Flood Alert, Flood Warning, Severe Flood Warning: what each means for a landlord

The Environment Agency issues flood warnings in England at three levels. The names are close enough to mix up in a hurry, and each one calls for a different response. For a landlord with tenants in the affected area, the difference matters.

The three levels

Flood Alert: flooding is possible, be prepared. Flood Alerts usually cover a wider area than warnings. They are a signal to get ready.

Flood Warning: flooding is expected, immediate action required. Flood Warnings cover a more specific area where properties are expected to flood.

Severe Flood Warning: severe flooding, danger to life. These are rare, and issued when flooding poses a significant threat to life.

When the threat has passed, the Environment Agency marks the warning as no longer in force.

At a Flood Alert

• Check which of your properties sit inside or near the alert area.
• Tell the tenants. Don't assume they have signed up for warnings themselves.
• Make sure you have current phone numbers for each tenant, and that they know where the stopcock, fuse box and gas shut-off are.
• Have your buildings insurance policy number and claims line to hand.
• For a vacant or furnished property, move landlord-owned items off the ground floor if someone can safely get there.

At a Flood Warning

• Contact tenants directly. Their safety comes before the building.
• Point them to the Environment Agency's advice for their flood area, and to Floodline on 0345 988 1188.
• Tenants should turn off gas, electricity and water only if it is safe to do so.
• Don't go to the property yourself, or send contractors, into floodwater.
• Start a written record: when you were notified, when you reached each tenant, and what you told them.

At a Severe Flood Warning

Tenants should follow the instructions of the emergency services, and call 999 if anyone is in immediate danger. At this stage your job is staying in contact with tenants. The building can wait.

After the water goes down

• Don't let tenants move back in until the property has been checked. A qualified electrician should inspect the electrics before power is switched back on.
• Photograph everything before any clear-up starts.
• Contact your insurer before arranging major repairs.
• Your buildings insurance covers the structure, and any contents you own as landlord. Tenants' own belongings fall under their own contents insurance.
• Check whether your policy includes loss of rent or alternative accommodation cover, and on what terms.

Getting the warnings in the first place

Anyone can sign up to the Environment Agency's free flood warning service for a specific address, by phone, text or email. It works well for one home, and it is the fastest way to hear about a warning. Across a portfolio in several towns, it becomes a list of separate subscriptions to keep up to date.

Flood risk on Property Risk Alerts checks every property on your account against active Environment Agency alerts and warnings within 3km each morning, and emails you when one is in force, with its severity level. Each alert is dated and kept on the property's record, which feeds the Property Risk Report. Because the check runs daily, use it alongside the Environment Agency's own instant warnings for any property with a history of flooding.

Flood risk covers England only. In Wales and Scotland, Natural Resources Wales and SEPA run their own flood warning services.

Add your properties and every one of them is checked each morning.