Flooded in Abingdon: what to do and who to call

Before you go back in

• Check with the emergency services that it is safe to return to your home.
• Do not turn on the water, gas or electricity. Get the utility company or a qualified engineer to check they are safe first.
• If you are still at home and a flood warning is in force, turn off the gas, electricity and water if it is safe to do so. Do not touch an electrical switch if you are standing in water.
• Floodwater may contain sewage and hide rubbish and debris.
• Do not use tap water if its colour, taste or smell has changed.
• Water that got into downstairs sockets can make the whole electrical system unsafe, so do not assume the upstairs sockets are fine.

Step 1: Get the electrics and gas checked

Electrics

Switch the electricity off at the consumer unit (the fuse box) only if it is safe to do so. Avoid using any mains-powered appliance until a registered electrician tells you it is safe, and do not try electrical repairs or rig up temporary supplies yourself.

Anything electrical that got wet should not be plugged in until it has dried out thoroughly and a qualified electrician has inspected it.

Once the damage has been assessed, NICEIC advises getting an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) to set out the repairs needed. All electrical work in a home must meet Part P of the Building Regulations; an electrician in a competent person scheme can certify their own work.

Gas and heating

Get in touch with a Gas Safe registered engineer before the gas supply goes back on. They will make sure the pipework is not full of water, and the boiler should have a full safety check. Gas or oil central heating should be checked by a qualified engineer before you turn it on.

Anyone employed to work on gas appliances in a home must be a Gas Safe registered engineer.

Step 2: Tell your insurer before you clear up

• Contact your insurer straight away to start your claim.
• Before you clear anything, take photos of the damage and the flood water line, and ask the insurer what you can move and throw away.
• Keep damaged carpets, furniture and belongings until the loss adjuster agrees they can go. You are not expected to keep anything that is a health hazard.
• Temporary emergency repairs to stop the damage getting worse are fine, but speak to your insurer first and keep the receipts.
• If you have to move out and have adequate buildings or contents insurance, your insurer will offer to provide or pay for suitable alternative accommodation.
• A loss adjuster works for the insurance company. A loss assessor represents you and charges a fee.
• After major flooding, it may take a year or longer for a home to be fit to live in again. Most people who have to leave are back within six to nine months.

No insurance

Contact your local Citizens Advice, which can help you apply for financial help. The council may be able to tell you about grants or charities that help with repairs. The National Flood Forum's helpline is 01299 403 055.

Renting

Your landlord is responsible for repairs to your home after flood damage, but not for your belongings.

Unhappy with the claim

Complain to the insurer first. If you do not get a final response within eight weeks, or you are unhappy with it, you can take the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service. It is free, and you have six months from the date of the final response.

Step 3: Clean up safely

• Wear rubber boots, waterproof gloves and a plastic apron. If the work splashes a lot of water, wear a face mask. Clean any cuts and use waterproof plasters.
• Wash your hands with warm water and soap after each cleaning session and any contact with floodwater.
• Do not eat food that has touched floodwater. Throw away fridge food if the power has been off for more than 4 hours, and freezer food after more than 24 hours.
• Do not use petrol or diesel generators, or other fuel-driven equipment, indoors: they give off carbon monoxide.
• Keep young children off flooded grass and paving, and stop pets drinking floodwater.
• Sewage in the house: call Thames Water on 0800 316 9800. It aims to reach internal sewer flooding within 4 hours, though it may take longer in severe weather.
• Asbestos can be present in any building built or refurbished before 2000. Before you rip out damaged materials, ask the council how to check for asbestos and remove it safely.

Getting rid of the waste, once your insurer agrees

• Drayton recycling centre, Steventon Road, Drayton, OX14 4LA, is open every day from 8am to 5pm. Book a slot before every visit.
• Drayton does not take plasterboard: only the Redbridge and Ardley Fields centres do. DIY waste over a small free allowance is charged.
• The Vale's bulky waste collection costs a minimum of £62.50 for up to three items, and does not take DIY waste, fixtures or fittings.

Look after yourself

Anxiety, stress, tiredness and difficulty sleeping are normal after a flood. If you are struggling, see your GP or call NHS 111.

Step 4: Dry the house out

• Heating, dehumidifiers and good ventilation help a home dry out. Keep the thermostat between 20°C and 22°C for steady drying, and make sure air bricks are unblocked.
• If you are claiming, your insurer is likely to bring in specialists, which may include cleaning and drying companies. The electricity used for dehumidifiers may be covered by your policy.
• Drying can take from a few weeks to several months or more.
• Mould should disappear as the house dries. If it stays, contact a specialist cleaner.

Older and listed homes

Old and traditional buildings should be dried slowly and gently. Rapid drying can damage historic fabric. Do not remove lime plaster from the walls. New plaster should wait until a wall is thoroughly dry, which could take at least 12 months.

If the building is listed, ask the planning authority whether you need listed building consent before any stripping out or repairs start. For Abingdon that is the Vale of White Horse: planning, 01235 422600.

Step 5: Repairs, in order

Repairs usually go in this order, so that one job does not undo the last. It is the ordinary building sequence, not an official rule, and your loss adjuster or builder may change it.

1. 1

   1. Electrics tested, repaired or rewired

   Electrician. Look them up with NICEIC or NAPIT, and ask for the certificate for the work.

   Electricians in Abingdon (26 listed) →
2. 2

   2. Boiler, gas appliances and pipework

   Gas Engineer. Check the Gas Safe Register and their ID card.

