What to look for when viewing a property with flood risk

Before you arrive

Check the flood risk on movegrid before the viewing. Know whether you're looking at river risk, surface water risk, or both. Check whether the Environment Agency has recorded historical flooding in the area. This frames what you're looking for.

If you're viewing after recent rainfall, look at the road and garden as you approach — is there standing water? Are there signs of recent drainage issues?

Inside the property: what to look for

Tide marks and staining on walls

Flood water leaves a distinct stain line — often a pale or discoloured band across walls, usually darker below and lighter above. Look carefully at the base of walls in ground floor rooms, behind furniture and appliances, inside cupboards, and under stairs. Fresh paint or new plaster at a consistent height across multiple rooms can indicate redecoration to conceal flood marks.

Damage to skirting boards and flooring

Timber skirting boards that have been in contact with floodwater typically show swelling, warping, or discolouration at their base. Look for gaps between the skirting and the floor where swelling has caused movement. Bubbling or lifting laminate flooring, or replacement flooring that doesn't quite match the rest of the room, can indicate previous damage.

Electrical socket heights

Standard electrical sockets are typically fitted around 300–400mm from floor level. In properties that have been retrofitted for flood resilience, sockets are raised to 1m or above. If all the ground floor sockets are unusually high, it may indicate a deliberate upgrade after flooding — ask about it. Conversely, very low sockets in a flood-risk property suggest no previous flooding concern.

Boiler and appliance positions

Is the boiler on the wall rather than the floor? Is the washing machine raised on a plinth? These can be signs of deliberate flood resilience measures installed after a flood event.

Damp and mould

Persistent damp — especially at low levels on external walls — can indicate residual moisture from past flooding. Mould growth at skirting board level, or a musty smell in ground floor rooms, warrants investigation.

Flood doors or barriers

Flood doors are a clear indicator that the seller has taken flood risk seriously. Their presence is a positive sign — it means mitigation is in place. Their absence in a high-risk property means no resistance measures exist.

Air brick covers

Check external walls at ground level for air bricks — the ventilation holes common in older properties. If they have covers or automatic flood vents installed, that's a sign of conscious flood preparation.

Outside the property

Pump in the garden or cellar

A sump pump — a small electrical pump used to remove accumulated water — is a strong indicator that water management is an active concern. Ask what it's for and how often it's needed.

Flood marks on external walls

Look at the external walls at ground level for discolouration, staining, or salt deposits (efflorescence — white crystalline deposits) that can indicate previous water ingress.

Garden drainage

Does water drain away from the property or toward it? Low-lying gardens or poorly graded ground that slopes toward the house are a surface water risk. Look for French drains, soakaways, or other drainage infrastructure.

Proximity to drains and watercourses

Even if the main flood risk is low, note the position of drain covers in the road and garden relative to the property. In a heavy downpour, overflowing drains can flood properties that are otherwise not at significant risk.

The most important thing: talk to the neighbours

Knock on a couple of doors nearby. Ask directly: “Has the road or any of the houses around here flooded in the last 10 or 20 years?” Neighbours have no incentive to conceal this and often have detailed knowledge of local flood events that doesn't appear in any official dataset.

If the seller or agent is present during the viewing, ask them directly whether the property has ever flooded. They have a legal obligation to disclose material facts — including flood history — on the TA6 property information form. Any answer here should be followed up in writing through your solicitor.