Norwich Union and Norfolk County Council have new protection measures against flood damage.

The property in Lowestoft, Suffolk, now has flood gates and one-way valves installed to prevent sewage build-up.

The main kitchen appliances were raised on plinths and MDF kitchen units were replaced with steel . Tiles have also been used to replace carpets.

The insurer estimates that by putting in flood-proof solutions the cost of repairs could be reduced from about 49,000 to as little as 8,500.

Above floor level

The walls and skirting were replastered up to one metre above floor level - to limit the dampness seeping into the walls.

The time it takes for the house to become habitable again could also be halved, according to the insurer.

The property is one of about 20 in the area that have been flooded a number of times over the past few years.

Wayne Tatlow, housing services director at Cotman Housing Association, which own the property in Aldwick Way, said: “These resilient improvements should help the house dry out more quickly, minimise the damage and let the tenants back in more quickly.

“We will be assessing the effectiveness should there be further flooding and if they are successful we may look to install them in all the other properties we own that are prone to flooding.”

As the flood waters recede in parts of England it has become clear tens of thousands of homes have been affected.

The insurance industry says claims related to flood damage will total 1.5bn.

We asked if you had made an insurance claim linked to the recent floods and who you thought should foot the bill for the uninusred. This debate is now closed.

If taxpayers' money is used to help flood victims, the same percentage should be paid to everyone affected. Those who are properly insured would then receive a payout on their policy, less the government funding. This way those who pay for insurance will not feel unfairly treated, and we will all benefit from the fact that future insurance premiums will not have to rise quite so much as they would do otherwise.

Anon

A local developer who built on field that was known to flood, and where there was a spring, is now offering to repair the houses that recently flooded. I completely agree with the Nottingham MP on Money Box that developers should have to insure against flood for the 20 years - also maybe personal liability on the council who gave approval.
Mike Davis, East Yorkwhire

People who don't bother to buy building insurance should be made to pay back the money that the tax payer lends to them.
Jane Woods

If householders wish to spend their money on beer, holidays or plasma tvs that is then their problem. We sensible people should not pay for their stupidity! The government should not allow building on flood plains! Equally stupid!
Mike of Swansea

Isn't it amazing that when an uninsured person suffers a loss individually they have to cope on their own but when it's part of a more generalised event then the taxpayer is expected to bail them out? Those who choose the benefits of spending their money on something other than insurance should not expect the taxpayer to pay when things go wrong. Those who buy houses that cannot be insured because of an flood risk should have done their homework before the purchase and will also have benefited from the lower price they paid for it in the first place so I'm afraid I don't feel any to them either. Councils on the other hand probably do need taxpayer assistance to reinstate damage to local infrastructure.
A Dell, Glasgow

If you don't live on the top of a hill, then get your home insured Andrew McCallig, Cumbria

If my car is at the side of the road with no insurance and it's hit by a passing truck then it's my tough luck. if these people have not bothered to insure their property then again it's their tough luck. They knew the risks, global warming is happening and if you don't live on the top of a hill, then get your home insured.
Andrew McCallig, Cumbria

I pay house insurance for the risk to my property, not other people's property. Those who have chosen not to have house insurance made that choice. I do not see why I should pay for their property damage. Perhaps the people who should pay are the developers, builders and individual council members who have allowed these properties to be built on flood plains in the first place.
SRB, Abergale

I pay just over 300 a year for contents and building insurance. Why should I as a tax paying pensioner - 200 a month tax - pay towards those who didn't bother to take out insurance cover but still can afford cigarettes, drink and bingo?
Bob Baker, Clacton On Sea

I spent an austere childhood as my parents made financial sacrifices to pay for a mortgage, insurance and pensions. I lived an austere life as I chose to have a mortgage and insurance and made pension arrangements and now pay not inconsiderable taxes and have no wish to see them diverted to those who have chosen not to suffer such austerity but think that I should subsidise their financial chickens coming home to roost.
Anne Wheelhouse, Hawkhurst, Kent

We should show compassion to people facing total ruin R Harris, London

Whilst some flood victims should have given a higher priority to insuring their property, I believe we should show compassion to people facing total ruin. Let us not forget it is government policies such as immigration that required the vast number of houses to be built on flood plains and it surely follows that it is their duty to ensure the rivers and drains are capable of protecting them. Don't call it an Act of God, it is failed government for which we must all take responsibility.
R Harris, London

Why should the wise pay for the foolish? Their bills will probably be much the same as the premiums paid by the insured over many years.
Douglas Cook, Cockermouth, Cumbria

