Help for flood victims
09 I 03 I 11
Residents in over thirty properties in Edgware
are facing devastation after flood waters swamped their homes on
6th March. Many properties were flooded after a major water main
burst, causing significant damage and leaving many homes with no
mains water supply.
Simon Ellis, a partner at leading UK law firm
Hugh James and an expert in environmental flooding cases, says:
“Victims of flooding can face weeks or even months of disruption in
their lives. It is difficult to appreciate just how severe the
impact of a flood can be on those affected."
Simon gives these tips to residents to help
minimise the disruption caused by flooding:
Don’t enter the water: the
first instinct is to move possessions out of the flood water – but
if there’s any possibility the water has been contaminated then
avoid going into the water, even to retrieve possessions.
Contact your insurance
company: if you are insured then contact your insurance
company straight away. They will organise for any flood damage to
be assessed and confirm what can be saved and what needs to be
replaced.
Contact your landlord: if you
rent a property, inform your landlord straight away so they can
make arrangements with their insurance company.
Contact your local council:
if you do not have insurance then your council can provide
information on hardship grants or charities that may be able to
help.
You may be entitled to alternative
accommodation while repairs are carried out and it might be some
time before your can return to your property. If flood waters have
entered the building this will need to be completely dried out
before repair work can start; a process that can take several
weeks.
Simon adds: “Homeowners should also remember
that even if you are insured, there may be some expenses that won’t
be recovered from the insurance company. At Hugh James we regularly
see the disruption and inconvenience caused to families over weeks,
even months, while repairs are carried out.”