   Gas Engineers in Oxfordshire (29 listed) →
3. 3

   3. Pipes, drains, toilets and basins

   Plumber. Get a written quote.

   Plumbers in Abingdon (23 listed) →
4. 4

   4. Strip-out and building work

   Builder & General Contractor. Look the firm up on Companies House, and get a written quote.

   Builders & General Contractors in Abingdon (25 listed) →
5. 5

   5. Damp and timber assessment

   Damp Specialist. Get a written quote.

   Damp Specialists in Oxfordshire (8 listed) →
6. 6

   6. Plastering, once the walls are dry

   Plasterer. Make sure the walls have been confirmed dry first.

   Plasterers in Abingdon (5 listed) →
7. 7

   7. Doors, skirting and stairs

   Carpenter & Joiner. Get a written quote.

   Carpenters & Joiners in Abingdon (6 listed) →
8. 8

   8. Kitchen

   Kitchen Fitter. Get a written quote.

   Kitchen Fitters in Abingdon (5 listed) →
9. 9

   9. Floors

   Flooring Specialist. Make sure the subfloor is dry first.

   Flooring Specialists in Abingdon (7 listed) →
10. 10

    10. Decorating

    Painter & Decorator. Get a written quote.

    Painters & Decorators in Oxfordshire (40 listed) →

Each listing on TradesAround shows a Trust Score: an automated assessment of the business's Google reviews, Companies House record and TrustMark registration. It is a guide, not a guarantee. Trust Scores aren't for sale; Pro members are listed first, with a Pro badge. Check gas engineers on the Gas Safe Register, and electricians with NICEIC or NAPIT, yourself.

People who knock on the door

Oxfordshire County Council has warned that rogue traders see bad weather as the perfect opportunity to take advantage of residents who have flood damage.

• Do not agree to building work, repairs or maintenance offered through a cold call.
• Get written quotes from at least three different traders.
• Never pay the whole amount up front, and avoid paying cash. Do not agree to a deposit of more than 25%, and pay by debit or credit card if you can.
• If a business approached you away from its premises, for example at your door, and the service costs £42 or more, you get 14 days to cancel. If you invite a trader in for urgent repairs, you do not automatically get that cooling-off period.
• Two free checks anyone can run: look the business up on the Companies House register, and see whether it is TrustMark registered. TrustMark is the only government-endorsed quality scheme for work in or around your home.

Where to report

• A trader: the Citizens Advice consumer helpline, 0808 223 1133, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. It passes reports on to Trading Standards.
• Fraud: Report Fraud, 0300 123 2040 or reportfraud.police.uk. It replaced Action Fraud on 4 December 2025.
• Threatened at the door: call 999. Other police matters: 101.

Help with the cost

Build Back Better. Some insurers will pay up to £10,000 towards flood resilience measures as part of a flood claim, so the home is better protected next time. Not every insurer offers it, and each sets its own limit, so ask yours when you make your claim.

Government flood grants. Ministers decide when to switch on the Flood Recovery Framework after a severe weather event; floods with local impacts do not usually trigger it. When it is on, councils run it: around £500 for each eligible household and a 100% council tax discount for at least three months. In January 2024 it also offered a Property Flood Resilience Repair Grant of up to £5,000.

In Oxfordshire, it ran for properties flooded by Storm Henk between 2 and 12 January 2024, and the Vale's applications closed on 18 March 2024. Today, the Oxfordshire Flood Toolkit says there are currently no grants available under the framework.

Council tax. The Vale stopped exempting uninhabitable homes on 1 April 2013. Ask its council tax team whether a discount applies to you.

Somewhere to stay. If flooding leaves you homeless, the council must give you emergency accommodation. In Abingdon, that is the Vale of White Horse: 01235 422422.

Who to call in Abingdon

Flooding in Abingdon

The River Ock, the Thames, the River Stert and the Sandford Brook all contribute to flooding in Abingdon. The floods of 2024 around Nash Drive came mainly from the River Ock and the Sandford Brook.

Flood warnings for Abingdon

The Environment Agency's flood warning service is free, by phone, text or email. Sign up for the areas that cover your street. Each area below links to its live status.

River level. On the River Ock gauge at Abingdon, property flooding is possible above 1.31 m. The normal range is 0.08 m to 0.84 m, and the highest level recorded is 1.81 m, on 22 July 2007.

What has happened before

Sandbags and defences

The Vale does not supply sandbags, and the county council will not provide them where flooding is from rivers or groundwater. The Town Council has an emergency planning guide: ask it what is in place for your street.

The county council's February 2025 report says flood alleviation schemes have been assessed by the Environment Agency and found not to be viable.

Make the repair count

Repairs are a chance to make the next flood less damaging. Ask your insurer about Build Back Better before you agree to like-for-like repairs.

• Tiles instead of carpets.
• Electrical sockets moved higher up the wall.
• Non-return valves, to stop floodwater coming in through the drains.
• Flood doors and self-closing air bricks.

The Environment Agency's guidance adds more: plasterboard fitted horizontally, or lime-based plaster instead of gypsum; water-resistant skirting boards; kitchens in water-resistant materials such as stainless steel, plastic or solid wood; appliances raised on plinths; and sockets, fuse boxes and wiring raised to at least 1.5 metres.

Sign up for free flood warnings so you get notice next time. For how to prepare, see GOV.UK: prepare for flooding.

Common questions