An uninsured house holder in a flood area may get a grant from the flood fund. But would an uninsured house holder get any help if they had similar loses on an individual scale, say a fire in May?
Lane, Nottingham

As someone who is fully insured I find the comments by those moaning about people's lack of insurance miserable. Many people cannot afford insurance. Even if they have plasma TVs - so what. They are still deserving of our help. In my experience, insurance companies do anything in their power not to pay out. I have twice had to employ a solicitor to ensure they pay up. People do not have the money to take these companies on.
Simon Hutchings, Ottery St Mary

I certainly don't want to have to pay to bail these people out Judy, Liverpool

It seems to be that we are paying for everyone who makes a dubious decision these days. I don't really feel that flooding is my problem and I certainly don't want to have to pay to bail these people out, although I do feel sorry for them. Perhaps people who live in areas where flooding is going to be a problem should be paying into their own fund to cover costs in such an . I can see my bank account being raided by the government, yet again, to pay for this and it's not on.
Judy, Liverpool

I'm not surprised that some properties are . Over the last few decades, building has taken place on plots with too high a risk of flooding and/or subsidence. The most worrying thing though is that this process still continues today.
Chris Grey, Guildford

I for one am heartily tired of people who chose not to insure their goods now implying it is someone else's fault and that someone else (ie the taxpayer) should bail them out. I would be pretty sure they all have all the usual expensive goods, and large TVs, DVDs and stereos etc. Everyone regards these things as essential but not all want to pay the premiums to insure them. Well those of us who pay insurance should not have to bail out those who chose not to.
Rob Bacon, London

As someone who lost their roof in the Birmingham tornado, I felt very lucky in having the insurers agree to a new roof fairly quickly (within three weeks). However, we had to live in the house for over six months from July to January with tarpaulin for a roof, winds whistling through and further damage from rain and the work (ceilings collapsing in the bedrooms and bathroom). The insurers eventually paid 63,000 out of a total bill approaching 72,000, so we were 9,000 in addition to the stress of living in a building site. But we still counted ourselves lucky compared to many of our neighbours who had insurers dragging out assessments, builders who did shoddy work, and landlords with no insurance.
Mike Cummins, Birmingham

Most lenders will have some kind of fee for shutting down a mortgage account and this was traditionally to cover the cost of releasing the title deeds back to you. The fee itself will be perfectly legitimate but it is worth asking your lender if you can leave a small balance on the mortgage, which will mean that they will keep and look after the deeds for you rather than you having to find a safe place for storage, such as a solicitor. Just be sure to check whether they make any charge for this service.

Tayyib asks:

Are there mortgages available for university students?

The problem for students in securing a mortgage is that they have no or limited income to support the mortgage. Lenders need to be able to see that an applicant can afford the mortgage rather than just lend against the value of the property.

There are lenders that may be able to help if parents are happy to guarantee the mortgage and Bath Building Society has recently launched a 'Buy for University' mortgage where parental guarantee and rental income from lodgers can be used to support the mortgage. Primarily aimed at Bath and Bristol, other university towns can be considered.

Once you've graduated, there can be special deals available. Scottish Widows Bank for example offers a graduate mortgage that can advance up to 100% of the property value.

Neil writes:

I have just completed the re-mortgage of my property from Abbey to Nationwide. I was in a two year discount mortgage and the initial rate had just expired so it made sense to move.

What I wasn't expecting was Abbey to charge the sum of 225 for simply repaying the mortgage by transferring it to a different lender! When I first entered the mortgage, this figure was set at 99 and was to cover 'administration charges'. Abbey informed me that they increased the fee to 225 in May 2005 and that I would have been informed of this when I received my statement at the end of 2004 (having taken the mortgage out from April of the same year).

This is simply my word against Abbey's, but I deny ever receiving a statement for 2004 let alone any revised conditions!

I cannot believe that lenders are allowed to increase such fees as they see fit and pretend that it is not just a behind the scenes attempt to stop people from finding cheaper mortgage deals elsewhere.

My basic question is, is it worth me pursuing this any further as a matter of principle (to the Financial Ombudsman if necessary) or will I simply be wasting my time?

The big increase in administration fees incurred when a mortgage is paid off is not limited to Abbey and has angered many borrowers. The main annoyance is not really that there is a fee but that the fee can be altered during the period of the mortgage, so that it is higher than when the mortgage was originally taken out. The fee is there to cover the cost of administration but these fees have doubled in a matter of years leading to some to question whether they are there to put borrowers off a switch of lender.

