Lots of good homes are in flood risk areas – by rivers, on the coast, in old town centres. Buying one can be perfectly sensible. The key is to understand the risk before you’re committed, and to make sure you can insure the home at a price you can live with.
1. Before you offer
- Check the flood zone. Enter the postcode for a free check of the Environment Agency flood zone and nearby risk.
- Check surface water. Use the long-term flood risk service for surface water, which flood zones don’t cover.
- Look at the setting. Note how close the river or coast is, whether the house is in a dip or below road level, and whether there are steps down to the door or a basement.
- Ask the estate agent. Agents should tell you about known flood risk as part of the property’s material information.
2. Ask the seller
Sellers answer flooding questions on the property information form (TA6) that your conveyancer receives. Read it carefully, and ask follow-up questions in writing:
- Has the property, garden or garage ever flooded? When, and from what source?
- Have you made an insurance claim for flood damage?
- Is any flood protection fitted, such as flood doors, barriers or a non-return valve?
- Who insures the home now, and is the cover backed by Flood Re?
See questions to ask before you buy for a fuller list.
3. Get the right survey
A RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey should note signs of past flooding or damp. Tell your surveyor about any flood risk you’ve found and ask them to look specifically for tide marks, replaced floors or plaster low on the walls, and the condition of any flood protection.
4. Use your conveyancer
Your conveyancer will normally order an environmental search, which covers flood risk from several sources. If it flags a risk, ask them what it means for this property and whether further reports are worth getting.
5. Sort insurance before exchange
In England you usually become responsible for insuring the building from exchange of contracts, and your lender will want buildings cover in place. Get quotes for the exact address early. If the home was built before 1 January 2009, it’s likely to be eligible for Flood Re, which helps keep flood cover available and affordable. Homes built from 2009 onwards aren’t eligible.
6. Think long term
Consider how the home would cope with a flood and what it would cost to make it more resilient. Sign up for flood warnings once you move in. If you plan to extend, remember that planning applications in Zones 2 and 3 need a flood risk assessment.
Flood risk is easier to deal with before you offer than after you exchange. Ask early, and get answers in writing.
Last reviewed November 2026. This guide is general information about England, not legal, financial or insurance advice. Check the Environment Agency’s own services and speak to a professional before making decisions about a specific property.
