Mrs Mary Long-Dhonau OBE FRE0021
Written evidence submitted by Mrs Mary Long-Dhonau OBE
My name is Mary Long-Dhonau OBE, also known as ‘Flood Mary’. Having experienced flooding multiple times myself, I launched my consultancy, FloodMary.com, to help others prepare for and recover from floods. I work closely with the Environment Agency, Local Authorities, and the insurance industry, dedicating my time to raising awareness of flood risk resilience and, in particular, championing Property Flood Resilience (PFR). My work includes traveling into flood-affected communities in the FloodPod (formerly the Floodmobile, which I developed). The FloodPod showcases a wide range of resilience products, supports flood victims on their road to recovery, and promotes initiatives like Flood Re’s Build Back Better (BBB). In partnership with Flood Re, I help train the insurance industry about BBB, and also deliver keynote presentations at flood risk conferences, as well as regularly appear on TV and radio to provide practical advice on flood preparedness, resilience, and recovery to the public.
My website, FloodMary.com, is packed with free resources, including guides, eBooks, and blogs, designed to empower homeowners with essential flood preparedness, resilience and recovery knowledge.
I’ve been honoured to receive several recognitions for my work, including an OBE for Services to the Environment (Queen’s Birthday Honours List, 2009); an Honorary RICS (HonRICS) (2014) for my commitment to standing up for public interest regarding flooding; Voice of the Customer Award (CII Public Interest Awards, 2015); an Honorary Doctorate (University of the West of England, 2015); and an Honorary Fellowship of CIWEM (2017).
Flood resilience is not just my profession; it’s my passion.
As my area of expertise is at property level, I will focus on that in my response and leave others with more knowledge of NFM and Suds to respond in that area. I always say, flood risk management is a jigsaw of many pieces all working together to reduce flood risk. I know my view on changing building regulations will concur with many others.
9) How can the Government encourage more long-term private investment in flooding defences and resilience measures?
● What role can the insurance industry play in supporting this?
Flood Re (https://www.floodre.co.uk/) introduced Build Back Better in 2022, offering policyholders up to an extra £10,000 to better protect their homes from future floods. Please note, this scheme is available only for homes built before 2009.
The funding can be used for two types of measures:
● Resistance Measures: These aim to prevent or reduce water entering a property and include accredited flood doors/barriers, non-return valves, and self-closing airbricks, to name a few.
● Recoverability Measures: These make homes easier and quicker to repair after flooding, using materials such as waterproof plaster and flooring or installing a flood-resilient kitchen.
If a home floods again, it remains eligible for another £10,000 to add further measures. The aim is that, when Flood Re exits the market in 2039 (a legal requirement), homes will still be able to obtain flood insurance in an open, risk-reflective market.
This transition will be supported by the introduction of Flood Performance Certificates (FPCs) – similar to Energy Performance Certificates but focused on flood resilience. These will hopefully make Property Flood Resilience (PFR) a desirable and widely adopted solution.
However, I worry that once Flood Re is no longer available, insurers may lack the appetite for FPCs, given the rising flood risks. I believe we must therefore start planning for a Flood Re 2.0 now. This successor could guarantee flood insurance cover, provided policyholders have installed PFR measures and maintain a strong FPC rating.
You can read more about this in my blog: https://floodmary.com/2024/06/20/the-future-of-flood-insurance/.
The insurance industry can also do more. For example:
● Rewarding homeowners who install PFR measures with noticeable reductions in insurance premiums.
● Increasing transparency by informing policyholders when their flood cover has been ‘ceded’ to Flood Re — something Flood Re itself has suggested in its recent Quinquennial Review: https://www.floodre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/QQR_FINAL.pdf.
Including this information in policy documents, along with links to PFR resources and flood warning services, would significantly improve flood risk awareness.
The Role of the Floodmobile and FloodPods
I’ve spent years travelling to flood-prone and recently flooded communities in the Floodmobile, a 'flood house on wheels' I helped create in 2021 as part of the Defra-funded Ox-Cam Pathfinder project. Packed with examples of PFR products and resources - including the Householder’s Guide to Flood Resilience (https://floodmary.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/HouseholdersGuidetoFloodResilience2023_ONLINE.pdf) - the Floodmobile served as both an educational tool and a source of comfort and guidance for flood victims.