The administration fees will be sent out each year with the annual mortgage statement in a separate tariff of charges leaflet so it's not surprising you don't remember. You are fully within your rights to make a complaint, which should initially be made in writing to Abbey. Only if you reach a deadlock stage when you are not happy with their response should you take the complaint further to the Ombudsman.

Ben writes:

I was given a part share in my mother's house when she died some 12 years ago. My other two brothers also have a third each. In accordance with my mother's wishes, one of my brothers was given tenancy of the property and was expected to cover the running costs and things like insurance on the property.

I would like to sell my share of the property to help my two children out with their first step on the property ladder. I do not want to re-mortgage and if I did I would need, and would be unlikely to get, the co-operation of my two bothers.

I know legally that I can sell my share but are there any individuals or businesses that would want to buy a share in the property? Do I have any other options?

This is a difficult situation for you and the problem that you will certainly face is finding someone that is willing to purchase a part share in a property with other co-owners that they do not know. As you rightly point out, remortgaging would be the obvious way to withdraw some of the equity but without the co-operation of your brothers this will prove impossible.

The most likely route for you to explore is for one or both of your brothers to buy out your share of the property. They should be able to remortgage against the property value to raise the funds to increase their stake to, say half and half or two-thirds to one third.

Robin writes:

I have two mortgage endowment policies, one of which is due to mature in 2009 and the other in 2013. The mortgage to which they were linked was fully paid up several years ago using proceeds from a redundancy payment. My concern at this time is that as the policies are no longer required to pay off the mortgage are there any potential problems about receiving payment on maturity or cancellation?

There certainly shouldn't be, although it would be worth checking with your insurer, which should be able to tell you for sure. Going back, endowments were often assigned to the lender and the policy held by them but this practice became increasingly rare in recent years, so policies may never have been assigned to the lender. In any case, the assignment should have been released when your mortgage was repaid as part of the process. There is no harm in double-checking the state of play with the policy provider.

Steve in Swindon asks about endowments. He says:

Now that the FTSE is rocketing up, what happens if in five years time when our endowment matures the payout is as originally expected? Will we have to compensate the insurance company for the amount of predicted shortfall they paid us in compensation?

Claims for mis-selling of endowments do not hinge on the performance of the policy itself and focus on whether you were made aware of the nature of the policy and that your attitude to risk was assessed, as of course these policies were never guaranteed to perform as well as hoped.

If the policy was mis-sold, then compensation is usually paid to put the policyholder back in the position that they would have been if they had taken a repayment mortgage, not to make up any projected shortfall. Part of this calculation will take into account the surrender value of the policy at that time on the basis that the policy will be surrendered, the capital sum paid off the mortgage and the remainder converted to repayment.

However, it sounds like you decided to keep hold of the policy despite winning your complaint but you will not face any clawback on the compensation paid if the revival of the markets leads to the expected level of performance. Of course you may well still have a shortfall and it's important that you continue to monitor this, as the position could equally worsen as improve.

Nick in London writes:

I am soon to qualify as a teacher. I have read about Key Worker housing schemes but am unsure as to how they work and if they are a good proposition. Key Worker schemes are aimed at public sector professions such as teaching and nursing who struggle so much to get onto the property ladder in the South East. The schemes work in different ways and you need to explore what options would be open to you in the area where you work but they will typically work on a shared ownership or equity loan basis.

With shared ownership, a proportion of a new property, say 50%, can be bought and a reduced rent paid on the other half to a housing association. Equity loans can provide around 25% of the purchase price of a property up to a maximum of 50,000. When you move you will need to repay the same proportion of the property that the equity loan represented on purchase.

A good source of information is the website of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister - www.odpm.gov.uk/

Andrew says:

I would like to buy a house with my girlfriend but I feel that if I buy now, the value of my house could drop substantially and then I'll be trapped in the house for years upon end until the value returns to the sum I paid for it. Could you recommend the best mortgage for first time buyers with a limited credit history?

There is always a chance that the housing market could fall although that certainly isn't happening right now and is not expected. Negative equity occurs if the property value drops below the outstanding mortgage amount so the mortgage can't be repaid from the sale proceeds. It therefore only becomes a real problem if you need or want to sell the property and cannot make up the difference from other funds.

I think that you need to decide whether you are happy to take on home ownership first of all, as it is a big commitment and not something to rush into if you are unsure. Property prices have always done well in the long term but buying a home should not really be seen as a short-term option.

In terms of mortgages available, most lenders will be happy to lend to a first time buyer and can even offer up to 100% of the purchase price. This does increase your risk of negative equity so it is better and usually cheaper to put down a deposit.

