How to Check the Flood Risk of Your Home

Understanding Flood Risk and Making Informed Property Decisions

How to Check the Flood Risk of Your Home

Flooding is becoming an increasingly important consideration for homeowners, buyers and property professionals.

A car navigates through a flooded road, splashing past a prominently displayed flood warning sign.

Whilst many people associate flooding with rivers bursting their banks, flood risk can arise from a variety of sources, including surface water, groundwater, coastal events and overwhelmed drainage systems. As weather patterns continue to change and extreme rainfall events become more common, understanding flood risk is becoming an increasingly important part of property ownership and the home-buying process. RICS has identified flooding as one of the most significant climate-related risks affecting property and land across the UK.

Whether you are buying your first home, selling a property or simply want to understand more about where you live, taking a few minutes to check local flood risk information can be a worthwhile exercise.

RICS' Growing Focus on Flood Resilience

Recognising the increasing importance of flood risk, RICS has recently announced a collaboration with the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) to strengthen surveyors' expertise in Property Flood Resilience (PFR). The initiative aims to improve access to trusted flood-related advice and help surveyors assess flood risk and resilience measures more consistently.

According to RICS, surveyors have an important role to play in helping homeowners understand flood risk, identify practical measures that may reduce damage and disruption, and make informed decisions about property ownership.

This is an important step for the profession and reflects the growing recognition that flooding is no longer simply an environmental issue. It can also affect property values, mortgage lending, insurance availability and the long-term resilience of a home.

How to Check the Flood Risk of Your Home

The good news is that homeowners can check flood risk information themselves using the UK Government's free online service:

https://www.gov.uk/check-long-term-flood-risk

Simply enter your postcode to view information relating to the surrounding area.

The service provides information on potential risks from:

• Surface water flooding

• River flooding

• Coastal flooding

• Groundwater flooding

The results are presented in an easy-to-understand format and can provide a useful starting point when researching a property.

Floodwaters rise outside a row of terrace houses, with sandbags and a safety cone in place for protection against further inundation.

Whilst the information should not replace professional searches, specialist investigations or insurance enquiries, it can help identify whether flood risk is something that warrants further investigation.

What Does Flood Risk Mean?

Being located within a flood-risk area does not necessarily mean a property will flood.

Similarly, a property outside an identified flood-risk area cannot be guaranteed to remain unaffected in the future.

Benches submerged in murky floodwaters mark the inundation of a town center, with debris and planters partially visible above the surface.

Flood risk assessments are based on a combination of environmental data, historic records and modelling. The results should therefore be viewed as part of a wider assessment of a property's location and characteristics.

If a property is identified as having a higher level of risk, buyers may wish to investigate:

• Whether the property has flooded previously.

• Any flood resilience measures that have been installed.

• Availability and cost of building insurance.

• Whether further specialist advice is required.

These are all sensible questions to raise before committing to a purchase.

How We Use Flood Risk Information During Our Surveys

At Atom Surveyors, reviewing publicly available flood risk information forms part of our preparation before carrying out a Home Survey.

Whilst a survey cannot predict future flood events, flood risk data helps us build a broader understanding of the property and its surroundings. It can also help identify matters that buyers may wish to explore further through their conveyancer, insurer or a specialist flood consultant.

Floodwaters submerge a recreational ground, transforming the park into a reflective water landscape under a clear sky.

As surveyors, our role is to assess the condition of the property and highlight factors that may affect your decision-making. Understanding the wider environmental context, including potential flood risk, is an important part of that process.

Advice for Homeowners and Buyers

If you are considering purchasing a property, don't rely solely on what you can see during a viewing.

Flood risk is often invisible and may not become apparent until heavy rainfall or severe weather occurs. Taking a few minutes to check the Government's flood risk tool and discussing any concerns with your surveyor and conveyancer can help ensure that you have a more complete understanding of the property before proceeding.

For existing homeowners, understanding your property's flood risk can help you make informed decisions about insurance, maintenance and future resilience measures.

Flood risk does not automatically mean a property is unsuitable to purchase or own. However, it is something that should be understood, considered and managed appropriately.

Need advice before buying a property?

Atom Surveyors provides RICS Home Surveys across East Kent, combining traditional surveying expertise with aerial drone inspections, thermal imaging and clear, easy-to-understand reporting.

Helping people understand property with confidence.