The weather conditions in south east England are brighter and less disruptive than yesterday, when heavy rain and storms caused traffic disruption, people to flee their homes and, in some areas, polling stations to close. What can you do to protect yourself as against the risk?

When you are buying your home, your conveyancer will carry out searches for you and these are intended to provide more information about the property.  We recommend to all of our clients that they have an environmental search carried out too; this reveals whether the property is at risk of flooding and, if so, enables further enquiries to be made in that regard.  

Flooding can be caused by a variety of different factors and it is a myth to think that unless you live next to a river, or the sea, that you will be unaffected.  Yesterday’s flooding in Romford, where our Head Office is situated, is likely to have been caused by surface water flooding which occurs when heavy rainfall overwhelms the drainage capacity of the area.  

Flooding can damage homes and businesses, result in lost and/or damaged possessions, cause injury to individuals and, in essence, ruin lives.  Further, a property at risk of flooding may be difficult to insure, mortgage and sell and the combination of these three, is likely to affect the value.  

Our advice is to ensure that your conveyancer is alert to the risk of flooding and that he or she considers not only the information provided by your Sellers, but carries out the appropriate searches for you.  

As a Buyer, it is incumbent on you to ensure that you can insure the property, on standard terms, and at a reasonable rate.  You should ensure that this is in place before you exchange contracts.  Once you have exchanged contracts, and the deal has become legally binding, it is then too late to withdraw from the purchase without serious financial ramifications.  

See the Romford Recorder for photographs of the flooding in Romford.