Property Today

Property News

Published Date: 23 June 2008

Sandbags have their place, but the new website will tell you what else you can do to protect your property

Better help to protect your home from flooding

A new website and emergency phone line are to be set up to give us better information to protect our homes from flooding.

It's being set up by Defra – the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – together with the Environment Agency. Together they're investing £125,000 in the project.

The big idea is to give us better guidance and information to stop our property being at risk from flooding.

The Association of British Insurers reports there are 517,000 homes at significant risk of being flooded.

In fact the floods this time last year saw its members pay out a staggering £3 billion in insurance claims.

More than 50,000 homes were affected in the June and July 2007 floods. A few thousand families are still living in temporary accommodation.

Experts say a lot can be done to reduce the impact of flooding on your home, and this new website will help us make the right choices.

Last Updated: 23 June 2008 02:42 PM

Page 1 of 1

News in Brief

[Improvements can add 55 grand to your house price]
We're being told how to add up to £55,000 of value to our homes just by having some building work done.
[We've got our eyes on property overseas]
New statistics looking at what we're searching for on the internet have revealed that UK buyers are very keen on property overseas.
[5 tips to sell your home quickly]
It's very much a buyers' market at the moment, which means you have to do a lot more work to successfully sell your home.
[5 property maintenance tips]
Your home is probably the biggest purchase you will ever make – and it needs to be carefully looked after.
[Energy deadline approaching for landlords]
If you own property that you rent out to others, you're being warned to get a new compulsory certificate by the end of September.
[Mortgage lenders told not to rip us off]
Chancellor Alistair Darling has warned mortgage lenders not to rip us off with soaring arrangement fees.
[Three million want to move in the next year]
It's going to be an incredibly busy 12 months for removals men and conveyancers with 3.25 million people aiming to move house by this time next year.
[Great time to be a landlord as rental demand goes up 41 per cent]
If you are able to invest in rental property, there's more evidence that this is a great time to do it.
[New website helps you decide to move or improve]
If you can't decide whether or not to move house or stay in your existing home and improve it, a new website has been set up to help you.
[Better help to protect your home from flooding]
A new website and emergency phone line are to be set up to give us better information to protect our homes from flooding.
[We're saving cash by cutting insurance]
One in four of us is planning to save money by cutting back on insurance policies.
[127 million to cover flood costs]
Europe is handing over £127 million to help the UK recover from the floods that hit many areas this time last year.
[Do you know who lives next door]
Shocking new figures have revealed that only one in five of us make contact with the people who live next door.
[One in four think this is a great time to buy]
A quarter of us think this is still a good time to buy property in the UK.
[Ten steps to buy your first home - part two]
It's a weekend helping first-time buyers on Property Today.