Before you make an offer, it takes five minutes to find out whether a property sits in an area at long-term risk from rivers, the sea, surface water or groundwater — using the Environment Agency's own official checker, free and independent of any estate agent or seller.
Estate agents and sellers aren't required to volunteer flood history, and "has it ever flooded?" is a question that's easy to answer vaguely. The Environment Agency's long-term flood risk service gives you an independent, official read on an area in about five minutes — before you're emotionally (or financially) committed to a purchase.
Run by the Environment Agency. Enter a postcode and it tells you the long-term risk from rivers & the sea, surface water, reservoirs and (where data allows) groundwater, plus how climate change may affect that risk over time.
Check long-term flood risk →This tool tells you about the risk to an area, not a specific property, and it doesn't cover flooding from blocked drains or burst pipes. It's a genuinely useful first check, not a substitute for a full survey or a conversation with the seller and their neighbours.
The Environment Agency can tell you if a specific address has a recorded flooding history. Request it via gov.uk/request-flooding-history.
Every area has a council responsible for investigating local flooding. Look it up for any postcode with our flood contacts tool.
Check current, live Environment Agency warnings and alerts across England on our current flooding page.
A standard CON29 or dedicated flood search during conveyancing can surface additional local authority and insurance-relevant information — ask your solicitor to confirm one is included.
No obligation. No jargon. By the end of the call you will have a clear view of your options — whether you engage RISE or not.
Call any time No callback RISE directly