Self-destructive Brits cause calamity at home

However, new research from Santander Insurance UK has found that nearly one in five (14 per cent) of these homeowners will cause damage on average of £344 each, leaving a total national DIY disaster fund in excess of £331 million.(1)
The Insurer’s research has found that of the people looking to make improvements to their home this year, up to 72 per cent will do the work themselves to save on costs, despite the fact that over half (52 per cent) would not feel confident in knowing how to go about a simple task, such as unblocking their drains. Santander is warning customers that while many DIY disasters can be covered by accidental damage cover on your home insurance policy, many home owners, as many as a third, are exposed to covering these costs themselves by not having appropriate cover.(2)
Financial tightening is causing an increasing number of people to try their hand at DIY, with more people believing that home improvement is something that can be done on the cheap this year as one in five DIY homeowners (20 per cent) admit that they are more likely to cut down on home improvement costs now than they were a year ago.
Miguel Sard, chief executive, Santander Insurance UK said: "This is traditionally the season when homeowners would take time out to beautify their home or make essential repairs. In the past it may have been more efficient and easier to hire help to get these jobs done, but with budgets across the country being squeezed, homeowners are instead attempting to do the work themselves."
While women are less likely to tackle home DIY projects themselves, they are comparatively more likely to cause damage than men, totting up an average bill of £1,993 each. However the most destructive group to attempt DIY and fail are 18 to 34 year olds who, despite being less likely to tackle a job themselves, those that do cause the most damage and foot a bill of an above average £2,497 each.
Even more worryingly, of those that will attempt to work on their home over the next year, 47 per cent will attempt to fit a new plug socket or light fitting despite building regulation that says that electrical work in the home should be carried out by a government-approved electrician or face a fine and the prospect of being unable to sell the home until it is compliant
Miguel Sard, added: "This is the point at which basic DIY becomes a health and safety risk. While it might be understandable to tackle such things as landscaping the garden or constructing a kitchen unit, when it comes to the electrics of the house or major construction work, it is just not worth taking the risks. Get it done professionally."