NOBODY wants water in their home where it shouldn’t be, but one resident has had to put up with annual damage from nasty sewage flooding.
The unwanted flooding has not only left her carpets and floors sodden, but her wallet a whole lot lighter as the aftermath has created more and more destruction.
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“Almost every year that I’ve lived in my home, there has been waste water flood,” she said to the BritainThinks report.
The frustrated resident had tried time and again to get her water company to resolve the issue, but faced a brick wall when it came to any kind of response back.
“There’s no guarantee as to whether you’re going to get sandbags, whether you’re going to get a warning or anything at all that this is going to be an issue for us,” she said.
The “dirty, foul” water that was left to wade through had surcharged from manhole covers out on her street.
“It actually comes up to my knee height,” she said.
But not only is the excess water causing damage to her personal belongings, but it’s decreasing the value of her home as well.
“It’s hard to sell your home, and it’s hard to get insurance, now premiums have shot up.”
Consumers are already facing rocketing outgoings as bills stack up on the front door step – from hiked energy charges to broadband rises, taxes and more.
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Paying out for home or contents insurance can take another hit on your finances but it will be MORE costly to find you’re not covered, and have to fork out more further down the line after tragedy strikes.
“I feel anxiety,” this upset resident explained. “I can’t sleep at night and feel trapped in the situation because there’s no way out – you feel anger and alone.
“I’d like to see resolution, but this problem has been going on for decades – nobody wants to live sloshing around in sewage.”
She isn’t the only one to go through the dripping ordeal either.
People who have their homes flooded with sewage are frequently being let down by wastewater companies, says regulation authority Ofwat.
Between April 2020 and March 2021, more than 6,000 households in England and Wales experienced a sewer flooding incident inside their home the consumer watchdog said.
These issues would range from bad smells to blockages, to destroyed properties and personal belongings.
Emma Clancy, chief executive of CCW, the voice for water consumers said: “Being flooded with sewage is one of the most distressing things that can happen to you in your home.
“Through CCW’s End Sewer Flooding Misery Campaign, we’re calling for improved compensation and clean-up standards for sewer flooding victims.
“Individual customer service agents are showing empathy to sewer flooding victims, but too often the perception is that the company’s empathy stops there.
“We want to see companies’ senior leadership teams showing commitment to ensure that flood victims feel that their water company is proactively there to help throughout their experience, from the initial response through to compensation and resolution.”
What are my rights if my property is flooded?
Water companies should provide an emergency service to victims of sewer flooding, as per the watchdog’s calls.
They should also respond quickly to incidents, be transparent about the cause of flooding and timescales on when it will be fixed, so residents can make their own plans on sorting damage and more.
Customers should also automatically receive any compensation payments they are eligible for, but it’s important to make sure your belongings are insured if you expect a pay-out.
Take the time now to check if your home insurance policy covers the cost of any restoration and repairs to contents and homes in the event of a flood and if not it might be worth investing, especially if you live in a high risk area.
Experts at MoneySuperMarket previously revealed to The Sun that trying to scoot your insurance along on the cheapest possible deal may not provide the right cover for what you need though.
You can still opt for a low costs but make sure you’re not missing out on protections.
Kate Devine, home insurance spokesperson for the comparison experts, said: “If your home is damaged by floods, it may be worth considering whether or not to claim on your building insurance.
“If the flood damage is only mild, covering the repair costs yourself, where possible, can keep your no-claims bonus whilst avoiding paying any excess.”
You should also consider taking out contents insurance to protect your household items.
This will protect your belongings from being lost or damaged all year round too so you won’t miss out if you’re lucky enough to not be affected by flooding or waste water damage.
Make sure you organise evidence like pictures or video recordings of the damage to, ready for when you make a claim at a later date.
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