Advice for our residents in the event of a flood

Report Flooding

The public should report any incidents of flooding to the Flood Incident Line T. 0300 2000 100. This number is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You don’t have to contact the Rivers Agency, Roads Service or NI Water. When you ring, a member of staff will take all your details and contact the appropriate agency on your behalf. You can also call this number if you need sandbags to protect your property.
This is a non emergency number but if anyone is in real danger then the emergency services should be contacted on 999.
 

Electricity Problems: if you are having problems with your electricity, please contact the NIE Customer Helpline on 0845 7643 643 
 

Blocked Sewers: if you think there is a blockage or if your property has been flooded by a public sewer, please call Northern Ireland Water on 03457 440088, helpline available 24 hours a day. Further information on preventing blockages can be found on the Northern Ireland Water website: Blockages - Northern Ireland Water

Preparing for flooding

You may already know that you live or have a business in an area that has flooded before or is at risk of flooding.  These are suggestions on being prepared for flooding: 

• Keep a few sandbags to block doorways. 
• Be prepared to seal airbricks with plastic covers, cloths or towels. 
• Make a Household flood plan | nidirect 
• Listen to local weather, news and travel bulletins on radio and TV. You can also check for warnings of severe weather on the Met Office website or register to receive alerts via email at UK weather warnings - Met Office  - you can also follow on Twitter or download the app.
• Make sure you have adequate insurance and that you are covered for flood damage. If you own your own home you should have both buildings and contents insurance. If you live in public or private rented accommodation you should have contents insurance. Your landlord should have buildings insurance on the property. 
• Talk to your neighbours and consider having a community emergency plan for your area. Consider that there may be vulnerable people near you who could use your help in a flooding emergency. 
• Consider the various ways flood water could enter your home and consider making changes to prevent this. 
• Report a road drainage fault | nidirect - via the NI Direct website if there is an issue with blocked gullies, roadside drainage or ponding.

Rate Relief Schemes for Households and Businesses

Land and Property Services (LPS) can assist ratepayers and businesses experiencing financial difficulties.  It is essential that ratepayers impacted by flooding contact LPS as soon as possible to discuss options that best suit their circumstances.

T: 0300 200 7801 (calls charged at local rate)
Text Relay: 18001 0300 200 7801
W: www.finance-ni.gov.uk/contacts/contact-land-property-services

Hardship Rate Relief Scheme

Hardship Rate Relief for non-domestic rates is aimed at providing rate relief to assist a business in its recovery from a temporary crisis resulting from an exceptional circumstance  Download an application form from the nibusinessinfo website: www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/content/hardship-rate-relief

Non Domestic Vacant Rating (and Exclusions)

Businesses can apply for rate relief for vacant commerical properties.

Download an application form from the nibusinessinfo website: https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/content/non-domestic-vacant-rating

Household Flood Plan

A household flood plan can help to reduce the impact of flooding: 

• Make a household emergency life-saving plan with everyone in your house. This will make sure you know where to meet each other if you become separated and will help you to write down a list of important contact numbers and information in advance.
• Plan who will turn off the gas if water enters your home. You should not touch any electrical fittings and do not need to turn off the mains water supply.
• Make up an emergency kit and add extra things you will need in a flooding emergency like rubber gloves, waterproof clothing and boots.
• Think about what belongings you can move now and what you would want to move during a flood. Make sure you move your treasured family possessions to safety before a flood. It’s also useful to plan in advance what other things you might like to move to safety such as cars, pets, furniture and items in your garden.

What to do After a Flood

Cleaning up after a flood is heavy, manual work. You can get detailed advice on NI Direct about:

• Returning to a property after flooding
• Scheme for Emergency Financial Assistance (SEFA)
• Checking your electricity supply and electrical appliances
• Checking gas supply and gas appliances after a flood
• Protecting yourself while cleaning up
• Looking after your health while cleaning up
• Getting rid of floodwater
• Cleaning surfaces in your home
• Drying the building
• Major redecoration or repair work
• Contacting utility supplier

SEFA Scheme

The Emergency Payment scheme for flooding is open until 16 November 2023 at present.  Householders who have suffered severe inconvenience from flooding can claim £1,000 payment via this scheme.  

The first step in this process is to contact the Flooding Incident Line – 0300 2000 100 for assistance.  Contact must be made as soon as possible following the flooding event (and no later than 7 calendar days).   

Homeowner Flood Protection Grant Scheme

If you own your home and experienced indoor flooding from a river, sea, surface water or sewerage, you could be eligible for a grant to protect your home against flooding. It is a government scheme to help homeowners who:

• experienced flooding in their home at least once in last twenty five years
• live in an area where there is a recognised risk of flooding

The grant could cover some or most of the cost of installing barrier equipment to protect a home from flooding in the future. The Homeowner Flood Protection Grant scheme grant scheme is not open to tenants. 

Find out more at Homeowner flood protection grant scheme application pack | Department for Infrastructure (infrastructure-ni.gov.uk)