Press & Media

For journalists, researchers, and media professionals working on flood-related stories. RISE is available for background briefing, on-record quotes, contributed comment, and longer-form contribution on the homeowner experience of flood recovery, surface water flooding, and the wider policy landscape.

About RISE

RISE Flood Recovery Consultancy is an independent advisory service for homeowners across Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, and Bedfordshire. Founded by a homeowner with 26 years of property experience and direct lived experience of two flood events, a defective first remediation, and a successful BS 85500:2025 rebuild. Shortlisted for the Property Care Association Project of the Year Award 2026.

RISE works exclusively for homeowners — never for insurers, never for contractors. The website at risefloodrecovery.co.uk publishes investigative writing, technical guides, and case studies on flood recovery, with a particular focus on surface water flooding, the Section 19 statutory investigation process, the Build Back Better £10,000 entitlement, and the gap between what flood-affected homeowners are entitled to and what they actually receive.

Topics RISE is available to discuss

The areas below reflect topics RISE has direct lived experience, technical depth, or published analysis on. Useful starting points are listed within each card.

Surface Water Flooding

The “Cinderella of flooding”

  • Why surface water flooding is increasing across England
  • Why it falls between the cracks of river and coastal management
  • Real-world examples from the four-county patch
  • Climate change projections and underwriting implications

Section 19 Investigations

The statutory investigation process

  • What Section 19 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 requires
  • How homeowners can trigger an investigation
  • What lead local flood authorities are obliged to do
  • A documented case study where Section 19 secured £2m+ of council-funded works

Build Back Better

The £10,000 entitlement most people miss

  • What Build Back Better actually covers
  • The participation traps for broker-sourced policyholders
  • Why most flooded homeowners are unaware of their entitlement
  • The difference between BBB-specified products and standard reinstatement

Insurance Complaints Handling

Internal complaints process vs. FOS

  • How the insurer's internal complaints process actually works
  • Documented case: ten formal complaints raised, ten upheld, compensation paid on each
  • When and how to escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service
  • Common reasons insurer recoveries go wrong

Flood-Resilient Construction

BS 85500:2025 and Ciria C790

  • What the standards require for flood-resilient construction
  • Why most insurer-managed rebuilds do not meet them
  • The damp-proof membrane continuity question — the single most common failure
  • Specification, oversight, and the role of independent advisors

Homeowner Experience

What flooded households actually face

  • The first 72 hours after a flood — what helps and what doesn't
  • Displacement durations and the secondary financial impact
  • The asymmetry of power between homeowner and insurer-appointed chain
  • Specific four-county events, where relevant

Independent Advisory Category

A regulatory grey zone

  • Where the FCA perimeter sits for independent flood advisors
  • The distinction between consultancy and claims management
  • Why no clear regulatory home exists for the category
  • How RISE positions itself within that landscape

Climate & Policy Landscape

Where flood policy is heading

  • Flood Re and its limitations as cover expires for new builds
  • The Environment Agency's shifting role on surface water
  • Climate adaptation funding and the homeowner gap
  • What good national policy on PFR would look like

Key resources for journalists

Useful starting points before a first conversation:

Cinderella of Flooding

A long-read investigative piece on why surface water flooding is the most under-served area of UK flood management. With data, case examples, and policy critique.

Read →

The Evidence page

The case study underpinning RISE's methodology. Includes the Independent Expert Report findings, the Section 19 case, and a documented record of insurer recovery failures.

Read →

The three Resources guides

First 72 hours after a flood, the Build Back Better entitlement, and the Section 19 statutory investigation process. Practical, technical, written for English homeowners.

Read →

Section 19 PDF

The publicly-available Section 19 investigation report from the documented case in Buckinghamshire. Useful as a primary source.

Download PDF →

Lead times and availability

Standard lead time: 24–48 hours for first response. Faster for breaking flood events in the four-county patch.

During active flood events: RISE prioritises serving affected clients first. Press capacity is reduced but not closed — please flag urgency clearly.

Format: RISE is available for written comment, recorded interview (audio or video), live broadcast (phone or remote video), and in-person interview within reasonable travel of Buckinghamshire.

What RISE will do:

  • Provide background briefing on any of the topics listed above
  • Speak on the record where the angle is fair and the question is specific
  • Contribute written comment, op-ed, or longer-form articles (commercial commissions handled via the support the work page)
  • Connect journalists to other named experts where appropriate (with their consent)

What RISE will not do:

  • Quote insurance companies, contractors, or individuals by name where this would breach client confidentiality or fairness
  • Provide content for stories that materially misrepresent the field
  • Comment on cases where RISE is the active advisor without the client's explicit consent

Recent coverage

RISE is a recently launched consultancy. Media mentions, on-record quotes, and broadcast appearances will be listed here as they accumulate. To be the first journalist to cover the launch — please get in touch via the contact details below.

Speaking engagements

RISE's founder is available for speaking engagements at flood industry conferences, panel discussions, professional association events, and academic gatherings. Topics include all of those listed above, with particular depth on the lived experience of recovery, independent advisory work, and the Section 19 case study.

Commercial terms for speaking engagements are handled via the support the work page. Pro bono engagements for charitable, academic, or community-facing events are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Press contact

Email: sebastian@risefloodrecovery.co.uk

Subject line: Please prefix “Press enquiry” for fastest response

Phone: 07391 151719

WhatsApp: wa.me/447391151719

Press enquiries currently handled directly by RISE's founder. A dedicated PR contact may be appointed as press volume grows.

Current Conditions

Current flood conditions across England

Live data from the Environment Agency, refreshed every 15 minutes.