Rob in Swansea asks:

I am about to start a self-build project. The build will cost around 100k. I currently live in a house with a very small mortgage of 80 a month. This house is worth 120,000 and I intend to sell it when the new one is ready. I could finance the development with stockmarket-based investments but would it be better to take out a short term loan?

Could you suggest some options?

If you don't want to liquidate your stock market investments then there could be a couple of mortgage options available. You could raise some capital against your current home over and above the existing mortgage amount to allow you to complete the self-build project. You could raise these funds with your existing lender or search across the whole market for the best deal and remortgage to another lender.

On the kind of sums and short timescale that you are talking about I think it will be worth you looking for a deal with little in the way of set up costs as there can be arrangement fees, valuation fees and legal costs. It is likely to be better to go for a product that covers some or all of these costs despite the fact that the rate is likely to be a touch higher. The other important thing to look out for is that you don't lock into a product if you intend to repay all or most of the mortgage when you come to sell the property. Therefore, go for something with no early repayment charges.

, you could use a self-build mortgage that will release funds at certain stages as the build progresses. The deals on offer can be more limited than a mortgage on your home although plenty of lenders such as Norwich & Peterborough are happy to lend against self-build projects. There is also lots of information available on Buildstore's website - www.buildstore.co.uk

Grenville writes:

I make my monthly mortgage repayment in cash and occasionally find that I am able to pay more than the required monthly amount. I have always assumed the 'overpayment' would be deducted from the capital amount I owe so that when the time comes I shall have less capital to pay off. Am I correct in thinking this or should I stop overpaying and put the excess into a savings account?

You need to check with your mortgage lender how the interest is calculated on your mortgage. If it is a daily or monthly interest calculation then the overpayment will come off the capital balance.

If however the mortgage is calculated using an annual calculation, then you will not get the benefit of your overpayment until the end of the year. This is because the interest is calculated on the balance at the beginning of the year so you continue to pay interest on any overpayment. It can be possible to get round this when making a lump sum payment (typically more than 500) by asking the lender to treat it as a capital repayment when you make the overpayment.

Thankfully, most lenders' products are now daily interest but there are still some operating on annual interest. If your mortgage is calculated annually you would be better saving the excess and then overpaying just before the interest is recalculated, usually at the end of the year.

John asks:

My son is looking to buy a flat/house in or around Cape Town. Where might he find out about the best mortgage providers?

This depends to an extent on whether your son lives permanently in Cape Town or is looking to purchase the overseas property as a holiday home. UK lenders are not going to lend against a property in South Africa in either instance.

Your son will probably be better to approach South African banks and advisers. However, if he is resident in the UK then he could approach a specialist in overseas mortgages such as Conti Financial Services Ltd - www.mortgagesoverseas.com

Ruth asks:

Do I have to surrender my endowment policies at maturity or can I continue to pay into the policies after maturity so that I can recoup any shortfall? Would you advise this as a course of action or would it be preferable to take a completely separate course of remedial action and what should this be?

Once the policies mature and pay out, that is the end of the policy, so you will not make any further premium payments. If you have a shortfall on an endowment to repay your mortgage then it is important that you take some action now rather than waiting to see what happens.

Rather than increase payments to the endowment, you could start to put money away in an alternative investment although there will be risk with any investment not reaching its target. You could put the shortfall amount of your mortgage onto repayment, which will ensure that you chip away at the capital over the remaining term, leaving the proceeds of the endowment to hopefully clear the balance.

Anne asks:

Where can my neice obtain a 100% mortgage, to get her on the property ladder.

There are plenty of lenders that offer 100% mortgages but it's important to look beyond the rate. One of the main things to look out for is what's known as a higher lending charge. This is charged by some lenders on mortgages greater than 90% of the property value and can amount to thousands of pounds in some cases. There are deals available that do not charge this amount and even though the rate may be a touch higher it will generally work out cheaper.

Lenders such as Portman, Coventry, Newcastle and Northern Rock all offer rates to 100% without any higher lending charge.

Mr. Woods writes:

My daughter is engaged to an Australian who is on a two year visa with a view to permanent residency in the UK. They have just been refused a mortgage by a leading building society, which they believe is due to the visa issue. Are there any other options open to them in order to obtain their mortgage during his visa period?

Lenders will be reticent to lend to a foreign national without a permanent right to reside although it is worth checking with the lender to see if they can confirm that it was that issue that caused the application to be declined.

