The top 10 things homeowners put off fixing around the house

52 per cent have previously put off addressing an issue in the house, even though they knew it wouldn’t take long to fix. | Shutterstock

The top 10 things homeowners put off fixing around the house include noisy or vibrating washing machines, overflowing gutters and dripping taps.

Slow-draining sinks or showers (23 per cent), freezers constantly icing up (16 per cent) and coffee machines and kettles crying out to be descaled (15 per cent) also made the list. But are you the type to fix something at the first sign of trouble, or do you carry on hoping the issue will disappear?

By taking this fun personality quiz, you can find out how you handle life’s everyday bumps in the road.

A poll of 2,000 homeowners revealed the household headaches they’re most likely to delay and on average, those with issues admit the longest they’ve left one before tackling is 16 months.

The top excuses for putting off jobs include the issue not feeling urgent (36 per cent), lack of time (28 per cent) and the anticipated cost of repairs (24 per cent). And three in 10 admit they believe this delay has ended up costing them more in the long run.

The research was commissioned by the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances, AMDEA, which is urging people to register their appliances on their designated web portal as part of Register My Appliance Week – so consumers don’t miss out on vital safety information.

Stefan Hay, CEO of the organisation said: “We all put things off for one reason or another, it’s human nature. An iced-up freezer or an unusually loud washing machine tend to be things we’ll look at when we finally get a minute, but those ‘little jobs’ can quickly turn into a bigger headache.

“Acting early is the simplest way to avoid unnecessary expense and inconvenience later down the line.”

Of those who have taken a financial hit from this, 66 per cent reckoned the issue worsened over time turning it into a bigger job to fix. As 35 per cent had to replace an appliance for a brand new one and 28 per cent said it was because it ended up causing damage elsewhere.

The study found on average, the problems costing homeowners more in the long run saw them fork out £305 due to their delayed response. With this leaving 46 per cent annoyed with themselves and 34 per cent regretful for holding off in the first place.

What’s more, 52 per cent have previously put off addressing an issue in the house, even though they knew it wouldn’t take long to fix. Reasons for this include procrastination (36 per cent), prioritising other things (34 per cent) and not having enough confidence to fix it themselves (27 per cent).

Learning from this, more than eight in 10 (82 per cent) would now be likely to rectify an issue which goes wrong in their home as soon as it happens to avoid paying more. As 81 per cent of those polled via OnePoll.com agreed putting off these things could cause more problems or cost more in the long run.

However, the study also found that when it comes to registering large appliances with the manufacturer, 20 per cent don’t know if they have done this or not. Those who haven’t, said it’s because they thought their appliance was too old (25 per cent), didn’t see the benefit (24 per cent) or simply forgot at the time (16 per cent).

Despite 94 per cent of homeowners feeling it’s important to keep large appliances in good condition, 28 per cent admitted they rarely check their white goods for potential problems. And almost a quarter (24 per cent) confessed they wouldn’t know about a product recall on an appliance they own as soon as it happened.

AMDEA’s CEO, Stefan Hay added: “We all lead busy lives, but ignoring small maintenance issues can lead to bigger repairs in the future, as they rarely stay small for long. Tackling them early saves time, money, and stress – plus it will keep your home running smoothly.

“With appliances especially, registering them with the manufacturer also means you can be contacted immediately if a free safety repair is needed on your particular model, before any real issue occurs.”

Three in 10 admit they believe delaying repairs has ended up costing them more in the long run. | ShutterstockDripping tapsCracks in walls or ceilingsSlow-draining sinks or showersOverflowing guttersWarnings to update passwords to online accountsRadiators not heating evenlyFreezer constantly icing upLoose floorboardsWashing machine making excessive noise or vibrationsIron or coffee machine or kettle crying out to be de-scaled

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