UK family’s home floods just days after completing repairs from a 2024 flood

A family’s $617,930 seven-bed home has been destroyed by flood water — just days after he completed repairs from floods a year ago.

Jacob Davidge, 28, from Loughborough, England woke in the early hours of the morning on January 7 to find his home flooding after heavy rain.

The civil engineering contractor says the deluge this week is the second in around 12 months — after heavy rain caused his home to flood in January 2024.

The 2024 flood ruined the entire downstairs floor — including the kitchen which had only just been renovated.

The kitchen floor was finally re-tiled in December 2024 — completing the renovations — only for it to be underwater once again days later.

Jacob said: “When I came downstairs in the morning I couldn’t believe it. 

“We’ve lived here for over 20 years and never had any issues.  

“Then, twice in one year it’s flooded — it’s bordering on stupidity.” 

The flooding began as water poured into the front and back garden of their detached house after heavy rain — in almost exactly the same way as it did the previous time. 

“Within four or five hours, the house was full of water,” Jacob said.  

The water rose to around two to three feet, causing extensive damage to the ground floor of the property, with Jacob believing it has caused tens of thousands of pounds of damage. 

To add insult to injury, Jacob and his family had only just finished repairing the house from the previous year’s flooding – and only just finished retiling the floor in December.  

In the previous flood, the entire ground floor of the house was decimated after water entered from the back garden, though that time the water did not recede for two days.

Jacob, who shares this home with his father-in-law, mother-in-law, and wife, said: “It took 11 months to get back to normal, and we’d only been back for one month before this happened again.

“Everything on the ground floor has been affected — electrical sockets, the kitchen, sofas, cupboards, fridges, freezers. It’s all gone.”

The family now faces going back to square one with renovations. 

Jacob said: “Last time, it took almost a year to fix everything — I think it’ll be the same again.”

When the family woke up the following day, much of the water had receded, but the damage was clear.  

Jacob said: “The house is full of debris, dirt and silt. We’ve got no clean drinking water. It’s a complete mess.” 

While Jacob’s home has been left ruined, neighbors experienced only minor issues.  

“One of our neighbors only had water in their rear pantry — they were unaffected otherwise. I think our house must be slightly lower,” he said. 

The family have already submitted an insurance claim, but Jacob knows from experience the process won’t be quick.  

“We filed the claim yesterday, but it can take two to three days just to get the ball rolling,” he said. 

“We’re on our own for now.” 

The repeated flooding has left Jacob questioning why more hasn’t been done to prevent it.  

Jacob said: “For this to happen once is bad luck, but twice in the same year? It’s ridiculous.” 

Jacob suspects environmental factors are at play but is frustrated by the lack of progress in addressing the issue.  

Jacob said: “Not a lot has been done since last year to prevent it from happening again.” 

“It’s incredibly disheartening. 

“You put so much effort into making your home a nice place to live, only to see it destroyed again.” 

For now, the family is focusing on cleaning up and starting the long process of recovery once more.  

Jacob said: “We’re just taking it one step at a time but it’s hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel when you’re back to square one.”