A new study has laid bare the most common household maintenance tasks that British homeowners consistently delay, with procrastination leading to an average extra cost of £305 per problem.
The Cost of Procrastination
Commissioned by the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances (AMDEA), a poll of 2,000 homeowners found that, on average, people leave a known issue for a staggering 16 months before finally tackling it. The research, released to coincide with Register My Appliance Week, highlights a widespread tendency to ignore minor faults until they escalate.
More than half of those surveyed (52 per cent) admitted to putting off a fix even when they knew it wouldn't take long. The top excuses for this delay include the issue not feeling urgent enough (36 per cent), a simple lack of time (28 per cent), and worries about the anticipated repair cost (24 per cent).
The Top 10 Avoided Household Jobs
The research identified a clear list of the repairs and maintenance tasks most likely to be postponed. The full top 10, in order, are:
- Dripping taps
- Cracks in walls or ceilings
- Slow-draining sinks or showers (23 per cent of people put this off)
- Overflowing gutters
- Warnings to update passwords for online accounts
- Radiators not heating evenly
- Freezer constantly icing up (16 per cent)
- Loose floorboards
- Washing machine making excessive noise or vibrations
- Iron, coffee machine, or kettle needing descaling (15 per cent)
Behind the procrastination, reasons cited include general procrastination (36 per cent), prioritising other things (34 per cent), and a lack of confidence to attempt the repair themselves (27 per cent).
Long-Term Consequences and a Safety Warning
This 'head in the sand' approach has tangible financial consequences. Three in 10 homeowners believe that delaying repairs has ultimately cost them more money. For those who took a financial hit, the average extra cost was £305.
The study found that 66 per cent of these cases saw the initial problem worsen over time, transforming it into a major job. Furthermore, 35 per cent ended up having to replace an appliance entirely, while 28 per cent said the delayed fix caused damage elsewhere in the home. This outcome left 46 per cent annoyed with themselves and 34 per cent full of regret.
Stefan Hay, CEO of AMDEA, commented: "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." He emphasised that "acting early is the simplest way to avoid unnecessary expense and inconvenience later down the line."
The research also uncovered a concerning gap in appliance safety awareness. Despite 94 per cent of homeowners agreeing it's important to keep large appliances in good condition, 28 per cent rarely check them for problems. Alarmingly, 20 per cent don't know if they have registered their large appliances with the manufacturer, and almost a quarter (24 per cent) confessed they wouldn't know about a product recall on their own appliance promptly.
Mr Hay urged homeowners to take action: "We all lead busy lives, but ignoring small maintenance issues can lead to bigger repairs in the future... 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."
There is a silver lining: the experience has been a lesson for many. Learning from their costly mistakes, 82 per cent of respondents said they would now be likely to fix a household issue as soon as it appears to avoid higher costs later, with 81 per cent agreeing that putting things off generally causes more problems.
