Despite more than a quarter of homeowners (28%) professing to be home maintenance enthusiasts, almost a third] (31%) say they only have the skills to carry out basic cosmetic improvements - such as painting or grouting - lacking the confidence to undertake even straightforward maintenance which could prevent problems such as damp in the longer term.
TV DIY expert, Ben Hillman, said: "By making a number of small maintenance checks throughout the year homeowners can save both time and money, and ensure their home is well maintained. For example, it can cost £40 to have gutters cleaned, whereas replacing damaged gutters can cost over £550, and even more in terms of hassle."
According to the analysis of UK estate agent listings, commissioned by Halifax Home Insurance, Hartlepool's homeowners top the list of towns and cities with housing in disrepair.
Wrekin in Shropshire closely follows, with the second highest number of ‘wrecks' on the list. The report showed that homeowners in Aberdeen keep their properties best maintained, while Peterborough came out on top in England, and Newport in Wales.
The report reveals that homeowners are more likely to have carried out aesthetic DIY work such as painting or decorating (86%) and assembling furniture (77%) than tackling bigger home maintenance issues such as cleaning gutters (55%) and repairing fittings or cracks (63%).
The research also examined homeowners' attitudes to DIY and found that 70% prefer to tackle simpler tasks than more complex ones. Nearly a quarter (23%) admitted they ask for their parents' help with maintenance jobs while 23% admit to having ignored a serious home maintenance task in the past.
Homeowners' main reasons for neglecting maintenance work included being ‘too busy' (41%), not having the right tools (36%) and fear of causing injury to themselves or others (29%) - with women nearly twice as worried as men.
In the past five years, homeowners have spent an average of £5,841 on home improvements to their properties. More than one in 10 (11%) have spent over £10,000, with one in 20 having splashed out over £20,000
Martyn Foulds, senior claims manager at Halifax Home Insurance, said: "We all invest a considerable amount of time and money in our homes, so it's worth making sure this investment is adequately protected, yet more than a quarter of people (27%) are unaware of what is and isn't covered by their home insurance policy.
“By failing to properly maintain the property, homeowners risk invalidating their insurance policy, potentially running up hefty bills if something goes wrong as a result of neglect."
Ben Hillman continued: "Cosmetic quick-fixes are often the popular choice but a lack of awareness may lead homeowners to avoid problems that could have a more serious impact.
"With older properties comes a greater need to maintain, and our research found that three quarters of properties are over 20 years old - suggesting that home maintenance should be much higher on the homeowner's agenda."
