Amongst the languishing DIY skill set is the ability to change a fuse in a plug; three out of ten under 35s (31%) are unable to do it – perhaps the most basic of household repair skills. A similar number (32%) don’t know how to turn off their water supply and three quarters (76%) are baffled by how to defrost frozen pipes.
The research also suggests that it’s perhaps not just lack of skills that’s putting younger people off household maintenance – it could just be that they’re not that bothered.
On average, under 35s would wait more than a week to fix a leaky roof. They’d wait almost as long to fix an electrical socket and three days to have a faulty boiler looked at.
However, a broken front door lock is most worrisome, with respondents of all ages attempting to fix the problem within a couple of hours.
The research shows that Wales is the handiest region, compared to London which is least practical.
Helen Brooker, Head of AA Home Membership said: “It’s a common perception that younger people don’t have the same DIY skills that their parents might have had.
There’s certainly no harm in learning how to carry out a few household tasks like bleeding radiators – no doubt they’ll come in handy at some point.
Our research shows that younger people tend to wait much longer than those who are a bit older to fix things that go wrong in their home. It might be because they’re quite small issues. But things can get worse – a cracked window, for instance, could shatter or pose a security risk, so it’s best to get any problems sorted out as soon as you’re aware of them.”