The next step

To the government grant site

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Defra's form

[Form]

Funding for flooded properties

Do you qualify?

The government Repair and Renewal Grant scheme came into effect on 1 April (see The next step ). It’s available to all homeowners and businesses affected by flooding from 1 December 2013 to 31 March 2014.

Tip. In addition to the grant, flood-affected businesses are also able to claim 100% relief on rates for the period. To benefit from this, you will need to speak to your local authority.

How to get hold of the money?

The grants of up to £5,000 will be made available to install flood mitigation measures to properties that have flooded over the winter period. How this will be administered will depend on your local authority; however, most will require you to complete a Defra prepared Property Protection Adviser form online (see The next step ).

Tip. To qualify for the grant, you will need to submit this document to your local authority. Once the grant is approved in principle you will be responsible for arranging a survey and for instructing a company to carry out the required work. Once completed you will need to submit receipts to your local authority, which will then give you your grant finances.

Not a DIY job

In this instance, you can’t decide how the money should be spent. The survey of your property and installation of flood mitigation measures will need to be carried out in a standard format by a competent person.

Tip 1. There’s no shortage of surveyors out there - a search on the Internet will find over 100,000 results. But it’s best to find someone local who will be best placed to identify which steps are suited to your needs. These recommendations will be based on their knowledge of how flooding affected the area.

Tip 2. Some will charge a fee to complete the survey - it should be about £250. However, if you engage them to complete the remedial work, this fee may be refundable.

Tip 3. Some surveyors will manage the whole process, including applying for the grant from the government. So if you’re not able to commit much time to the process, this is probably the best option.

Flood defences

Although your surveyor is best placed to come up with solutions to protect your business, you can expect them to suggest the following:

• fitting removable door and window guards. These slide into place in a matter of minutes and take the place of sandbags
• applying sealant to brick and block work. Most people incorrectly assume that water only flows through doors
• fitting non-return valves to drainage outlets. These prevent foul water from flooding the property by flowing back into the property via toilets, plug holes, waste pipes etc.

For a link to the government website and the Defra form, visit http://tipsandadvice-environment.co.uk/download (EN 08.11.03).