A family’s £500,000 home has been destroyed by floodwater just days after the damage caused by Storm Henk last winter was repaired.
Jacob Davidge, 28, woke up to find his home flooding with heavy rain on January 7.
In January last year, his entire downstairs flooring was destroyed – including his kitchen which had just been renovated.
Now, days later after the renovations had finished, the downstairs of his seven-bedroom house in Loughborough, Leicestershire is once again underwater.
The 28-year-old 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.’
Water began pouring into the front and back garden of their detached house due to the heavy rain, in almost the exact same way as it did the previous time.
Jacob Davidge, 28, woke up to find his home flooding with heavy rain on January 7
In January last year, his entire downstairs flooring was destroyed – including his kitchen which had just been renovated in 2024. Picture: Flooding caused in January 2024 as a result of Storm Henk
Now, days later after the renovations had finished, the downstairs is now once again underwater, with Jacob Davidge, pictured, saying it’s ‘bordering on stupidity’
‘Within four or five hours, the house was full of water,’ Mr Davidge said.
The water rose to around two to three feet, causing extensive damage to the ground floor of the property, with Mr Davidge believing it has caused tens of thousands of pounds of damage.
To add insult to injury, he 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.
The civil engineering contractor, 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 face going back to square one with renovations.
‘Last time, it took almost a year to fix everything – I think it’ll be the same again,’ he said.
He had had only just finished repairing the house from the previous year’s flooding – and only just finished retiling the floor in December
The civil engineering contractor said: ‘It took 11 months to get back to normal, and we’d only been back for one month before this happened again’
Water began pouring into the front and back garden of their detached house due to the heavy rain, in almost the exact same way as it did the previous time
‘The house is full of debris, dirt, and silt. We’ve got no clean drinking water. It’s a complete mess.’
While Mr Davidge’s home has been left ruined, neighbours experienced only minor issues.
‘One of our neighbours 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 he 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 the 28-year-old questioning why more hasn’t been done to prevent it.
He said: ‘For this to happen once is bad luck, but twice in the same year? It’s ridiculous.’
The family have already submitted an insurance claim, but he knows from experience the process won’t be quick
The ground floor of the property in Loughborough saw the water rising a number of feet in the space of a few hours. Picture: The first flooding in 2024
He suspects environmental factors are at play but is frustrated by the lack of progress in addressing the issue.
Mr Davidge added: ‘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, he said the family is focusing on cleaning up and starting the long process of recovery once more: ‘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.’