'Worst experience of our lives': Banbury couple finally return home over five months after floods wrecked their house

Matt Keyte and Kevin Driscoll’s property on West Bar Street was heavily affected by flooding caused by a burst Thames Water main back in September.

The couple’s home was one of around 15 properties that experienced significant flooding, which resulted in them having to be evacuated.

Speaking about the morning of the flood, Matt said: “We were woken up at around 5am by banging on our front door.

“It was really traumatic and stressful. Thames Water, the police and the fire brigade were all outside our house. It was almost like a crime scene!”

The flooding left around three feet of flood water in their downstairs kitchen and toilet, and their garden had been completely destroyed.

According to the couple, the incident resulted in tens of thousands of pounds of damage, mostly to kitchen appliances and electrical products, as well as to their carpets, clothes, and sentimental items.

Matt and Kevin spent a day in their flooded home before being moved to temporary accommodation.

Matt said: “It has been awful dealing with the insurance company, looking through receipts for stuff we brought ten years ago and having to log everything and send costs over.

“They have made us feel like we are not being truthful about the costs of items. Some of the items that were replaced did not meet the same standard as what we previously had, so we have had to replace them ourselves.

“It’s been a real stress, probably the worst experience of our lives and something that we will not forget for a long time.”

Initially, the couple, along with their cat Rusty, was moved to an Airbnb in Kingham before moving to another in Duns Tew.

Matt, who is autistic and says he struggles with routine changes, describes living in an Airbnb for over five months as “really hard and challenging”.

He added: “When it first happened, I had to take a week off work because I couldn’t deal with the change and having to get used to a new routine; the impact on my work life and mental health has been massive.

“The properties themselves were really nice, and we are grateful they were available for us, but Airbnbs are not really set up to live in for a long amount of time.

“We had to get used to new layouts, long commutes to get into London for work, being in new communities and keeping our cat inside the entire time.”

Unfortunately, Matt suffered a nasty accident on a treadmill in one of the properties, which resulted in him breaking his leg and injuring his neck.

As he was registered at a doctor's surgery in Banbury, it meant a painful journey of around 30 minutes each way every time he needed care.

Matt said: “It has had a massive impact on everything; our days have been much longer because of the commuting, and we have basically been living in a stranger's house.”

It took three months to fully dry Matt's and Kevin’s home with an industrial dehumidifier and a long time for the smell to disappear, but the couple finally moved back home at the end of February.

They are still going through the process of claiming back money for their damaged items with the loss adjusters, and they say they are looking into applying for compensation for the damage and disruption to their lives.

Matt said: “This could happen to anyone. This house is not near a river or built on a flood plain; we are halfway down a hill in Banbury.

“It just makes you feel like a sitting duck. You could have a water main outside your house, and that’s it – your life could be turned upside down one day.

“It’s been disheartening to think we are paying our mortgage on an empty property, all of our utilities and council tax, and it was not our fault.”

Matt and Kevin want to spread awareness of what happens to households after flooding and put a face to it, as they say they were totally unaware before it affected them.

They said: "You see these incidents happen on the news and tend to assume everything is patched up within weeks, but this has taken months and months. We are still waiting for our garden to be fixed, but we were desperate to move back in.

“We never thought about what happens after an incident like this, but having gone through it, we now appreciate how bad it is for people. To experience either a flood or a fire is probably one of the worst things that can happen to your house.

“We just want to put a human face to the incident, as there were families with kids, elderly residents with mobility issues and people with pets like us, who all had lives changed completely by something totally out of our control.”

The couple have thanked local MP Sean Woodcock for his advice and support during the challenging period.

Sean Woodcock MP said: “I am glad to hear that Matt and Kevin have been able to return back to their home after having to leave due to flooding.

“However, I recognise that this must have been an incredibly challenging period for them, bringing significant disruption to their lives and a great deal of stress.

“I understand just how devastating flooding can be for communities, such as in Banbury and North Oxfordshire. I’ve listened closely to residents’ concerns about the poor state the Conservatives left our flood defences in.

“Flooding isn’t a new threat here - we need decisive action to ensure we’re better prepared and protected for the future. I am therefore pleased that the Environment Secretary has today announced £830m in funding for flood schemes for 2026/27 to improve protection for tens of thousands of homes and businesses, which includes £523k here in Oxfordshire.”

“I will continue working closely with the Environment Agency and local partners to ensure Banbury gets the resilient flood protection it needs for the future.”

For advice on what to do during and after flooding in your home, visit the government’s information pages at: https://www.gov.uk/after-flood