Buying a house in Lancashire involves more than checking whether the kitchen needs updating or whether the garden gets enough sun. Before exchange, it is worth considering the property’s exposure to flooding and the possibility of ground movement, including subsidence.
A sensible flood risk and subsidence Lancashire check should combine several sources of information: government flood-risk mapping, relevant conveyancing searches, the property’s previous flood history, visible signs of movement, the surrounding ground and drainage, and an appropriate RICS Home Survey. Where a concern is identified, further specialist investigation may be needed. An online map or desktop search is useful background information, but it cannot tell you everything about the individual building.
Why Should Lancashire Homebuyers Check Flood and Subsidence Risk?
Flooding and ground movement can affect a property’s condition, maintenance requirements, insurance and, in some circumstances, its value or mortgageability. Checking these risks before exchange gives a buyer time to investigate concerns rather than discovering them after completion.
Flood risk can affect whether a property is practical to insure and may have implications for value and mortgage lending. RICS notes that a property’s flood history, physical characteristics, insurance availability and flood mitigation measures may all be relevant considerations.
Subsidence is a different issue, but the principle is similar. A building showing signs of movement may require further investigation, and the cause matters. Cracking caused by historic settlement, thermal movement, leaking drainage or an underlying ground problem should not all be treated as the same thing.
What Types of Flood Risk Should Buyers Check?
Flood risk is not limited to homes beside a river. A property can be affected by river, coastal, surface water or groundwater flooding, while drainage problems can create localised water issues that are not necessarily shown by broad flood maps.
River flooding
This occurs when watercourses exceed their capacity and flood surrounding land. A property does not necessarily have to sit immediately beside a river for river flooding to be relevant.
Coastal flooding
Coastal locations can be affected by high tides, storm conditions and coastal flooding. This can be relevant when considering properties around Lancashire’s coastal areas.
Surface water flooding
This is often the less obvious risk. Heavy rainfall can overwhelm drainage systems or run across land faster than it can drain away. The Environment Agency’s long-term flood service includes surface-water information precisely because flood risk is not just about rivers and the sea.
Groundwater flooding
Groundwater levels can rise and cause flooding, particularly where local ground and drainage conditions allow water to reach properties. The government service includes groundwater risk where data is available.
Drainage and localised flooding
A blocked gully, inadequate drainage arrangement or water backing up around a building can create a property-specific problem without necessarily indicating that the whole surrounding area is a high flood-risk location.
How Can You Check the Flood Risk of a Lancashire Property?
The best starting point is the government’s long-term flood-risk service, followed by property-specific questions, conveyancing information and a physical inspection. No single source provides the complete picture.
1. Check the Government Long-Term Flood Risk Service
The GOV.UK service allows you to search an area in England for long-term risks from rivers and the sea, surface water, reservoirs and groundwater, where data is available.
There is an important limitation, though: the service itself states that it does not tell you how likely an individual property is to flood and does not cover every source, such as blocked drains or burst pipes. So treat the map as a screening tool, not a property-specific verdict.
2. Ask Whether the Property Has Flooded Before
Ask the seller directly whether the property has previously flooded and make sure relevant information is considered through the conveyancing process. Previous flooding can be more informative than simply looking at a flood zone, particularly where the event was caused by surface water, drainage or a combination of sources.
3. Look Beyond the House Itself
When viewing the property, look at the site as well as the building.
Consider:
- Ground levels around the house
- External gullies and drainage channels
- Sloping land
- Nearby watercourses
- Signs of water staining or previous repairs
- Dampness around lower walls
- Where rainwater is discharged from roofs
You are not trying to carry out a flood risk assessment during a house viewing. You are looking for clues that justify asking better questions.
4. Check Insurance Before Exchange
RICS advises buyers to consider flood risk because it can affect buildings insurance and, in turn, mortgage availability and property value. It is much better to establish whether appropriate cover is available before committing to the purchase.
5. Get Professional Advice Where the Position Is Unclear
If the property has a known flood history, visible water-related problems or other unusual circumstances, further professional advice may be appropriate.
