Storms and extremely bad weather seem to come our way more regularly.
We’ve put together some guidance on how to prepare for it and how to deal with damage (for example caused by high winds or flooding) afterwards.
Reporting damage
If your repair is an emergency, call 0800 014 15 45 (Freephone) which will be answered by the out of hours service when the office is closed. It is always a good idea to take photos of the damage where possible and when it is safe to do so. The app invites you to take a photo anyway when reporting a repair.
If you are a Soha Housing customer, please report damage as soon as possible using our report a repair form on this website or the repair function of MySoha. (Download app Android or Apple)
Flooding
Storms can cause flooding from overflowing water mains and drains. If your home has been flooded contact us straight away. If there is water coming into your property and it’s safe to do so, move contents to upper floors or higher areas to prevent further damage.
We will want to check your home is safe and secure. Home contents insurance can be invaluable at a time like this as you will be able to claim for replacements of the household items you have insured.
Trees, fencing and outbuilding repairs
Strong winds means trees can become unstable or even fall, causing damage to homes, buildings, cars and gardens. Please let us know if a tree is looking dangerous or if one falls near your home.
If a tree falls in a public area outside your home please report it to your local authority. There are two ways of finding out which Council area you live in: by looking at your Council Tax bill, or by visiting the government’s council finder.
Fencing
Fencing is often damaged in strong winds, so keep it in good condition to keep it as sturdy as possible. How Soha and you, as our customer, divide up responsibility for fencing is detailed in your tenancy agreement or lease.
Garages and outbuildings
An outbuilding separate to your home, for example, if you have a shed, is your responsibility to repair and maintain.
If you rent a garage you rent from Soha and it gets damaged, please contact us. You can report a garage repair in the same way as one needed on your home: via the repairs section of this website, or on the Soha app.
Soha homeowners may have different, or additional, repair responsibilities. You will find them listed in your lease or welcome pack, or you can contact our Home Ownership Manager.
Guttering
Please don’t report overflowing guttering during a major storm as this might just be the result of a sudden large volume of rain which will eventually disperse. Only report a problem with your guttering if it is blocked and overflows in light rain.
Help yourself before a storm hits
Reduce the potential for damage by using the tips below and (where necessary) report problems to our repairs team early.
- If you have prior warning, ensure that things outside are either placed indoors or securely fixed down so they don’t blow away and damage your, or someone else’s, property.
- Check your boundary fences are in good condition.
- Check to make sure that drain pipes and gutters are properly fixed in place.
- If possible please keep your gutters and drains clear so that rain water can drain away.
- Look out for slipped or cracked slates and tiles and report them as soon as possible.
- Check brickwork and report any cracks in external walls.
- Check external woodwork is in good condition and report any problems.
Insurance claims for shared owners/leaseholders
For shared owners/leaseholders claims for repairing external storm damage are usually dealt with under Soha’s buildings insurance policy. Talk to our Home Ownership Manager for clarification.
Soha does not provide home contents insurance to cover replacement of personal items, but we do recommend you get suitable cover from the first day you move in.
Useful resources
- For guidance and advice on storms and gales visit the Met Office website; there are several free apps for hourly weather forecasts, including BBC Weather. There is also a BBC Weather website.
- For information regarding the likelihood of flooding in your area, existing and planned flood defences, historical records and an assessment of future flood risk visit the Environment Agency website.
- The Traffic England website features a free service showing the passability of roads (in all weathers, not just bad weather) in real time to help you plan your journeys.