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ARTICLE · 07 JULY 2016

Flooding - Who Is Responsible For The Damage?

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This winter saw yet more flooding, devastating businesses and homes in the north of England and Scotland.

United KingdomReal Estate and Construction
Chloe Dexter
Chloe Dexter

This winter saw yet more flooding, devastating businesses and homes in the north of England and Scotland. Where flooding results from natural causes – heavy rainfall and rising rivers – there is nobody to blame. So who is responsible for fixing the damage to leased commercial properties?

The potential disruption to businesses from flooding is significant.  In terms of physical damage, this can include a property being inaccessible or damaged, a lack of essential services and loss of stock. Additional disruption includes an inability to trade, loss of profit, a long term loss of customers and goodwill, and a reduction in the value of a property.  Business interruption insurance is unlikely to cover all of this.

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