Letting and managing agents have been urged to ensure properties and tenants are prepared for flash flooding as London warns that severe flooding is expected to become more frequent as the climate changes.
Guidance from the Mayor of London (main picture) highlights the particular vulnerability of basement and ground-floor properties and sets out measures households and property owners can take before, during and after extreme rainfall.
For managing agents, the advice raises practical questions around drainage, emergency procedures, tenant communication and whether properties in higher-risk locations could benefit from flood-resilience measures.
The warning follows severe flash flooding in London in summer 2021, when homes and businesses were inundated with stormwater and sewage and some residents were forced into temporary accommodation.
CHECKING THE BASICS
Property owners are responsible for keeping drains within their property boundaries clear, while tenants are advised to contact their landlord or housing provider if they identify potential problems.
Agents managing rental properties could therefore have an important role in identifying blocked drains and other vulnerabilities before extreme rainfall arrives, particularly across portfolios containing basement flats.
The guidance also recommends knowing where gas, electricity and water supplies can be isolated and ensuring important contact information is readily available.
Tenants should be encouraged to know what to do during an emergency, including moving to a higher floor where possible if water starts entering a basement or ground-floor home.
Floodwater can also contain sewage, chemicals and other contaminants, while gas and electricity supplies should not be restored following flooding until they have been professionally checked.
BUILDING RESILIENCE INTO RENTAL HOMES
Longer term, landlords and their managing agents can consider Property Flood Resilience measures designed either to prevent water entering or reduce the damage when flooding occurs.
These can include flood doors, demountable barriers, sealable air bricks and other property-level protection.
The Greater London Authority says flooding cannot be prevented entirely and warns that severe incidents are expected to become more frequent as the climate changes.
That makes preparation increasingly relevant to property management rather than simply emergency response.
For letting agents, particularly those responsible for large managed portfolios, having records identifying potentially vulnerable homes, knowing who needs to be contacted and establishing how tenants will be supported could become an increasingly important part of managing property risk.
The guidance also recommends checking buildings and contents insurance arrangements, although responsibility will differ between landlords, leaseholders and tenants depending on the property and tenancy.
