped, it is hard to imagine how water could ever reach the houses themselves. No doubt it puts some people off the area but houses seem to get bought and sold easily and it is a popular street. There is a government scheme to make sure houses in flood risk zones get insurance too.

But it's not just the financial cost - which you can insure against of course - it's the stress and trauma. I literally can't imagine much worse that could happen to your home than it getting flooded. A fire I guess? Or maybe squatters?
I mean if it was the garden only I could cope with that. But what about if you lost loads of stuff? What if it was quick and you didn't have time to move everything? What if you were at work and there was a flood and you couldn't get back in time?
Sorry @OneDayIWillLearn I'm not suggesting this will happen to you - sounds like with the garden you have it's unlikely, I'm just putting out there the thinking @ilovemylittleone might come across with future buyers.

No. Absolute no.
Sorry. I wouldn't ever consider it.

Yes I know , it is annoying, what you said is completely fair

Your situation is very similar to mine...I can't imagine water going in the house when I am walking that road, we are here long time. Did you consider the ability to sell or just bought it anyway? I would like to know the decision making process. Thanks so much.

I’d be wary. Surface water flooding roads happens after heavy rainfall, and if you look at weather records, you can see that there are more incidents of short periods of heavy rainfall over the past few years, and it could continue to increase.

Would the council have the money to improve the drainage, and are they even aware of the problem so it’s on their list of issues? There’s no guarantee that it would get done quickly if you complained.

I’d be wary OP. Surface water flooding will get worse with climate change due to intense rain, and the local authorities are strapped for cash so as PP said it won’t be high on their list of priorities:/

My family thinks the risk is mainly on the road and that it could be mitigated if the council improves drainage.

I wouldn't rely on the council improving drainage, to be honest. Most if not all are strapped for cash. That's if it's not the responsibility of the water and sewerage company, some of whom are also in financial trouble.

There can end up being a ford for short periods of very heavy rain in our street - they've had road up down to sewerage system - it's a slight dip in road but surface water and sometime water coming out of main hole cover affects three house not rest of the street.

Until we stood watching rain storm wouldn't have guesses it would be an issue and often huge puddle doesn't last long.

Two have long drive so it's drive and front garden being flooded - but other side there are steps down to house - and at worse can see water rushing down steps and side of house very near front door step - it is up for sale but at auction now.

There doesn't see to be anything any authorities can do.

I'd be wary but it could be a very local issue.

We recently pulled out of a sale due to high surface water risk, and the geography of the land indicating it would be a future problem. Our vendors thought we were idiots to be worried but they haven’t managed to sell it yet so I think it being an issue for us (and I believe the estate agent has to be honest about reasons for people pulling out to prospective buyers) has put others off, too. It’s a shame as it was our dream house otherwise, but flood risk isn’t something I want to take on (and it was a single story bungalow so nowhere to move your stuff to).

I wouldn't buy it.
I just used the Environment Agency long term flood risk checker for my own property and for some nearby properties, and it was accurate. Mine is listed as low risk, and has never flooded. Several neighbours listed as high risk - they have flooded more than once.

We looked into with the insurance and how likely the house itself would be to flood and yes we did think about selling it again but like I said, we weren’t really worried because it’s a popular area where houses get bought and sold often. I’m sure there are people who would never consider it but there are also plenty who do! I would also say I know people who have had houses flooded from freak things like water mains bursting or plumbing problems even when not in a flood risk zone. The fact the houses had never flooded in 120 years told me a lot - I would be much warier about a new build. Of course a flood would be awful but there is no way I’m worrying about it every time it rains (or even when the water levels have been high!).

I wouldn't buy it, flooding is going to get worse too because of climate change

We’re in the same situation now. I would love to know if you bought the property or walked away. I am losing my sleep over it and DH doesn’t seem bothered at all.

I’d get that looked at again. It doesn’t make sense that only a few houses would have a higher risk when you’re not near a water course

The risk is due to hydraulic insufficiency of the combined drainage system. It's sewage and surface water run off flooding so nothing to do with proximity to a watercourse or sea. When it rains heavily the drainage system becomes inundated with surface water run off causing localised flooding often affecting a small number of the lowest lying properties. The responsibility for dealing with this type of flooding does not lay with the local council or fire service but the water company to whom you pay your water bill. Nor does any responsibility lay with the Environment Agency since they only deal with flooding from watercourses and the sea.

In my very personal and bitter experience I wouldn't expect the water company to be of any use in the event of a surface water flood incident and even less interested in providing any solution to the problem.

Thanks

So how do people deal with this issue if the water company won’t
Can they
put in soakaways near the boundary problem area ??

Or ???