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Flooded Homes: A Nightmare for Retirees
2 Jan
Summary
- Homes unsellable due to repeated flooding.
- New developments worsen brook's overflow capacity.
- Flood risk impacts property values and mortgages.
Christine, Jackie, and Rhona, retired residents of Trowell, Nottinghamshire, find their homes repeatedly inundated by a local brook. Despite initial flood-proofing efforts completed in 2023, subsequent floods revealed water entering from underground, rendering their homes unsellable and causing significant distress. The situation is compounded by increasing rainfall and the ongoing development of nearby housing estates.
These new developments, projected to increase brook runoff by 44%, are seen by residents as the primary cause of the escalated flooding. Loopholes in planning regulations allow individual developments to proceed without fully accounting for cumulative impacts, leading to disastrous consequences for communities. This has resulted in properties being devalued, with some lenders hesitant to offer mortgages.
The rising risk of flooding, exacerbated by climate breakdown, affects millions of UK properties. The government's current insurance scheme for flood risk ends in 2039, raising concerns about long-term financial stability for homeowners and the wider financial sector should a significant number of defaults occur.
