Britain’s homes have 106.4 million maintenance problems
From leaky taps and radiators to broken locks and creaky floorboards, Britain’s homes have an accumulated 106.4 million maintenance problems according to new research from Which? Trusted Traders.
Despite the huge number of household niggles we’re a fairly house-proud nation with over half (55 per cent) of homeowners saying they take great care of their home and pride in its appearance. However, almost four in ten (37%) admit they tend to put off maintenance jobs around the house.
Doors that don’t close or lock properly are the most common property gripe with poor state of decoration and mould on the walls coming in second and third respectively.
Home owners in Northern Ireland are the most house proud with 65 per cent saying they take a great care of their homes and a lot of pride in its appearance.
People in the south-west meanwhile are the most relaxed about the state of their homes with 46 per cent saying they take a great deal of care.
When it comes to gardening, again Northern Irish home owners put in the most amount of effort to keep their gardens in top condition. Scottish home owners are the least green fingered.
Stephen McCluskey, Managing Director of Which? Trusted Traders, said: “Small problems with our properties can add unnecessary stress to our lives. It’s amazing that dodgy doors are so common in UK properties, especially when they’re such a safety and security risk.
“People are understandably often reluctant to let strangers into their home to fix a problem. Which? Trusted Traders puts people at ease by only giving honest and competent tradesman a seal of approval.
“All tradesmen are assessed and quality checked before they can join the scheme so householders can be sure the person they let into their home has been thoroughly vetted and independently approved,” said Stephen McCluskey.
The maintenance malaise is not confined to homes. More than two in ten motorists (21 per cent) say there is a problem with their vehicle they haven’t got round to fixing.
“Letting maintenance jobs build up can be dangerous,” said Stephen McCluskey. “Whether it’s exposed wiring in the home or a problem with the hand brake in your car, an inconvenient niggle can quickly develop into a more serious problem if it isn’t dealt with properly and quickly.”
Ends
For more information please contact
Steve Marinker 0207 467 9272 or 07779 031 936
Alex Dickie 0207 467 9225 or 07834 572 378
Notes to editors
1. Research conducted for Which? Trusted Traders by Populus in two waves:
- 13 -15 June among 2086 UK residents
- 20 –22 June among 2014 UK residents
2. 106.4 million is based on average number of household problems (4.02) multiplied by number of UK households (26.481 million).
3. Sources for number of UK households as follows:
http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/press/news2011/scotland-sees-rise-in-the-number-of-households.html
http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/news-dfp-130308-growth-in-number
4. League table of household niggles:
| 1 | Doors that don’t close properly or won’t lock |
| 2 | Poor state of decoration |
| 3 | Mould on walls or damp |
| 4 | Squeaky hinges |
| 5 | Peeling wallpaper |
| 6 | Uneven flooring |
| 7 | Leaky taps |
| 8 | Loose carpet |
| 9 | Bathroom fittings that don’t work properly |
| 10 | Broken light fittings |
5. About Which? Trusted Traders:
Which? Trusted Traders is an endorsement scheme that recognises reputable and trustworthy traders who successfully pass our rigorous assessment process.
The scheme currently operates in London, the Home Counties and the West Midlands and is open to traders working in the motoring repairs and home improvements industries.
The service is available to anyone searching for tradespeople in the home improvements and motoring repairs industries.
To find a Which? Trusted Trader in your area, please visit: http://trustedtraders.which.co.uk
To apply to become a Which? Trusted Trader, or to learn more about the scheme, please call 0203 642 5055.
Press Release