Isle of Wight flood victim sells house of 3 decades

After last November's devastation, Joanne Wright never moved back in to her property of nearly three decades.

A year ago, Stonelands, off Binstead Road, was almost completely submerged, with water from the adjacent brook up to the upstairs bedroom window.

Had the sound of heavy rain not woken her up that night, Joanne fears she "could've drowned".

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In the year that's followed, Joanne said she has had "no help whatsoever" from the Isle of Wight Council nor the Environment Agency (EA).

She said all she received from the council was a court summons for unpaid council tax.

"That was a bit of a kick in the teeth", she said.

"I mean we couldn't live in the place. The electricity, gas and water had all been cut off and then the only correspondence we got was a court summons.

"After 40 years of owning your own home, never missing a payment, and you get no help whatsoever."

Joanne said it was reluctantly paid, but the lack of help, coupled with the fear of another flood, is what prompted her to seek a fresh start.

"I thought I can't live through another flood", she said.

"In the last year we haven't had one and we might not have got one again but it's peace of mind."

Joanne said her insurance provider was "very good and we got out that way".

The house completely submerged a year ago (Image: Joanne Wright) The house days after the floods (Image: Isle of Wight County Press) A few weeks ago, a water-damaged Stonelands, which was valued between £600,000 to £650,000 before flooding, was sold for £114,000, she said.

It has since been auctioned off through Savills, fetching £160,000.

Joanne said: "We should've perhaps held on and took it to auction but I think you've just got to decide enough is enough and just get rid of it.

"If it doesn't flood, you've got a good plot but there's always that worry."

It was the second time in two years the property was devastated by flooding, following heavy rain in 2021.

Joanne said when the home was built, around 30 years ago, the adjacent brook was just "a tiny trickle".

Inside of the house, a year on (Image: Savills) The bathroom, a year after the floods (Image: Savills) But, speaking last year, she said it had turned into a "great big river" and blamed the increase in houses in the area.

The Isle of Wight Council said eligible taxpayers affected by Storm Babet flooding were awarded a community recovery grant payment and a council tax discount.

“We followed government guidance and if owners showed no intention to resume using the property as the sole or main residence in the future, a further reduction was not given outside of the initial three months", a spokesperson said.

“Other agencies have also been involved, due the main river that runs through the property."

Inside the house a year after the floods (Image: Savills) The house a year on (Image: Savills)

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: “We were involved in addressing issues at this property on several occasions, primarily to clear blockages that were impacting the water flow and causing flooding.

“We carried out a comprehensive survey of the property to assess whether flood resilience measures could be used effectively. The findings and recommendations from this survey were shared with the homeowner for potential options for reducing future flood risks.

“We remain committed to working collaboratively with property owners to address flood risks while ensuring compliance with relevant regulations.”

After months spent in holiday lodges, Joanne is now living happily in Totland and has vowed "never to live in Ryde again".