preventing emergencies


From flooding to burst pipesand from faulty electric blanketsto forgotten candles, the


winter canbefraught with danger forflatowners. In thenextfew pages


Flat Living takes a look at preventing household disasters. First Ben


Furlong analyses the risk to flats from floodwater


High and


flatownersmay thinktheyare safe from flooding, they couldinfactbeatriskofwhat can be at best an inconvenience and at worst catastrophic destructioncausedbyunexpected floods. At first glance an elevated propertymay appear to be protected butfloodingisn’t just aboutwater entering apropertyorcausing damage to belongings.The apartmentbuilding itself mightbesusceptible to anumberof issueswhichcan have consequences forall tenants. Theimpactofflood wateronresidents on all levels of apartment buildings can


*


typicallyinclude: nWaterdamagetogroundfloorproperties nWaterdamagetogarages andsheds nInaccessible entry and exit points nRelocation to temporaryhousing nDisruption to utility services – gas,


electricity, water and telephone supplies nLift failures nSewerage anddrainagesystemsbackingup nHigh insurancepremiums andexcess


levels Thefirst questionmanypeopleask us as


environmental expertsis: ‘who is responsible forprotectingflatsfrom flooding?’. Thesimple answeristhatthere is no sole accountability when it comestofloods. TheEnvironment Agency andlocalauthorities clearlyhave an importantroletoplaybut thereisalso an onus on property owners andtenants to


54 DR ?Y


In recentweeks thepress has been awash with images of homes under water, butwhat about the impact of floodingonflats?While


ensure propertiesare adequatelyprotected and tenantssuitablyprepared. Insuranceplaysacentral role in flood risk


management.UKflood risk insurance is currentlyprovidedaccordingtothe ‘Statement of Principles’agreement betweenthe AssociationofBritish Insurers (ABI)andthe Government.The statementrequiresinsurers to offer flood insurancetohomes andsmall businesseswhere the property has a 1.3%annual probability of floodingandwherethe property is already insured. For properties at a greater risk,insurance is availableonthe conditionthat flood defences are planned to be built to reduce theriskbelowthat limitwithinfive years. This agreement comes to an end on 1 July


2013 and, with theGovernmentand ABI seemingly unable to agree on a path forward, everything fromproperty values to securing insurance, mortgages andreselling homes couldbeimpactednextsummer. Flat owners (and theirtenants)could well findthemselves in afreemarketsituation forflood insurance with premiums forhighriskpropertieslikely to rocket.


Lawyersare...under no obligation to obtain flood risk reports


Equally, withoutaclear andagreed path


forward, the LawSociety remains unlikely to produce aPracticeNotefor lawyersonflood risk.Thisleaveshomeownersinanextremely precarioussituation as lawyerscurrently are undernoobligation to obtain flood risk reports forflat buyers. Sowhat should flatownersanddwellers


be doing right nowto protect themselves againstflooding? Thesimplest andmost effective routeforward is to obtain aflood risk screeningreport. This will providean expert property assessment lookingatthe risk fromallfourmajor sources of flooding -river,coastal,surface waterand ground water and costs very littlewhen compared to thepotential damage anddisruptioncaused by flooding. This report will help inform thecorrect flood protectionmeasuresthat should be implemented. Theserange from ensuring thecorrect levelofinsurance is in place, tomaking practicalchanges such as installing door barriers, fitting airbrick covers or raisingelectricalwiringtoensure utilities arenot disruptedthroughout communal properties. A property with a heightened risk of


floodingislikelytohavehigherbuilding insurancepremiums andagood flood report will flag this up. For landlords and property management companies a decisionmay have to bemade aboutraising servicecharges to cover these increased costs. However the benefitstoflat owners andtenants of having comprehensiveinsurance coverand property


Issue 13, Winter Flat Living


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