In communities with a main river or tidal flood risk, when other options for reducing flood risk have been discounted, the Environment Agency is sometimes able to support eligible householders with Property Flood Resilience (PFR) measures, which covers two different types of adaptation – ‘resistance’ measures, which aim to keep water out of a property, and ‘resilience’ measures, which aim to make recovery faster and easier.
The insurance industry is also offering support in the form of the ‘Build Back Better’ scheme, which enables householders to install PFR up to the value of £10,000 when repairing their properties after a flood. Check with your insurer or look at the detail of your flood policy to see if you are covered. It’s something to consider when it comes to insurance renewal.
The National Flood Forum has a directory of PFR suppliers called the Blue Pages. If you are undertaking your own installation, a key action will be to get an independent survey of your property to identify the most appropriate PFR measures. The other thing to look out for if you are buying your own products is whether they are kitemarked, which means they have been tested to meet standards set out by the BSI.
Correct storage and maintenance of PFR is essential to keep equipment in working order, as well as having a plan for when you might need to deploy it. Know what your triggers are, which might include flood warnings or Met Office alerts.
For more information on flooding, inclduing guidance on making a personal flood plan, please visit the links below –