Is Flood Risk Higher in Some Parts of Lancashire?
Flood risk varies significantly across Lancashire, so a town- or county-wide label is not enough to assess an individual property. The property’s postcode, setting, drainage, topography, nearby watercourses and previous flood history all need to be considered.
Lancashire includes coastal areas, river catchments, urban locations, rural communities and properties at very different ground levels. That creates a varied flood-risk picture rather than one uniform county-wide condition.
There is documented history of flooding in several Lancashire communities. For example, Lancashire County Council records significant historic flooding in central Lancashire, including Preston, South Ribble and Chorley, while historical records for Croston document flooding from a combination of surface water and the River Yarrow.
Lancaster has also experienced significant flooding, including during Storm Desmond in December 2015, with subsequent flood-defence work around the River Lune.
These records provide local context, not a conclusion about any particular house. A property in Preston, Lytham St Annes, Blackpool, Lancaster, Blackburn, Burnley, Chorley or Leyland needs to be considered on its own circumstances.
What Is Subsidence and How Is It Different from Settlement?
Subsidence is the downward movement of a building’s foundations caused by changes in the supporting ground. It is different from normal settlement and cannot be diagnosed simply by spotting a crack.
Settlement can occur as a building and its foundations adjust after construction. Historic buildings can also show movement for reasons unrelated to active subsidence. From a surveying perspective, the important question is not simply “Is there a crack?” but “What does the pattern of movement suggest, and is it progressive?”
A surveyor will consider matters such as the location and pattern of cracking, the building’s construction, its age, previous alterations, the surrounding ground and other visible evidence. That is why a photograph of one crack cannot reliably establish that a property is subsiding.
What Can Cause Subsidence?
Subsidence can have several causes, including shrinkable clay soils, vegetation, leaking drains or water mains and historic mining activity. The cause needs to be established before deciding what action, if any, is required.
Can clay soil cause subsidence?
Yes, some properties are founded on shrinkable clay. Changes in soil moisture can cause clay to shrink, particularly during prolonged dry conditions.
Can trees contribute to subsidence?
They can in susceptible ground conditions. Tree roots can draw moisture from shrinkable soils, potentially contributing to soil volume changes. RICS notes that the relationship between vegetation, soil and foundations needs to be assessed rather than assuming a nearby tree is automatically responsible.
Can leaking drains cause ground movement?
Yes, leaking drains or water mains can alter or wash away supporting soils in some circumstances. RICS identifies defective pipework as one possible cause of subsidence.
Could historic mining be relevant?
Potentially, but only where the property is in an affected area.
The Mining Remediation Authority’s GOV.UK service allows buyers to check whether a property is in a former coal-mining area and whether a mining report should be ordered. Mining reports can include information about mine entries, gas emissions and other recorded coal-mining hazards.
That does not mean Lancashire properties generally are affected by mining-related subsidence. The relevance depends on the property’s location and the recorded mining history.
What Are the Warning Signs of Subsidence?
Possible signs of subsidence include new or expanding cracks, sticking doors or windows and new sloping or dipping solid floors. However, these symptoms can have other causes, so they should not be treated as a diagnosis on their own.
Look out for:
- New cracks in internal plasterwork
- Cracks appearing or widening in external masonry
- Cracking around openings such as windows and doors
- Doors or windows becoming difficult to open or close
- New sloping or dipping solid floors
- Evidence that cracking is progressive
The pattern can be more informative than the mere presence of a crack. A crack might result from drying or shrinkage of plaster, thermal movement, localised defects or previous alterations. Conversely, a relatively modest crack can deserve investigation if it forms part of a wider pattern of movement.
Does an RICS Home Survey Check for Flooding and Subsidence?
An RICS Home Survey can identify visible signs of defects, dampness, subsidence or structural movement within its agreed scope, but it is not a complete flood-risk, geotechnical or structural-engineering investigation. Where concerns are identified, further specialist investigation may be recommended.
What does a Level 2 Home Survey cover?
