Quiz: Are you a fixer or a procrastinator in relation to house repairs?
When something at home needs a bit of TLC do you grab your toolbox and get stuck in, or do put it off until it’s impossible to ignore? Take our fun quiz to find out
Are you more likely to avoid simple household fixes, or deal with them right away? (Image: Getty Images)
Take this quick personality quiz to find out how you handle life’s everyday bumps in the road. A recent survey of 2,000 homeowners unveiled the domestic woes that people are most prone to procrastinate over. These include overflowing gutters, leaky taps, noisy washing machines, and wobbly floorboards.
On average, these issues have been left unattended for a staggering 16 months before finally being dealt with. The top reasons for dodging these tasks range from not viewing the problem as pressing, lack of time, and fretting over repair costs. However, three out of ten confess that their delay has ultimately cost them more.
This study was sponsored by the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances (AMDEA), which is encouraging folks to register their appliances on their dedicated web portal during Register My Appliance Week – ensuring consumers don’t miss out on crucial safety updates.
Stefan Hay, CEO of the organisation said: “We all put things off for one reason or another, it’s human nature. Acting early is the simplest way to avoid unnecessary expense and inconvenience later down the line.”
When something goes wrong at home, what’s your first move?
The research revealed that, on average, homeowners have had to shell out £305 after neglecting an issue for too long. A third have even had to replace the faulty appliance with a brand new one due to the damage it caused elsewhere.
This has left 46% of people feeling frustrated with themselves and 34% regretting their decision to not deal with the problem to begin with; over half have previously delayed addressing a problem in the house, despite knowing it wouldn’t take long to fix.
The reasons for this include procrastination, prioritising other tasks, and lacking self-confidence to tackle the issue.
Similarly, the study discovered that many homeowners have postponed registering large appliances with the manufacturer. Those who have delayed said it’s because they believed their appliance was too old to be registered, didn’t see the benefit, or simply forgot at the time.
As a result many households may not get informed about a product recall on an appliance, leading to potential issues later on.
Stefan 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.”
TOP 10 PROBLEMS HOMEOWNERS AVOID FIXING:
- Dripping taps
- Cracks in walls or ceilings
- Slow-draining sinks or showers
- Overflowing gutters
- Warnings to update passwords to online accounts
- Radiators not heating evenly
- Freezer constantly icing up
- Loose floorboards
- Washing machine making excessive noise or vibrations
- Iron or coffee machine or kettle crying out to be de-scaled
