Flood Re, which is a group of government and insurance industry representatives want to introduce a Flood Performance Certificate (FPC) for every home, similar to the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) that is already a mandatory requirement for properties.
The reasoning behind the move, would be to encourage more people to install property flood resilience measures which can prevent or reduce the risk of future flooding.
Flood Re ran a survey, in which it found:
- 81% of those surveyed supported the idea of an FPC at the point of sale or rent of a property
- Four in five people believe flood risk is an important consideration and it would make them less likely to buy or rent a property
A statement from Flood Re revealed:
“Much like an Energy Performance Certificate, the FPC would provide prospective buyers and renters with a clear overview of the flood risk posed to the property, including information on what measures have already been taken to protect the property from flooding and explaining what actions needs to be taken in order to further reduce that risk.”
Andy Bord, Flood Re’s Chief Executive said:
“With increasing risks of flooding due to climate change, FPCs can provide peace of mind for families about their new home and act as a catalyst to encourage the to make changes to the property so it is more resilient to flooding. They are a real positive step towards building a more resilient housing stock in the UK.
“Nobody can stop the rain from falling, but we can all be better prepared for when it arrives. Building a more resilient and flood prepared nation is a goal we can realise through working together and I would urge the UK government to look seriously at how FPCs can help this ambition.”
