Autumn warning to householders

The AA is encouraging householders not to be left out in the cold this autumn

As the colder weather sets in and the mercury plummets, the state of repair of our homes can leave a lot to be desired.

New research by AA Home Membership has revealed 22 per cent of householders had a domestic disaster last winter, costing an average of £555.56.

The findings reveal that the most common type of breakdown in the home is central heating-related, accounting for a huge 58 per cent of repairs.

The second most common fault was a leaky roof (15 per cent), followed by blocked drains (10 per cent), damp (10 per cent) and burst or leaking pipes (8 per cent).

Repairing these problems isn't cheap, one in nine had to fork out a massive £1,000 or more.

Head of AA Home Membership Tom Stringer said: "It's unfortunate that wintry weather can cause damage in and around our homes. Freezing temperatures can affect central heating systems and plumbing, but also other things can go wrong too.

"Quite often you find that what might seem like a relatively minor job can be quite pricey once you factor in call-out charges and labour.

"We can't control the weather, but making sure we have adequate protection in place should we need it should take some of the headache away from organising repairs yourself."