UK’s Wettest Winters Ever: How to Protect Vacant Properties from Flooding, Damp & Structural Damage in 2026
UK’s Wettest Winters Ever: How to Protect Vacant Properties from Flooding, Damp & Structural Damage in 2026
The weather is always a conversation starter in the UK but 2026 has been something else. Provisional figures released by the Met Office in March revealed some parts of the UK have had their wettest winters ever.
Cornwall, Leicestershire and the West Midlands? Experienced their wettest winters since comparable records began in 1836. Dorset and Warwickshire? Notched up their second wettest winters, while it was the fourth wettest winter in southern England.
40 days and 40 nights
February was a particularly damp month in the UK – 23% wetter than average (70% wetter in England). Additionally, the Met Office noted it had rained for 40 days straight in North Wyke, on the edge of Dartmoor in Devon, Cardinham, on Bodmin Moor, and Astwood Bank in Worcestershire.
As a nation we became obsessed with the incessant grey skies and need for an umbrella but there was one group of people who should have been more worried than most – owners of vacant properties.
Viewber often writes about what can happen when a home is left unattended and thoughts often turn to freezing conditions, burst pipes, gale-force winds and broken fence panels. Rain, a rising water table and associated damp conditions should never be underestimated or overlooked. Left unattended, some of the biggest repair bills and insurance claims stem from wet weather.
Flooded properties
Flooding is a serious issue in the UK: so severe that the Red Cross – an organisation commonly associated with war-torn and famine-stricken countries – is concerned. In February 2026, it reported that more than two thirds (67%) of UK households said they had been impacted by storms and floods since the start of 2026, with 12% reporting high or severe impact.
Homes can flood after intense, prolonged rainfall that results in rivers and watercourses overtopping. Other causes include surface water flooding, overworked sewers and coastal surges. More often than not, water will seep under thresholds or rise up through floorboards, often incredibly quickly. If no one is present, a property can soon be filled with several inches of stagnant, muddy or contaminated water that, if left, can penetrate masonry and rot timbers.
Property owners should note that groundwater flooding is also known as the invisible flood risk as it can present days, weeks or even months after a flash flooding incident.
Moisture ingress
Trouble multiples as soon as the ground is wet. Unlike flooding, which is an overt event, moisture ingress is a slow creep that’s not immediately obvious (and therefore needs regular checking). Saturated soil that sits snuggly against a property’s foundations or external walls is one red flag. Cracks in render, porous brickwork, missing mortar or lead flashing, broken roof tiles and an absent damp course will compound the matter.
Wet weather combined with structural defaults can result in two issues. Penetrating damp spreads horizontally from the exterior of a property to the interior, creating isolated wet patches that worsen after heavy rain. Rising damp moves upwards from the ground, with porous materials absorbing moisture and pushing it into a property. Telltale signs include white salt deposits (efflorescence), walls that feel wet to touch, black mould, a damp smell, peeling paintwork and bubbling wallpaper.
If left, damp and mould caused by moisture ingress can cause serious, long-term structural damage and create a health hazard. In fact, long-term exposure to mould spores are a contributory factor to poor respiratory health and even death.
Roof collapses
In the most extreme cases, heavy and prolonged rain can cause a catastrophic roof collapse. We don’t want to get too technical but there’s something called freeze-thaw spalling, which can affect roof tiles. The process – when trapped water expands during rain storms then freezes during cold snaps – can weaken each tile’s integrity, making it more porous and likely to result in water ingress. Of course, missing roof tiles are an invitation for water to enter a property, as are old, poorly maintained chimney stacks.
Over time, water can accumulate in the roof’s structure, adding weight, rotting timbers, weakening the structure and causing damp. When the saturation point is reached, the roof can eventually collapse, damaging everything below it. Flat roofs are particularly susceptible as rain can easily pool on the surface. Ceiling staining is a giveaway and action should be taken if noted.
Should you panic?
Yes! The scientists have spoken. This study, led by author Dr James Carruthers at the Newcastle University School of Engineering and published in February 2026, found UK winters are significantly wetter, with ‘a 7% increase in rainfall per degree of global warming.’ Dr Carruthers added that seasonal rainfall is increasing at a much faster rate than global climate models have predicted. Worryingly, the UK is already experiencing winter rainfall changes that global climate models predicted for the 2040s.
Protect vacant properties
The very latest data from the Association of British Insurers is sobering for those who think rain is something that will merely blow over. It found the cost of domestic flood claims increased by 38% in 2025, with the average flood payout to homeowners rising 60% to £30,000 per claim.
Vacant/unoccupied property insurance will almost always stipulate that there are physical property visits at least every seven days. Some insurers will even insist the visit includes leak detection tests and external inspections, checking for signs of water ingress, damp, mould patches, musty smells, blocked drains, leaky or blocked gutters, roof issues and excessive moss growth on external walls.
Viewber can undertake insurance-specified and peace-of-mind visits on behalf of those who own or manage unoccupied property. Our written reports can be accompanied by photographs and videos, and we can even live video call from a property, if required.
Viewber is never rained off
Schedule a weekly recurring visit or book a Viewber ad hoc – after intense rainfall or when it’s safe to visit after a flood alert. Our job is to spot irregularities and small niggles before they turn into a deluge-driven disaster, as well as note ‘as is’ conditions. Get in touch to learn more about our pay as you go service, which offers seven-day-a-week, nationwide coverage.
