alison01326 Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 I was just thinking earlier about the flooding in the Surrey/Berkshire area and knowing that some of the sites on the banks of the Thames have caravan storage (Chertsey, for example and also Walton on Thames) I wondered what I would do if faced with a home which was flooding and a storage site which was flooding. Would I try and sort out the house, and leave the caravan or would I leave the house, fetch the caravan and go and live in it until the floods died down. Bearing in mind that a lot of people store their caravans somewhere other than at home because they have no space to store them this must be a nightmare scenario for many. Where would a person put their caravan out of harm's way at short notice. I sincerely hope that this is a hypothetical situation and that no-one on the forum is experiencing this dilemma in real life. Quote The traveller sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see (GK Chesterton) There's no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong equipment (Alfred Wainwright) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shipbroker Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 . ..........only observation I would make is that if the roads are even slightly flooded there is bound to be water ingress via vent holes into caravan. ....... geoff Quote Kia Sorento KX-1 CRDI 4WD towing an Elddis Affinity 530 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wunny Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Well. if the house was going to be flooded, you wouldn't be taking the Van home. I'd move the van asap to a dry location, this would be a priority, while the rest of the family and friends move vulnerable stuff upstairs, or where ever possible, move it to store it somewhere dry. The house will very soon be damp upstairs too, so belongings stored upstairs will suffer from damp & mold. Then go live in the van for the next year or more, because that is likely to be how long it will take to get the house back to normal. Everything on the ground floor, or below will be ruined, even the walls will suffer unless they are stone. This weather and flooding is going to cause people a lot of grief for a long time. Oh, and what's the betting that everyone's insurance premiums will increase to cover the insurance companies losses and that they will never go down again, even if we never had another flood! Quote Bailey Orion News & Information - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exkiaman Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 If it comes down to a question of priorities then it has to be 'house first' every time; after all that is the place most of us live in for the majority of the year. Having done everything I could to secure my house and minimize the damage I would only then turn my thoughts to the caravan. I'm lucky, our caravan is on the drive and we are a little way up a hill but my heart goes out to the hundreds of people who now find themselves with flooded properties and months of misery ahead of them. Oh, and what's the betting that everyone's insurance premiums will increase to cover the insurance companies losses and that they will never go down again, even if we never had another flood! Probably a foregone conclusion! But the worst bit is that after these floods you will get 'postcode exclusion', so that if you live in that postcode you won't be able to insure against flooding even if your house wasn't flooded this time round! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davros18 Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Its easy to say when you are not presented with such a decision but I'm pretty certain I'd move the caravan, at the end of the day the house can't move and if its going to flood there is very little you can do to stop it. At least if you have moved the caravan out of harms way you can use it to gain a little respite during the hard months ahead while the repairs are carried out on your house. My thoughts and best wishes are with anyone who has been affected by the floods. Davros Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CommanderDave Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Move the caravan to higher ground in case you need to live in it . Chances are the caravan will be worth more than the house after the house is flooded ? Dave Quote Jeep Commander 3. 0 V6 CRD Isuzu D- Max Utah Auto Elddis Crusader Storm 2000 Kgs, Unipart Royal Atlas Mover . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coldog Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 <cut> At least if you have moved the caravan out of harms way you can use it to gain a little respite during the hard months ahead while the repairs are carried out on your house. That would be my opinion too, but it is amazing to see so many vans and motorhomes on the pictures on the news, which look like they ar outside homes rather than storage, that are flooded. I guess it depends how quickly it happens and how quickly you could react, if you had somewhere to go etc. Quote Cruzer, aka ColinGrowing old is unavoidable, growing up is optional. .. Hyundai Santa Fe & Bailey Pegeant Bretagne. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PR1 Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Friends of mine could do nothing, as their caravan is on a storeage site in Southern France, that got flooded last week. Their caravan is a write off, along with a number of other British owned caravans! Quote 2019 Bailey Platinum (640) Phoenix from Chipping Sodbury caravans, towed by our 2017 my Discovery Sport! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonyv Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 (edited) Flooded in 2001. 