The average family home in the UK is in need of repairs to the tune of more than £24,000, with homeowners confessing that they ‘simply can’t afford’ to get the work done to keep their house in good working order. Common issues plaguing homeowners range from small household maintenance jobs such as ‘leaky taps’ through to more concerning problems like ‘outdated plumbing’ and ‘faulty electrics’.
The average British family is living in state of disrepair, according to new research that has found that homeowners believe their houses require repairs to the average cost of more than £24,000. More than half of homeowners state that they are running a ‘dangerous risk’ every day in their own homes, with faulty electrics and plumbing among other problems.
The team at www.MyJobQuote.co.uk undertook the research as part of an ongoing study into the different trades that are currently the most in demand amongst British households. 2,581 British homeowners took part in the poll, all of whom were 18 or over and owned a property which they lived in for a minimum of 5 years and shared with at least one child.
First, all the homeowners taking part were asked to identify from a list any repairs jobs their homes currently required, revealing that 48% of homeowners had ‘dodgy plug sockets’, 43% had ‘frozen or leaky taps’ and 31% stated that their home featured ‘broken windows’.
In terms of bigger concerns, 51% confessed that they believed that there were ‘potentially dangerous risks’ in their home, with ‘faulty electrics’ (24%) and an ‘outdated plumbing system’ (16%) noted as the most common worries. By comparison, just 11% stated that they had ‘no repair requirements at all’ in their homes.
All relevant respondents were then asked how much they believed they would have to spend in order to get their house in full working order, with all repairs conducted to a good standard, to which the average answer was £24,200.
When asked if they had experienced any dangers in their home due to the state of disrepair, 29% had ‘slipped, tripped or fallen’, 24% had come into contact with ‘falling items e.g. shelves or other furnishings’ and 17% of relevant respondents stated that they had sustained an ‘electric shock’ in their home. A further 7% stated that they had ‘fallen through floorboards’.
Finally all respondents who stated that their house needed repairs were then asked what was delaying them getting the repairs done, to which the majority confessing that they ‘simply can’t afford’ to fix their home (74%). 39% stated that they ‘kept forgetting’ to get it sorted out, and 18% said that they were ‘waiting for someone else in the household to fix it’.
Lisa Evans from www.MyJobQuote.co.uk said:
“This is a really serious matter. Our houses are a huge cost to us, but it seems many of us forget that the expenses don’t end after that month’s mortgage payment. Maintaining a home is a big responsibility and commitment, and one which it seems the majority of us just cannot afford. It can be very difficult to make ends meet when raising a family, but keeping a safe roof over your head has to be treated as a priority. Faulty wiring and dodgy plumbing can be life threatening, so it’s essential that British homes are maintained to a safe standard.”