A RICS Level 2 Home Survey is generally intended for conventional properties in reasonable condition. It provides a structured assessment of visible condition and highlights significant defects or matters requiring further investigation. MBS provides RICS Level 2 HomeBuyer Reports as part of its residential Building Surveying services.
When is a Level 3 Building Survey more appropriate?
A RICS Level 3 Building Survey provides a more detailed assessment and is generally more suitable for older, larger, altered, unusual or poorer-condition properties. It can be particularly useful where there are concerns about defects, movement or significant refurbishment. MBS provides Level 3 Building Surveys for these types of residential property.
Neither service should be described as a guarantee that hidden problems will be found. Access, visibility and the agreed scope of the inspection all matter.
MBS Chartered Surveyors provides RICS Level 2 and Level 3 Home Surveys, with the appropriate service depending on the property and the scope of inspection required.
What’s the Difference Between a Property Search and an RICS Home Survey?
A property search reviews available records and data, while an RICS Home Survey involves a physical inspection of the property. They answer different questions and neither should be treated as a substitute for the other.
| Property search | RICS Home Survey |
| Reviews available records and environmental information | Physically inspects the accessible property |
| Can identify flood or mining indicators | Can identify visible defects and signs of movement |
| Usually arranged through conveyancing | Instructed by the buyer |
| Does not physically inspect the building fabric | Considers the visible condition of the building |
| Can identify matters requiring further enquiry | Can flag areas requiring specialist investigation |
RICS specifically advises that a solicitor’s desktop flood search is not a substitute for a Chartered Surveyor’s physical inspection. GOV.UK also makes clear that a mortgage valuation is not a survey and recommends that buyers consider an appropriate professional survey before purchase.
The practical answer is therefore: use the search to understand the property’s recorded and environmental background, and use the survey to understand the visible condition of the building.
What Should You Check Before Exchange?
Before exchange, buyers should combine environmental information, conveyancing searches, seller information, physical inspection and professional advice rather than relying on one source alone.
A useful checklist is:
- Check the government’s long-term flood-risk information.
- Ask whether the property has flooded previously.
- Review environmental, local authority and water-and-drainage searches.
- Check whether a coal-mining search is relevant to the property’s location.
- Arrange an appropriate RICS Home Survey.
- Read any comments about cracking, movement, dampness or drainage carefully.
- Obtain specialist advice if the surveyor recommends further investigation.
- Check that appropriate buildings insurance is available.
- Understand the likely repair and maintenance implications.
- Resolve significant unanswered questions before legally committing to the purchase.
There is a useful timing point here, too. Once a survey identifies a concern, you want enough time to investigate it while you still have options. GOV.UK notes that buyers can use survey findings when discussing repairs or negotiating before purchase.
What Local Surveying Experience Does MBS Have in Lancashire?
MBS Chartered Surveyors has carried out building surveying and condition-related work on properties in Preston and Lytham St Annes, giving the practice practical experience of inspecting established buildings and identifying issues that require further technical consideration.
At Alliance House in Preston, MBS carried out a detailed Building Condition Survey on a mixed-use property of approximately 12,567 sq ft. Constructed around 1960, the building includes retail, office and warehouse accommodation, with the survey assessing the building fabric, condition, maintenance requirements and potential refurbishment needs.
At the Harris Institute in Preston, a Grade II listed building, MBS was appointed to identify and specify remedial works associated with dry rot ahead of a major redevelopment.
MBS also carried out an RAAC Building Condition Survey at Foxton Community Centre in Preston, where its site survey confirmed the presence of RAAC and led to recommendations for remedial action. The building was already due for demolition, and the assessment informed the decision to close the facility earlier.
In Lytham St Annes, MBS has also provided Contract Administration support on the redevelopment of the former JR Taylor retail premises into a proposed boutique hotel, spa and restaurant.
These projects are not presented as flood or subsidence investigations. They demonstrate something more relevant to a homebuyer: experience in inspecting existing buildings, recognising defects and understanding when a visible issue needs further technical attention.
Why Choose MBS Chartered Surveyors for a Lancashire Home Survey?
