Holiday Homes at Risk of Flooding
With the worst storms of the year currently hammering parts of the UK, forecasters are warning those with properties in the second home hot-spots of Cumbria, North Wales and Scotland to be prepared for flooding.
The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings – with up to 50mm of rain expected to fall on already saturated ground, there is a risk that holiday homes will be damaged by flooding.
Parts of the UK are also expected to be battered by gale force winds of up to 70mph, which is strong enough to cause damage to holiday homes by falling trees, branches and roof tiles being blown off.
Be vigilant to any signs of damage to your holiday home, alert your insurer should the worst happen and be aware of the flood risks in your area.
How to check for the latest flood warnings:
To search for flood warning information use the following sites:
- View the latest flood warnings in force at the Environment Agency website
- Flood warnings in Scotland from the Environment Protection Agency
- The latest forecast and flood alerts from the Metoffice
Preparing for floods
If your holiday cottage is in a flood risk area, near a river or at the bottom of a hill where floodwater could collect… preparing for a flood is essential. Don’t wait until it happens, as you may not have time.
While it’s impossible to completely flood-proof a property, there are lots of things you can do to prepare your holiday home if it’s at risk of flooding.
Follow the excellent guides from the Environment Agency website where you can:
- Sign up for Floodline Warnings Direct – this is a free service that provides flood warnings direct to you by telephone, mobile, email, SMS text message and fax. To sign up, call 0845 988 1188 or visit registration page on the Environment Agency website
- Make a flood plan – so you know the steps to take should your home flood. Download one from the website
- Preparing your home or business for flooding – download the flood advice guides, available in PDF, CD or MP3.
*Preparing for a flood – advice on what to do to protect you and your property
*During a flood - advice on what to do to stay safe in a flood
*After a flood - advice on recovering from a flood.
- How to reduce flood damage – ways to try to keep flood water out of your property and reduce the damage caused
- Flood protection products and services – how to source flood protection products such as sand bags and flood gates
Consider purchasing some sandbags or other flood protection to block doorways and entry points. If you live some distance away from your holiday home arrange for your holiday letting agent, housekeeper or neighbour to regularly inspect your cottage and put your flood protection in place. Also, make a list of useful numbers, including your insurance company, that you may need if your property floods.
Check your holiday home insurance covers flood damage
If your holiday home is flooded it can be costly, not just in financial terms but also the inconvenience, heartache and time to get the damage repaired. Make sure you have adequate insurance that covers flood damage.
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