Expensive Defence

Sometimes the best defence is a good offence, or it would be if folks would use common sense.

After our village house got flooded a few weeks back I've been after the landlord to make changes to the main gate to prevent a recurrence. I suggested attaching either metal plates or acrylic panels to the gate doors from the bottom to at least three feet high, knowing that during heavy rain these panels, in concert with sandbags that would block fluid ingress at the bottom gap, would deflect flowing flood water toward the river. The likelihood of water breaching the top of these barriers would be minuscule, but even then any such overflow should be managed by the yard drains.

The response I received was less than thrilling, something like: "We're going to do that, but instead we will rig up a system where panels can be put into place when needed." In essence the landlord seems to be worried about the aesthetics of the gate more than protecting his houses.

Clearly he was not thinking clearly, and my reply was swift and unequivocal: "What if heavy rain comes when no one is home to install the panels?"

So now I have to come up with flood prevention measures to protect our house, which means lots of sandbags on standby and some custom stop boards to seal both major entry points, all of which would be unnecessary if the main gate were permanently protected.

It shouldn't cost too much, but whatever it comes to you can be certain I will deduct it from the rent.

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