Climate Change and Your Property: What you Need to Know

Considerations for you and your surveyor

Flooding and rising sea levels

Flooding has been a key concern for homeowners for years, and UK climate projections predicting that 8 million properties in the UK will be at risk of flooding by 2060. This includes flooding due to sea, river or surface water.

The government’s flood risk search tool is a great starting point for getting an idea of the flood risk in your area. Vendors are legally obliged to disclose previous flooding, so get as much information from them as you can. If you are buying a brand-new home, quiz the developer on whether any flood mitigation measures have been installed. Your building surveyor will also do their own flood map searches and look for signs of water damage, particularly if the home is in a high-risk area.

While it is important to be aware that public bodies do not have a legal duty to maintain or improve river and coastal defences, there is significant investment by the government in a flood and coastal programme, prioritising places where the risk is greatest.

If your home is at risk of flooding, you will need to budget for flood protection measures such as barriers and improved drainage, and for cosmetic and structural works should they fail. If you are buying a property at risk of flooding, you may find it more difficult to get a mortgage and insurance; it pays to check these out in good time, to avoid surprises further down the line.

With the risk of flooding spreading to more and more properties, it is worth keeping an eye on the flood risk for your property every few years during your ownership, so that you can take appropriate measures if anything changes.

Coastal erosion

Ongoing coastal erosion, compounded by rising sea levels, is unfortunately placing increasing numbers of properties at risk. The UK government’s assessment estimates that 3500 properties will be at risk by 2055, and 10,100 by 2105.

The government search tool can be used to check the risk of coastal erosion in your area. Studying this, alongside the Shoreline Management Plans for the same region, will help you understand the risk to your home. The tool provides risk over two time periods – until 2055 and until 2105; depending on your aims and plans for the property, the shorter term risk is likely to be most relevant, but bear in mind that future buyers could look at both risk assessments.

Drought and water stress

Drought is a decrease in the amount of water available following insufficient rainfall, whereas water stress is when demand for water is greater than the supply available. Both of these can affect the way you use your property, and even the way you live your life.

Water stress risk varies by area, with regions in the Midlands, South and South-East most at risk.

Property owners can prepare for water scarcity by installing rainwater collection measures, fixing leaks, considering which plants to use in gardens, installing water-savers on showers and taps, and using modern, efficient dishwashers and washing machines.

Building surveyors will be looking for signs that a building could be particularly vulnerable to drought, particularly because of the effect that drought can have on the ground that the building is built on. Lack of water can lead to ground shrinkage, which in turn can cause subsidence; this is covered in the next section.

Subsidence

The risk of ground swell–shrinkage is increasing, and estimates suggest that the proportion of properties at risk of damage from this process will grow from 3% in 1990 to 10% by 2070.

Shrink–swell is a change in the volume of soil as a result of changes in the amount of water in the ground. When there has been a lot of rain, or flooding, water absorbs water and swells, pushing structures upwards and outwards. Conversely, after long stretches of warmer drier weather, soil dries out and shrinks. This can lead to foundations sinking, causing structural instability; this is known as subsidence.

The risk of subsidence is particularly high in areas with clay soils, such as London and the South-East; properties in these areas will be particularly susceptible to the effects of climate change on ground stability.

Vendors must disclose ongoing or historic subsidence when selling a property. Furthermore, your building surveyor will be looking for any signs of subsidence when carrying our an RICS survey. A local surveyor will be familiar with the ground type and will be able to advise you on how that affects the risk of subsidence in relation to global warming. They will also look for trees nearby that can draw up water and dry out soil, and any visible signs of leaking drainage that can saturate and erode the soil around a home’s foundations.

Fortunately, subsidence remains rare, and most cracks are found to be cosmetic. Even cracking that has resulted from ground movement is often found to be minor and not a result of foundation movement. If subsidence is found, your insurance company will arrange for stabilising works; it is important to keep all documentation in relation to this to demonstrate that the problem has been resolved. Subsidence will affect saleability, but addressing the problem effectively will go some way to reassure buyers and mortgage-lenders.

Heat

The changes in our climate are leading to an overall warming of the planet, with 2024 the warmest year on record; the UN has predicted 2.9C rise in average temperature by the end of this century.

While the UK is less susceptible to extreme heatwaves than many other countries, the Committee on Climate Change has warned there is a significant risk of overheating for new homes across England if mitigation measures are not applied, particularly in the south of England, where average temperatures are highest.

If you have concerns about your property, your building surveyor can provide advice about the mitigation measures in place and whether the home is at risk of overheating. Mitigation measures could include blinds and shutters, roof insulation, solar reflection measures and air conditioning.

Wildfire

In the UK, we experience lowland heath fires, upland moor and peatland fires, grassland fires and crop fires. The Met Office predicts that the increased heat and more frequent droughts that will result from climate change will increase the risk of wildfires globally.

A building survey inspection will include a surveyor’s assessment of the fire protection measures in a property. They will check that fire compartmentation and fire doors have been installed where necessary, that there is adequate fire signage and emergency lighting in apartment buildings, that the property has adequate escape routes and windows, and will check whether there is any external flammable cladding.

Extreme weather events

As well as posing a danger to life, extreme weather presents a threat to buildings in line with the risks described above. Storms can lead to heavy rainfall and flooding, and heatwaves can cause droughts and heat stress.

Being aware of how climate change will affect property and the way we use it will help you protect yourself and your home against the effects of extreme weather.

If you have any concerns, ask your building surveyor for any recommendations they have to improve your home’s weather resilience; they will always be happy to provide their professional opinion and advice.

Legal

The legal ramifications of climate change will be discussed by your conveyancer, but building surveyors will also highlight aspects that could be concerning, and make recommendations for matters to bring to your legal advisor’s attention.

Examples include an EPC below the minimum energy efficiency standard regulations, and the impact that would have should you decide to let your property. If structural alterations are planned, they may advise considering how building regulations may change in the near future to accommodate climate change. They may also highlight potential issues with riparian obligations and rights of way, particularly if the area is susceptible to flooding, and suggest that your conveyancer determines the liability risks involved.