What to do if your home is flooded: tips from the experts

IF YOU’RE flooded, switch off electricity and gas supplies, disconnect appliances like cookers and dishwashers, and move furniture and valuables somewhere safe.

Chartered building surveyor Krystyna Rawicz of the Society of Chartered Surveyors of Ireland (SCSI) said homeowners should also be aware of their responsibility under most insurance policies to mitigate the damage as best they can.

And while they should remove damaged items, they should not dispose of them until a loss adjuster has inspected them.

Meanwhile, people renting their homes are advised by Threshold director Bob Jordan to keep their landlords informed of their circumstances and, if they are unsure of their rights, to contact Threshold.

The SCSI’s key tips for homeowners include stocking up on sandbags to put in doorways; ensuring your home is locked and protected if you have to leave it; listing contact details for the fire brigade, gardái, and insurance company – and contacting the company right away if you have a policy.

Meanwhile, housing charity Threshold says tenants should report flood damage or leaks to their landlord or letting agent immediately; keep records of all contacts; record the damage by taking photographs of the flooding/leaks and damaged goods.

Threshold also advises tenants to ask their landlord for temporary alternative accommodation if theirs has become uninhabitable, but points out that landlords are under no obligation to rehouse tenants in these circumstances.

If a property becomes permanently uninhabitable, “your tenancy is ended and you may seek alternative accommodation. Your deposit and any rent paid in advance should be returned to you,” says Jordan.

* Also see the OPW’s flooding.ie

* Sandbags – go to a company that sells bags (eg, Kennedy Co in Sandyford, Dublin 18, sells them for €8 filled or €1.10 for just the bag) and perhaps get sand from a builders’ providers.