Some lenders, such as Accord Mortgages are more flexible than others when it comes to lending to those on a visa. However, even those lenders will prefer to see that your daughter's fianc has been resident here for a period of time with a further 6-12 months remaining on the visa. They may also require a large deposit.

Having said that, it may also depend on factors such as how their income is split between them and I think that it is worth your daughter approaching a broker that can search the market to discuss in greater detail.

The opinions expressed are David's and not the programme's. The answers are not intended to be definitive and should be used for guidance only. Always seek professional advice for your own particular situation.

What should I do if my home or business is flooded?

If you are unfortunate enough to be flooded, the advice from the insurance industry is clear.

Ideally you should have already ensured that your contents insurance covers the full replacement cost of any items ruined, rather than their current market value.

Contact your contents and building insurer as soon as possible. It is advisable to keep insurance documents in a waterproof plastic bag.

Your insurer will expect you to take reasonable steps to protect property.

Therefore, take easily moveable objects upstairs and, if possible, use sandbags to hold back the water.

For the sake of safety, make sure the electrical supply is switched off at the mains and equipment unplugged.

As for cars and other vehicles, comprehensive insurance should cover flood damage.

However, third party cover won’t pay out if your vehicle is damaged by flood.

How can I best cope with the aftermath?

Once the waters have receded, you can take up carpets, but you must retain them so that the insurance company loss adjuster can see them and verify the claim.

Tips on coping with flooding Contact insurer as soon as possible Move property to higher ground Turn off electricity and other utilities The cost of business and residential may be covered by your insurer Source: Association of British Insurers (ABI)

For the same reason, it is very important that you keep all damaged items rather than throw them away.

If necessary, store them outside, in your garden or elsewhere.

Most household insurance policies will cover the cost of alternative accommodation, if the property is uninhabitable.

Likewise, many businesses have business cover, which will pay the cost of alternative accommodation.

No bad thing, since when a major flood event takes place it can take months for insurers to pay out.

How much will the Boscastle flooding cost?

So far there are no estimates of the likely cost of Monday’s flash flood.

But the public expense on rescue and clean-up operations is bound to run to many millions of pounds.

As for the cost to local residents, businesses and their insurers, at least 50 cars were washed away by the waters and many buildings in the village were badly damaged.

As for businesses, the short notice - in some cases only a matter of minutes before the flood waters engulfed them - means losses on damaged or destroyed stock are likely to be substantial.

What will happen to insurance premiums?

Properties in areas hit by the flash flood may well see premiums rise.

But across the country, the Boscastle flood is unlikely to raise premiums .

Unlike other floods in the UK - which have hit large areas of the country and in some cases lasted for weeks - the flooding was localised.

The most damaging floods of recent years occurred in the winter of 2000.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) estimated that those floods cost UK insurers 1bn, for which policyholders are still paying through higher premiums.

Is much of the UK at risk of flooding?

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) estimates that 10% of the land area of the UK, encompassing up to 2 million homes and 185,000 businesses, is in danger of flooding.

Despite the Environment Agency’s attempts to increase flood awareness, many people living in flood plains are still not aware that they are at risk.

Boscastle, for instance, is located on three rivers and in a valley leading to the sea. Intense rainstorms triggered the flash flood.

What about flood defences?

Big increases in government expenditure on flood defences have recently kicked in.

To speed up work, the government has introduced new flood planning procedures.

However, decisions to build flood defences are arrived at through a cost-benefit analysis.

Put simply, the savings have to justify the expenditure.

Highly-populated flood plains like the Vale of York have passed this test. But less populated areas may end up without defences.

What are the insurance companies doing?

Some insurers had threatened to start cancelling policies unless the government coughed up the cash for flood defences.

But now the programme of flood defence building is under way, the threats have subsided.

However, one insurer is adopting a high-technology approach to their assessment of whether an individual property is at risk.

Norwich Union has digitally mapped the UK and can now calculate the risk of flood to within a few metres.

As well as showing whether an individual property is at risk, the map shows how often a flood is likely to occur and to what depth.

The pound project launched for new customers in parts of Shropshire and Norfolk, both areas at substantial risk of flooding.

Insurance firm Norwich Union has already got 200 static caravans in place in or near the driveways of people with properties.

The insurer has an option on the possible of another 600 static caravans across the city.

A converted ferry could also be moored in the port to house flood victims.

A spokesman for Norwich Union said they were working with the city council to identify suitable sites for caravans.

But, he added, the siting of these parks was dependent on children could attend their usual school and people could travel to their places of work.

Because of a shortage of accessible accommodation in the city, some people may be asked to go to other cities and commute back to work.