UK homeowners have been urged not to delay important repair jobs in order to save money.
The call has come from the AA's home repair arm, following a study which found that neglecting maintenance work can lead to people having to shell out considerably more money at a later date. The survey said 39 per cent of people have either delayed having repairs carried out around their home, or tried to carry out the work themselves.
However, the company estimates that as many as three million people lost out last year, and ended up having to spend more money, after problems got worse and eventually had to be fixed by a professional. The AA said that collectively, Britons spent £1.2bn after delaying repairs last year – an average of £398 each.
A report by financial website ThisisMoney.co.uk said an increasing number of people had a go at fixing issues which they would have previously called in a professional tradesman to look at.
Tom Stringer, head of AA home emergency response, said: "As the struggling economy continues to hit people in the pocket, more and more people are putting off home maintenance and are letting their homes get into a state of disrepair.
"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."