House is now medium flood risk

[Mottledgrey]

The environment agency have just updated all of the flood ratings and our house has gone from very low for river flooding to medium which will rise to high in 10 years. We’ve lived in the house 5 years and have not had any flooding but we do live next to a river which does flood on the flood plain field adjacent regularly. We’ve just a done an extension and spent so much money on our house. We have no chance of ever selling it do we?

Honestly I really think you're overthinking it. We sold our house and moved in Jan. We were in a "medium" risk area and it never even got questioned. Also the house we moved to was also "medium" and I can't say we were that bothered. I DID check it and I would have preferred it to be lower but ultimately we liked the house and the one we were in had the same rating anyway so we were ok with that.
As it happens the house we sold has been re-rated as "very low" and the one we bought as "low" so good news for us but shows things can change so there's not that much point worrying about it.

Having said that I guess it would potentially be worth putting in things like grass rather than a driveway (if the river is to the front).

@Shwish thank you that is very reassuring! Maybe I am overthinking it, I guess it’s hard when you put so much money into something. The environment agency make these changes without considering how it’s going to affect people!

too late for the driveway we did that a couple of years ago! There is lots of grass around us though 🤞

We live on a river and the street has flooded 3 times in the last 20 years. We are 'High' risk of river flooding. (House hasn't flooded)
Next door sold in November.
We can still get insurance (although it is getting slightly more difficult).
Although your market to sell to will be smaller due to flood risk, there are people who like living next to a river.

Thank you @Grumpyoldpersonwithcats

It will undoubtedly reduce your market as people like me would never buy in a known medium flood risk area. But you’ll still have people connected to the area who will want your house, especially as it’s renovated.

In all honesty though,I would sell up before it became high risk. That will put a lot of people off, quite rightly. It may mean cutting your losses somewhat but personally that’s what I’d do.

How do you know it’ll go to high risk in 5 years? Is that standard for all medium risk areas?

Gov uk now shows the current rating and what it will be like in 10 years.

I was thinking the same to sell it before the 10 years is up, although I’m not sure it will make much difference if what’s on the website comes back in the searches anyway.