A press release issued by Landmark Information Group is warning conveyancers and solicitors to “be aware of the risks” of flash flooding in order that they can better protect their clients, mitigating the risks.
According to the release we are suffering the worst drought for some 30 years in most areas of England, with South and Eastern regions subject to hosepipe bans. Landmark are urging solicitors and conveyancers to be aware of the risk of flash flooding, which often come after extensive periods of dry weather.
Chairman of the ‘Know Your Flood Risk’ campaign, David Mole, commented:
“In light of the extremely dry weather the UK has experienced over the past few months which has seen many areas receive less than 60% of the average seasonal rainfall and has been named the worst drought for 30 years, the thought of flooding is far from peoples’ minds.
However, extensive periods of very dry weather often precede flash flooding, as the ground is often simply too hard and parched to soak up a sudden influx of water; this can cause significant damage to unprepared households. The cost of repairing this damage can run to tens of thousands of pounds. The summer 2007 floods, for example, which affected 55,000 homes and businesses across the UK, cost the country £3.2bn.
It’s a too common perception that unless you are located by a river or sea, or because of dry spells that bring reports of water shortages, homeowners do not consider themselves to be at risk of flooding. It is vital that legal professionals educate and impress upon their clients not only the importance of finding out a property’s flood risk, but also that they can provide this information.”
Landmark’s residential Homecheck Professional Flood Report and the commercial Sitecheck Flood Report can give your firm access to the usual flood risk data but also covers surface water flooding (pluvial), which was reported as the main cause of the summer 2007 floods in the Pitt Review.
According to Ben Mitchell, a Partner at Peter Brett Associates, seven water companies have imposed temporary hosepipe bans on customers. He comments:
“The Environment Agency has declared that East Anglia, the South East of England, South and East Yorkshire, the Midlands and South West of England are in drought, and seven water companies in the South East and East of England have already imposed temporary use bans on customers — and we’re only at the start of Summer.
Even with this dry period there remains a risk of flash flooding from summer thunderstorms. A very heavy downpour in an urban area or over dry land with poor absorption ability can lead to surface water flooding, potentially resulting in extensive damage and many weeks, even months, of disruption for those whose homes and businesses are unprepared.”
Are your clients aware of the risk of flash flooding? Clients can be at risk even when the property is not in a coastal area, near to the river or close to lakes.
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