The Environment Agency estimates that one in six homes in England (approximately 5.2m properties) are at risk from flooding, and this figure is only going to grow in the face of climate change. The Flood Practice Note was issued on the 23rd May 2013 by The Law Society to help solicitors protect people purchasing properties from flood risk.

The most common types of flooding are surface water, sewer surcharge, ground water, river and coastal flooding. It is not always obvious, however, that a property is at risk from flooding. Aside from physical damage caused by floods, if a property is at risk from flooding it may be difficult to obtain a mortgage, obtain suitable insurance cover, or sell the property. At Ambiental, we therefore advise that all prospective property-buyers and their solicitors should consider the risk of flood to the property that they are wishing to purchase.

It is important for property buyers to establish whether damage caused by flooding will be included in an acceptable buildings policy for the property that they are looking to purchase before they commit to an exchange of contracts.

The Law Society explicitly states that ‘Solicitors are not qualified to give advice on flood risk or interpret technical flood reports. However conveyancing solicitors are able to, and in fact encouraged, to pass on information about the flood risk to specific properties.It is therefore critical for experts in the field to assess the various sources of flood risk and provide users with a clear summary which is easy to understand.

Flood risk experts at Ambiental are experienced at identifying and assessing the flood risk to properties, and producing comprehensive analyses on the flood risk in the form of a flood risk assessment (FRA) report. Ambiental is a leading UK-based flood risk consultancy provider. We operate nationwide and provide comprehensive assessments for residential and commercial properties. Ambiental is able to provide a full range of flood risk assessments from desktop level through to detail site visits and surveys.

We can carry out a physical inspection of the property both to assess the flood risk to the property and advise on mitigation measures.