It became a space where people could learn, seek advice, and share their heartfelt experiences. Though the original Floodmobile has now reached the end of its serviceable life, I am proud to see this vision continue with the new FloodPod, managed by DWT Exhibitions and owned by Cornwall County Council.
We’ve installed all the original products into the FloodPod, but it remains on temporary loan while a small committee works to fundraise for a new, larger Floodmobile.
Having spoken to over 1,000 newly flooded people who visited the Floodmobile last winter, I know firsthand how valuable this tool is for raising awareness of PFR. Future iterations of the Floodmobile must be staffed by people, like me, with lived experience of flooding. Not only can we offer genuine empathy, but the PFR message is often received more effectively than those delivered by a local authority officer or Environment Agency representative.
10. What support do property owners and neighbourhoods require to enhance their resilience to flooding?
● What is the current level of awareness among property owners about flood resilience measures, how they can be improved, and who can support it?
I firmly believe that awareness of flood risk remains far too low. Sadly, people often assume that flooding is something that happens to other people. The use of terms like "1 in 100-year flood" to describe risk is outdated and confusing.
When I was flooded, an elderly woman said to me, "I’m 85 years old, and I’ve just lived through a 1-in-50 flood. I won’t live to see another one.” Tragically, she was flooded again just three weeks later – by another 1-in-50 flood.
During my recent visits to flood-hit communities in Scotland with the Floodmobile, following Storm Babet, many people I spoke with believed their experience was a result of climate change and fully expected it to happen again.
Understanding Responsibilities and Misconceptions
Many people believe it’s the Environment Agency’s (EA) job to protect them from flooding, and they’re often angry when it seems the EA has failed. However, most are unaware that the EA’s responsibility is to manage flood risk, not eliminate it entirely. Homeowners often don’t realise that protecting their property is ultimately their responsibility, and they’re shocked when I explain this.
Another common misconception is that flooding happens because drains aren’t maintained properly. While poorly maintained drains can exacerbate flooding, they aren’t the root cause. A report following the 2007 Gloucester floods found that even if all the drains had been perfectly maintained, homes still would have flooded – perhaps just slightly less severely.
The reality is that drains simply cannot cope with the intense volumes of rain we now see falling in such short periods. Additionally, many homes have paved over their front gardens with non-permeable surfaces, leaving rainwater with nowhere to go. As a result, flooding happens faster and more frequently.
We therefore urgently need to raise awareness about surface water flooding, as most people remain unaware that they can flood even if they don’t live near a river or watercourse.
Practical Preparation: Small Steps, Big Impact
When people are warned that they may flood, they often don’t know what to do next. That’s why I created a short film to walk people through the basics of preparing for a flood using items they likely already have at home.
I’m applying the principles of ‘nudge theory’: start small, show clear benefits, and encourage people to progress to more advanced flood protection measures. You can watch the video here:
https://youtu.be/gika1cf1zRU?si=gfPKbRqy7_2fedpQ
Real Stories, Real Resilience
I have also written an eBook filled with inspirational stories of how real people have adapted their homes to recover quickly after flooding. Yes, it’s hard work, but it’s far better than being forced out of your home for nine months after a flood.
One of my case studies features someone who was flooded on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday… but was back watching TV on Thursday.
Adaptation must become a top priority, so people can learn not just to live with the threat of flooding, but to recover quickly and with minimal disruption afterwards.
You can download my PFR eBook for free here:
https://floodmary.com/help-and-resources/the-free-property-flood-resilience-ebook/
Changing the Narrative
More information such as that shared in my eBook needs to reach the public at risk. I also believe that the narrative around flooding needs to be more honest and harder-hitting.
For more information, visit my website: www.FloodMary.com
Some examples of illustrations I use to highlight what actions can be taken to reduce flood risk at a property level
January 2025