Nearly 40% of Brits delay home repairs

By Marianne Straker, Wed 22 Feb 2012 - Published in Home Insurance

British homeowners are delaying carrying out repair work on their property in a bid to save money.

Research by the AA Home Emergency Response Service found that 39 per cent of UK home insurance holders (18.5 million) put off maintenance work to preserve savings.

However, by avoiding repairs homeowners face a collective bill of Ł1.2 billion as a result of neglected homes. One in five people (21 per cent) have experienced unforeseen problems and costs by scrimping on building work.

A recent survey from Moneysupermarket.com found that 23 million Brits stopped or cut down on savings in 2011 due to the rising costs of day-to-day living. The AA found that 14 per cent of homeowners carried out their own DIY work to avoid hiring a builder.

Tom Stringer, head of the company, said: "Many homeowners seem to be mirroring the government's drive for austerity but this can be a false economy as problems tend to get worse in the home if you leave them unresolved."

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