Drainage and flooding

If you are unfortunate enough to be affected by a flood, there are a number of things to be aware of when clearing up.

Make an insurance claim

• take photo or video evidence of the affects from the flood
• making a list of everything that has been damaged
• ring your insurance company to register your claim

Protecting yourself

• wear protective clothing, boots and rubber gloves when clearing up
• watch out for hidden or sharp objects
• get a qualified electrician to check your house before turning your electricity back on

Safe disposal

It's important to find out how to dispose of flood damaged items safely. You can contact our StreetCare team for advice regarding the disposal of flood damaged household waste after you have spoken to your insurance company. 

Flood water removal

Make sure to only pump out water when the flood levels outside of your property are lower than inside to reduce the risk of structural damage.

You can find more advice about what to do before, during and after a flood on the National Flood Forum website.

You can download the Flood Recovery Guide (PDF, 6.3MB) for more detailed advice and guidance to help victims of flooding through the initial stages of recovery.

Our role after a flood

After a flood we will work with our partners and voluntary agencies to help with the clean-up and recovery process by:

• supporting communities and businesses by providing emotional and practical support and advice about grants or funding to help with the recovery process
• inspecting damage to roads and bridges and re-opening closed roads when it is safe to do so - if repairs are needed we will schedule the work as soon as possible
• repairing potholes after the floods - you may notice more potholes following severe weather but please bear with us

Beware of rogue traders

If your property has been damaged, don’t be tempted to let someone who appears at your door unannounced carry out the work. Always use reputable building contractors and do not pay in advance. You can find a trader you can trust using our Trusted Trader scheme.

HELP scheme

We do also offer support through our HELP scheme for welfare assistance to those people who are on low income or require support in an emergency.