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OneSearch Direct asks you: is Met Office warning a storm in a teacup?

OneSearch200 [1]As the Met Office issue a heightened weather warning for the majority of southern England, the public are bracing themselves for the onslaught of erratic weather and torrential downpours.

This warning coincides with the fortieth anniversary of the Hampstead Storm.

On this day in 1975, Hampstead Heath experienced intense rainfall, claimed to have reached up to 200mm. This was the most severe storm in the history of the London area.

Around 250 people were made homeless that day. The magnitude of the storm caused considerable damage to hundreds of houses, obliterating basement properties and collapsing many retaining walls.

A storm of that nature is statistically calculated [2] to happen only once every twenty thousand years at Hampstead. That said, severe floods can never be accurately predicted. All that can be done is to attempt to limit the damage.

Despite fierce opposition from local heritage groups, planning permission was approved for a £17 million flood defence scheme [3] in Hampstead Heath, in January 2015.

With flood risk increasing significantly over the years, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) and the government agreed a Memorandum of Understanding to ensure flood insurance would remain affordable and available. This is the not-for-profit scheme Flood Re [4].

It will provide a fund to people who have a high flood risk, who might otherwise struggle to get affordable flood insurance with cover at a set price.

Flood risk isn’t always easily identifiable. It is a common misconception that properties are only at risk if they are near rivers or the sea.

When it comes to flood risk, it makes sense to let the professionals evaluate your risk. OneSearch Direct offer a suite of Flood and Environmental search reports, to help you practice due diligence. With over 25 years in the industry, we know where experience matters.

The good news is that storms are expected to clear by tomorrow.

For more information, and to discuss how we can help you, call OneSearch Direct on 0800 052 0117, or email info@onesearchdirect.co.uk [5].