The government-backed reinsurance service Flood Re claims there’s substantial tenant support for the introduction of a Flood Performance Certificate.
An FPC, similar in principle to an Energy Performance Certificate, would provide tenants with a graded assessment of flood risk.
Flood Re says the pandemic has dramatically changed what prospective tenants want to know, and the introduction of such a certificate would encourage more landlords to install flood resilience measures and mitigate against future flood risk.
It claims 81 per cent of renters and owners support the idea.
“With increasing risks of flooding due to climate change, FPCs can provide peace of mind for families about their new home and act as a catalyst to encourage them to make changes to the property so it is more resilient to flooding. They are a real positive step towards building a more resilient housing stock in the UK” claims Andy Bord, Flood Re’s chief executive.
“Nobody can stop the rain from falling, but we can all be better prepared for when it arrives. Building a more resilient and flood prepared nation is a goal we can realise through working together and I would urge the UK government to look seriously at how FPCs can help them achieve this ambition” he continues.
This includes information on what measures have already been taken to protect the property from flooding and what actions needs to be taken in order to further reduce that risk.
A recent study by the reinsurer shows that more than half of UK adults – 55 per cent – seek to move home at some point in the near future, with 28 per cent looking to move in the next three years.