MBS Chartered Surveyors is an RICS-regulated surveying practice based in Preston, providing RICS Level 2 and Level 3 Home Surveys alongside wider Building Surveying services.
The practice’s founding Director, Mark Milligan MRICS, is a Chartered Building Surveyor with more than 25 years’ experience across construction and real estate. He holds a BSc (Hons) in Building Surveying and MIWFM, and previously served a four-year term on the RICS Board in Qatar.
That experience is relevant because good surveying is rarely about naming the most dramatic possibility.
A crack may be significant, or it may not. A damp patch may be linked to rainwater, plumbing or another defect. A property can appear to have a flood-related risk on a desktop map while the building itself has never flooded.
The professional task is to identify what the available evidence actually shows, explain its limitations and recommend further investigation where the evidence warrants it.
Is a Level 2 or Level 3 Survey Better for an Older Lancashire Property?
A Level 3 survey is generally the more appropriate starting point for an older, altered, unusual or complex property, but age alone does not automatically determine the survey level.
A buyer should consider:
- Construction type
- Age and history of the building
- Previous extensions or alterations
- Visible condition
- Size and complexity
- Signs of movement or other defects
- Plans for refurbishment
A well-maintained older house of straightforward construction may not present the same surveying requirements as a substantially altered property with signs of movement.
Buying a Home in Lancashire? Get the Right Survey Before You Commit
Flood risk and subsidence are not reasons to assume a property is unsuitable. They are reasons to ask better questions before you commit to buying it.
Check the environmental information. Ask about previous flooding. Review the conveyancing searches. Look for visible signs of movement. Choose the appropriate RICS Home Survey and act on any recommendation for further investigation.
If you are buying a property in Preston, Lytham St Annes, Blackpool, Lancaster, Blackburn, Burnley, Chorley, Leyland or elsewhere across Lancashire, MBS Chartered Surveyors can discuss the appropriate survey for the building.
Request a Home Survey Quote
Speak to MBS Chartered Surveyors about whether a Level 2 or Level 3 Home Survey is appropriate for your property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my house at risk of flooding in Lancashire?
Flood risk is property-specific and cannot be determined simply from the town or county. Start with the GOV.UK long-term flood-risk service, which provides information about rivers and the sea, surface water, reservoirs and groundwater where data is available. It does not, however, determine the likelihood of flooding for an individual property.
How do I know if a property has previously flooded?
Ask the seller and make sure relevant information is considered during conveyancing. Environmental searches and historical records may provide additional information, while RICS recommends that buyers specifically ask whether the property has flooded before.
What are the first signs of subsidence?
Potential warning signs include new or expanding cracks, sticking doors or windows and new sloping or dipping solid floors. These signs can also have other causes, so they should be assessed in context rather than treated as proof of subsidence.
Does a HomeBuyer Survey check for subsidence?
An RICS Home Survey can identify visible signs consistent with subsidence or structural movement within its inspection scope, but it is not a specialist geotechnical or structural investigation. Where the surveyor identifies concerns, further specialist assessment may be recommended.
Does a HomeBuyer Survey check flood risk?
A Home Survey and a flood-risk search serve different purposes. A physical survey can identify visible evidence of water ingress, dampness or other property-related issues, while environmental and flood searches provide wider information about recorded or modelled flood risk. RICS advises that a desktop flood search is not a substitute for physical inspection.
Should I buy a house that has previously had subsidence?
There is no universal yes-or-no answer. Before deciding, you should understand the cause of the movement, what repairs were undertaken, whether the movement is considered stable, what monitoring or specialist evidence exists, and whether suitable buildings insurance is available.
Do I need a mining search when buying in Lancashire?
It depends on the property’s location. Where a property is in or close to a former coal-mining area, the Mining Remediation Authority provides a service to check whether a mining report should be ordered.
Is a Level 2 or Level 3 Survey better for an older Lancashire property?
Level 3 is generally more suitable for older, larger, altered or unusual properties, particularly where condition or refurbishment concerns exist. The final choice should still reflect the property’s construction, condition and your circumstances rather than age alone.