15 month old van written off; new for old policy only applied in first 12 months (my fault). No-one, until/unless they've experienced it, has a clue about the emotional impact. We were out of our house for 5 months. We had no increase in insurance premiums, though, not even in our excess. t. Edited February 11, 2014 by Tonyv Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KontikiKid Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 I think I'd try to salvage anything that was moveable Russell Quote Online blog and travels, although sometimes there is a lack of travel due to work! It's an uncharted sea, it's an unopened door but you've got to reach out and you've got to explore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garry BP6 Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Though I don't live in near by Wraysbury which is one of the most affected flood areas but I do have my caravan stored there in a friends yard, though family friends live in the village there just about safe for the moment but only just. .. Quote 2008 Bailey Pageant Champagne series 6 / 2014 model Kampa Rally Pro 390 porch awning 2013 Honda CR-V SE diesel + 2005 Honda CR-V diesel Sport Pollycotton Outwell Trout Lake tunnel tent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nevonheronlake Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 If it comes down to a question of priorities then it has to be 'house first' every time; after all that is the place most of us live in for the majority of the year. Having done everything I could to secure my house and minimize the damage I would only then turn my thoughts to the caravan. I'm lucky, our caravan is on the drive and we are a little way up a hill but my heart goes out to the hundreds of people who now find themselves with flooded properties and months of misery ahead of them. Probably a foregone conclusion! But the worst bit is that after these floods you will get 'postcode exclusion', so that if you live in that postcode you won't be able to insure against flooding even if your house wasn't flooded this time round! On the news few days ago that a deal had been done that everybody,s premium is to rise X% to cover other peoples flood dammage, BUT houses built after 2009 will have to pay lot more if they have been built any where near a flood plain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RYCKO Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 I think I would collect and move the caravan whilst the rest of the family (wife, and kids) moved things in the house. It must be heart breaking for those effected, and I can only wish everyone the best luck in the world, hoping it (the rain) stops soon, and some level of normality can begin. We are very luck not to be in a flood risk area, but what we do as a business is directly effected by the poor weather. Tuff times ahead. best wishes to all who's life is underwater Quote Power unit at front all the time, Van behind (hopefully) some of the time unless I'm reversing then it's all the other way round . .... Or is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WispMan Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Listening to R4 this morning, I don't think people get any warning. They wake up to floods outside and have a few minutes to get some clothes packed. In that case, your worry is about the house and not the caravan. Quote Graham Unless otherwise stated all posts are my personal opinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodie106 Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 This has made me think - we store our MH in a marina!! The medway hasn't flooded as yet, certainly not where we are anyway. Only trouble i'd have moving the MH is that its currently sorned while we're not using it!! The caravan store is a few metres up from the rest of the marina, but i suppose it wouldn't take that much for the water to get up to that level. Might give the marina a call just for piece of mind Quote I refer you to the Rt Hon Member for the 19th Century.....................pictured just to the left of your screen.................. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyPoole Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Listening to R4 this morning, I don't think people get any warning. They wake up to floods outside and have a few minutes to get some clothes packed. In that case, your worry is about the house and not the caravan. i heard this too but let me think? Its been raining hard for serveral weeks Rivers all over the south are flooding You live in a low lying area or one prone to flooding Other low lying areas have flooded Do you start making your own plans and moving valuable items to safety well in advance or Do you wait for a government agency to tell you its about to flood! People complain about the nanny state but some people seem to need to be told waht to do Quote Bailey Pageant Bretagne Series 6 - LR Discovery Td5 Auto Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CommanderDave Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Why we allow builders to,buy flood plains cheap and local council allow houses to be built and we all end picking up the bill . As David said yesterday even you don't need insurance as you can claim on the flood hardship scheme if uninsured. Stop the building on flood plains it's quite simple. Dave Quote Jeep Commander 3. 0 V6 CRD Isuzu D- Max Utah Auto Elddis Crusader Storm 2000 Kgs, Unipart Royal Atlas Mover . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wunny Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 I remember some years ago a large car dealership in Cambridgeshire, bought land on a flood plain and applied for planning permission to build a huge showroom on it. The Council rejected the plans as it was on a flood plain, the car dealer appealed, it was rejected. The car dealer kept pushing for planning permission, up to the House of Lords and eventually it got planning permission. Up went the showrooms and all the other facilities and it looked very nice and prestigious, until. ..... . ......... the flood plain did what it was supposed to do and all the cars were soggy up to their roofs! That is the folly of building on a flood plain! Quote Bailey Orion News & Information - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodie106 Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 On my way in to work on the train i pass quite a big flood plain on the banks of the Thames & at the moment its just a huge lake, but as its used for its intended purpose, only a few sheep have been inconvenienced. Quote I refer you to the Rt Hon Member for the 19th Century.....................pictured just to the left of your screen.................. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KontikiKid Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Called in to see a storage site near Sheffield early and I noted quite a lot of standing water. A pump was in use channelling water away. Russell Quote Online blog and travels, although sometimes there is a lack of travel due to work! It's an uncharted sea, it's an unopened door but you've got to reach out and you've got to explore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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