Is your home at risk of flooding?

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Published: 29 November 2021

Time to check your flood risk

As we head into the wettest time of the year, it’s worth being prepared for the possibility that your home could be flooded.

Here are some steps you can take to ensure you’re ready and minimising the risk to yours and others’ homes:

1. Clear your ditches

Ditches, streams and brooks all need care and attention, especially at this time of year. Many ditches might still be overgrown from the summer, and in November the leaves start falling, the wind brings down branches and silt builds up. So if you have a ditch or watercourse in your garden, it’s time to clear it as it could help prevent your or someone else’s home from flooding later in the winter.

If you own land next to a ditch, stream or brook you are a ‘riparian landowner’ – this means that you are also responsible for keeping these ditches, streams and brooks clear, even though they may seem to be beyond the boundary of your home or run through a piped section.

More details are available on our flooding web pages.

2. Check if your home is at risk from flooding

There is an online tool to let you know if your property is at risk from flooding – find out the risk from your home on the GOV.UK flooding web page or call the Floodline on 0345 988 1188.

3. Be prepared

If there is a risk of your home flooding, there are a few things you can do so you’re ready if the worst happens:

Prepare a flood plan for you and your family – and even for your community. You can find out more on the GOV.UK prepare for flooding web page
If you, or someone you know, might need extra support in an emergency, sign up sign up to the free Priority Services Register by contacting your utility providers
Check out the Surrey Prepared website – helping communities be resilient together in emergencies

Reducing the risk of flooding

Surrey County Council is working with communities on managing long-term flood risks. Projects so far include:

Caterham on the Hill – where Surrey County Council will be installing resilience measures to 50 properties from February 2022. Next month in December, another 30 properties are being evaluated to see if they are also suitable.
Alfold – where 36 properties have been identified that would benefit from resilience measures.

Schemes in locations like Leatherhead and Fetcham, Sanway and Byfleet, Brooklands, and Guildford are being progressed with the Environment Agency, and district and borough councils.

River Thames Scheme

Detailed design and planning work is continuing on the River Thames Scheme which is designed to reduce flood risk between Egham and Teddington. For more information and update, visit the River Thames Scheme website.