Beware of cowboy builders, flood victims warned » Environment » 24dash.com

Flood-stricken communities were warned about the possibility of cowboy builders adding to their misery  today as the predictions of persistent torrential rain failed to materialise.

Flood-victims starting to clean up after the devastation were told to watch out for unscrupulous builders moving into the area.

Police in the worst affected areas of Humberside and South Yorkshire stepped up patrols after rumours spread about looting of abandoned homes.

But both forces said there were no official reports of such incidents.

Two men were arrested in Hull accused of impersonating council officers and removing property from flooded homes on the Bransholme estate.

Residents were urged to beware of bogus callers and to demand identification.

At Bentley and Toll Bar, north of Doncaster, some 24 fire brigades and 150 fire service staff from as far away as Hampshire carried out a "fierce pump out operation" to clear water from the streets.

An extra ten pumps arrived from across the country to boost the operation which is now pumping some 86.5 million litres of water per day into Ea Beck and the River Don two miles away.

Emergency co-ordinators said the main priority was now Toll Bar where there was still several feet of water in some areas.

Toll bar had 15 pumps in operation while at Bentley, where the water levels are subsiding, three pumps were deployed.

A spokesman at the South Yorkshire emergency control room said: "It's certainly not getting any worse.

"The rains haven't been quite as bad as they could have been."

Military troops and lifeboat crews, which were on standby yesterday in case of further heavy rain, were stood down.

The Environment Agency currently has four severe flood warnings in place in South Yorkshire, including for Ea Beck at Toll Bar and along the River Don at Bentley.

There are also 22 flood warnings - 13 for the North East, eight for East Anglia and one for the Midlands - as well as a large number of less serious flood watches.

The agency said it was confident the rivers could cope with extra rainfall and residents were urged not to worry.

Trading standards officers advised people to beware of cowboy builders and workmen offering same-day repairs at reduced prices.

Residents were advised to obtain three separate quotes from established tradesmen before agreeing to have work done.

National Flood Forum co-ordinator Mary Dhonau warned cowboy builders could arrive at people's doors "wearing spurs and yelling yee-haa".

She advised flood victims to use recommended workmen "even if it means you are displaced for longer".

"There aren't enough builders in the area for the homes who need one,"
she said.

"People will go to the area and nobody knows who they are. They have got to check their credentials."

She said damage done by dodgy workmen could end up being more stressful than the flooding itself.

It could lead to the need for people to move out of their homes again, she said.

Ms Dhonau advised people not to throw away flood contaminated possessions but to keep a detailed record of the damage, taking photographs, video and making lists for the insurers.

She estimated about one in four people in the affected areas were without insurance and emphasised the need for disaster relief funds.

She said: "That's an awful lot of people who can't afford new accommodation and they don't have the money to replace all their items.

"People who haven't got insurance are having to don the marigolds and start scrubbing down themselves.

"It's so heart-breaking. It's bad enough being flooded but to not have insurance is just the pits."

Toll Bar resident Ian Blair said he was one of the "fortunate few" who had insurance.

But he said he would have to wait for the assessors to arrive in a week's time before he could start repairing the damage.

Forecasters said the unsettled weather would continue for the next few days but the rainfall would not be as intense as earlier in the week.

Gareth Harvey, a forecaster for MeteoGroup UK, the weather division of the Press Association, said: "The showers should move through quite quickly but there will be some longer spells of rain.

"Tomorrow we're looking at similar conditions to today with showers and thunderstorms.

"Any amount of rain isn't going to help the flooded areas but there won't be as much rainfall as earlier in the week.

"Because the ground is so saturated it's not going to be soaked away so it may delay the floods from receding.

"It's not going to be particularly warm or cold, but it's definitely not summery."

A flood support centre has been set up in Worcester to co-ordinate fire and rescue resources nationwide to cope with the further outbreaks of bad weather.

Insurers said the cost of the damage across the UK is expected to top GBP1 billion, with 27,000 homes and 5,000 businesses affected.

Copyright Press Association 2007

Don't miss the 24dash.com audio bulletins for the latest news and information - http://www.24dash.com/podcasts