Flood risk
What should you do if the England flood check mentions reservoirs?
Read it as reservoir risk for the area, which is one of the kinds of flooding GOV.UK’s service maps. It is not a condition rating, not a statement that this house has flooded, and not a defect the surveyor can photograph. The service also says it does not tell you how likely it is that an individual property will flood.
Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Written for buyers in England and Wales unless this answer says otherwise. No named surveyor has signed this page. It is general guidance, not a report on your house, and not legal advice.
What is the fuller explanation?
A surveyor who copies a reservoir sentence into a report should keep it in the environmental section and say it came from the public map. They should not rate the roof or the damp-proof course because a reservoir exists miles away. If they saw no physical flood resilience and no historic staining, that is a description of the building, not a clearance of the map.
Questions about what the reservoir note means for insurance belong with insurers and with your solicitor’s searches. This page states no premium and no excess. Do not ask a builder to “price the reservoir”. There is nothing for them to price unless the building itself has a defect.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Are you quoting the GOV.UK service, or did you see flood damage?
- Have you separated that sentence from the condition ratings?
- Is the address in England, where this service applies?
What are the typical next steps?
- Save the map result with the legal papers.
- Do not negotiate a roof reduction because of a reservoir line.
- Ask insurers if you need to know whether they will cover the address.
Costs vary with the building and with who you instruct. Where this page does not cite a published figure, ask the surveyor, a relevant specialist, or your solicitor for a written quote. Do not treat a forum average as the price.
Also asked about this
Does a reservoir note mean you must install flood doors?
No. The map does not specify products. Flood doors are a choice after you understand the risk, not a survey instruction.
Can the surveyor inspect the reservoir?
No. It is not part of the house.