A new research led by the team at MyJobQuote.co.uk has found that British homeowners believe their houses require repairs to the average cost of more than £24,000. 2,581 British homeowners took part in the poll, all of whom were 18 or over and owned a property which they lived in for a minimum of 5 years and shared with at least one child.

The respondents were asked to identify from a list the repair jobs their homes currently required, revealing that 48% of them had ‘dodgy plus sockets’, 43% had ‘frozen or leaky taps’ and 31% said they had ‘broken windows’. However, the most shocking finding was that 51% of them admitted that there were ‘potentially dangerous risks’ in their home, with ‘faulty electrics’ at 24% and ‘outdated plumbing system’ at 16% being the most common worries. Only 11% of respondents stated that they had ‘no repair requirements at all’ in their homes.

All respondents who stated that their house needed repairs were asked what stopped them from fixing the issues in their home and 74% of them admitted that they ‘simply can’t afford to fix their home’. 39% stated that they ‘kept forgetting’ to get it sorted out, and 18% said that they were ‘waiting for someone else in the household to fix it’.

When asked how much they believed they would have to spend to get their house in full working condition the average answer was £24,200.

“This is a really serious matter. Our houses are a huge cost to us, but it seems many of us forget that the expenses don’t end after that month’s mortgage payment. Maintaining a home is a big responsibility and commitment, and one which it seems the majority of us just cannot afford. It can be very difficult to make ends meet when raising a family, but keeping a safe roof over your head has to be treated as a priority. Faulty wiring and dodgy plumbing can be life threatening, so it’s essential that British homes are maintained to a safe standard,” said Lisa Evans from MyJobQuote.co.uk.