Brits delaying vital home maintenance due to cost of living crisis

There’s no denying that the cost of living crisis has well and truly bitten many of this year. So it’s understandable that we look for ways to save money and cut corners where we can.

We recently sent out a survey to UK homeowners to uncover how their plans and habits may have changed as a result of the economic downturn. It found that close to a quarter (23 percent) of UK homeowners are putting off vital jobs, such as boiler servicing.

These stats are backed up by our own data, which shows that boiler servicing jobs have been down all year, ever since the cost of living crisis began. Boiler servicing requests have dropped 18 percent so far this year, compared to the same period in 2022.

This is particularly concerning in light of the danger that skipping a boiler service can bring into your home - as well as the fact that home insurance is often invalidated by neglecting standard home maintenance. Boilers should be serviced annually, as not doing so can lead to many issues

As well as invalidating home insurance, neglecting to annually service boilers almost always invalidates the warranty on the boiler itself. This can lead to homeowners losing significant sums of money should the boiler fail, whether or not that failure directly relates to the lack of servicing. Regular servicing can pick up any faults before they become serious, preventing serious damage to the boiler and snowballing repair costs. But more importantly, services are meant to ensure the safe operation of the boiler, keeping your property - and your personal safety - intact.

The research found that homeowners aged over 55 were the most likely to delay getting maintenance work done, with 28 percent admitting they planned to postpone or skip getting works completed. The younger homeowners (under 34 year olds) were most likely to prioritise home maintenance, with just 20 percent planning on delaying. Geographically there were also some variations, including:

• Liverpool was the location in the UK with the highest number of homeowners avoiding repairs at 34 percent.
• Brighton came in second with 33 percent.
• Nottingham was the next highest, with 29 percent.
• Norwich 24 percent
• Manchester 23 percent
• London 22 percent
• Sheffield 19 percent
• Edinburgh homeowners are the most likely to continue with essential maintenance, with just 16 percent stating they would delay work.

However, as winter approaches, we’re predicting that last-minute bookings for local heating engineers may leave customers disappointed.

Jack Coles, a heating expert at MyBuilder.com said: “We know things have been really tough this year for many Brits, but boiler servicing is one job that really can’t be skipped. It can invalidate your insurance and warranty in the event of an issue, or worse, can cause hazards in your home.

“Late September is the time when demand hits its peak, meaning that those who attempt to organise a boiler service after that date may be in for a long wait. In an ordinary year, bookings for boiler servicing can spike more than 60 percent - but with so many people delaying their services this year, we expect that to be even higher.

“We’d advise homeowners who do plan to service their boilers to book it in as soon as possible, to ensure they have working heating ahead of colder weather, which may only be a few weeks away despite the current warmer weather.”

See more about the boiler servicing costs and gas safety in your home.