Improving property flood resilience
As the UK braces itself for another wet autumn and winter, experts from the built environment are working together to improve property flood resilience (PFR).
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) are among those who are collaborating.
The two organisations are aiming to strengthen surveyors’ expertise in PFR and help homeowners and businesses access trusted professional advice.
RICS will support the ongoing development and promotion of CIWEM’s Property Flood Resilience (PFR) training programme and Specialist Register to its members.
Through the RICS Find a Surveyor service, consumers will be able to identify firms offering flooding-related services, including firms whose professionals have completed CIWEM’s PFR training and joined the Specialist Register.
As communities face increasing flood risk, surveyors have an important role in assessing properties, advising owners and supporting measures that reduce damage and enable faster recovery.
The collaboration aims to increase the number of surveyors with recognised PFR competence and improve consistency in the assessment, design and delivery of resilience measures.
CIWEM developed its training programme with the Environment Agency, aligned to the Code of Practice for Property Flood Resilience.
Its independently assessed Specialist Register provides assurance of professional competence.
The collaboration supports the FloodReady Action Plan’s recommendations to improve awareness, competence and professional assurance, including closer engagement with RICS on training, competency frameworks and professional standards.
Minister of State for Water and Flooding, Emma Hardy, said: “Flooding is truly devastating, turning lives upside down and leaving communities facing enormous uncertainty.
“Getting the right advice as a homeowner or business shouldn't be a struggle, and this partnership means trusted, dependable expertise will be easier to find when people need it most.
“As we invest £10.5 billion by March 2036 towards new flood schemes, this government is pleased to support this excellent example of collaboration in action, helping people prepare for the worst and recover more quickly when it happens.”
John Curtin, CIWEM President, added: “Flood resilience ultimately comes down to people being able to get the right advice and take practical action.
“By working with RICS, we can help property owners and businesses identify professionals who have recognised, independently assessed expertise in PFR.
“That gives people greater confidence in the advice they receive and helps turn the ambitions of the FloodReady Action Plan into action on the ground.
“With flood risk increasing, collaborations like this are an important part of helping more people and places become better prepared.”