If your home or belongings have been damaged by flooding, it's important to record the damage and find out what repairs may be needed.
The following advice explains what to do about insurance, getting your property checked and arranging repairs.
Contact your insurance company
If your home or belongings have been damaged by flooding, contact your insurance company as soon as possible.
Your insurer may arrange for a specialist, such as a loss adjuster or structural engineer, to assess the damage.
Keep a record of the damage
Before removing damaged items from your property, try to:
- Take photographs of the damage to your home and belongings.
- Make a list of damaged or lost items.
- Keep a record of any work carried out.
- Record the names and contact details of anyone involved in repairing your property.
Keeping this information together may help when dealing with your insurance company and arranging repairs.
If you don't have insurance
If your property isn't insured, you may want to arrange for a qualified building professional to assess the damage.
They can help you understand:
- How badly your property has been damaged.
- What repairs may be needed.
- Whether the building is safe and structurally sound.
You could contact a chartered structural engineer, chartered surveyor or chartered building engineer.
Before employing someone, make sure you understand what work they will carry out and how much it will cost.
Arranging repairs to your home
If your home needs repairs following flooding, it's important to choose a reputable business.
Before agreeing to any work:
- Get quotes from several businesses.
- Ask for references, where possible, to check the quality of their previous work.
- Make sure you understand what work will be carried out.
- Check how much the work is likely to cost.
Finding a qualified professional
Building professionals may have qualifications or professional memberships such as:
- CEng - Chartered Engineer
- MRICS - Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
- MCABE - Member of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers
- MCIOB - Member of the Chartered Institute of Building
Qualified professionals are expected to follow the standards of their professional organisations and have appropriate insurance.
Report a problem with a trader
If you're concerned about work carried out by a trader, or need advice about a problem with repairs, you can contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service.
They can provide advice and pass reports about problem traders to Trading Standards.