Six things we learned from people who experienced flooding in Aberdeenshire
We’re nearing the end of our 12-week discovery phase, talking to people that have experienced floods and fires to understand their unmet needs.
A few weeks ago, we visited Stonehaven and Inverurie in Aberdeenshire to talk to six people that had previously been flooded, some people on multiple occasions. Here’s six things we learned:
1. Flood alerts are frequent and can keep people on high alert.
Everyone we spoke to had signed up to receive automatic flood alerts from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). They are issued frequently, so people remain on high alert and worried about the threat of another flood, but at the same time also stop acting on them.
‘You worry it will happen again, the phone (SEPA) is always ringing’
‘ You can’t help it but you think, here we go again…you’re always on high alert’
Whilst the flood alerts come from an official source, some people prefer to keep an eye on the weather and check the river levels themselves as the situation can be quick to change.
‘We’re signed up to SEPA flood alerts, but we watch the river ourselves…it’s very quick to change’
2. Local flood action groups and flood wardens are well known in local communities
Flood wardens were an important source of information for people we spoke to, and most people knew their local volunteer flood warden and flood action group.
The group provided a sense of purpose for some people and had been key in ensuring local flood defences were being improved.
‘You feel like you’re doing something….it gives you focus’
‘The flood action group formed after the second flood …if we want to do something we need to do it ourselves’
3. Floods can be different every time, but people prepare in the same way
Most people had prior knowledge of flood risks in the area and had taken action to prepare for future flooding. When the flood hit however, it didn’t always unfold and impact in the same way.
One resident had taken significant steps to be more prepared for future flooding and could be described as a ‘poster women’ for good preparedness. She had replaced her flood damaged floors with stone tiles, invested in flood gates, sandbags, and raised electricity sockets in her home (to name a few things), but was caught out when the flood water entered through a damaged silicone seal around external pipes. Another person was caught out when the flood water entered through the porous walls.
‘We had flood gates on doors the second time, we were more prepared and knew the flood was coming’
4. There is lots of help available, but this isn’t always what people need, or offered at the right time
There was a long list of people that offered support to those affected by the floods; from neighbours to statutory agencies, voluntary and community groups, to local businesses and individuals.
Whilst the support was well-meaning, in some cases the timing and appropriateness of the support could have been improved. Everyone needs food, but a sack of fresh potatoes when you’ve been displaced from your home and have no cooking facilities wasn’t particularly useful at that specific point in time for one person we spoke to. The voucher from the local fish and chip shop to order a meal when the person needed, was much better received.
When one person moved back in to her home after the repairs were complete, she described being inundated with offers of tables;
‘At one point I had to give tables away. People kept coming with tables’ (for new home)
5. Insurance companies can have an important role in a better recovery for individuals
For those with insurance, it was often the insurance company that they were first to contact after the flood, and the organisation that they had most contact with.
The relationship and support they received from the insurance company played a key role in their short and longer-term recovery. We heard a number of positive experiences from people;
‘Lucky as far as assessor was concerned, they didn’t make life difficult’
‘Our insurance person was really helpful, we got on like a house on fire’
But there were also examples where people felt the insurance company had been insensitive, or had felt rushed to replace the items they had lost…
‘Insurance companies are quick to throw things away, which can be hard to watch’
‘we had difficulty replacing furniture…you’re in a hurry to do it, so regret some of the choices’
6. Low income private renters can be particularly vulnerable.
Whilst the Local Authority has responsibility to house those within social housing, private renters on a low income can find themselves in a vulnerable situation, and without much support.
Reliant on landlords to manage repairs, and required to find alternative accommodation by themselves, people can find themselves living in substandard accommodation, or reliant on friends and family for prolonged periods of time.
‘the landlord offered (the neighbour) a bungalow- it was due for demolition and stunk of damp…. they charged him more because it was a larger property’
We also found, perhaps unsurprisingly, the high insurance costs were a barrier to those on a low income.
‘I’m still not insured…£30 a month when I’m skimping it as it is…I’m just going to have to wing it and hope it doesn’t happen’
With the user research complete, we’re now in the process of synthesising the insights and deciding on what we’ll be focusing on in the Alpha stage. Keep an eye on our blog to read more about what we’re doing next.
