New research from Age UK Enterprises has shown that a fifth of homeowners aged 60 and over find the cost of home maintenance to be their biggest concern for later in life.
A further 35% of respondents worried that they might not always have the physical ability to carry out everyday maintenance tasks, including tasks such as mowing the lawn.
Why home maintenance is so important
Home maintenance is very important, and not just because you want your home to look nice. Age UK warned that insurance claims may be rejected if your property is poorly maintained, as insurers expect homeowners to take reasonable steps to avoid damage.
General wear and tear is not covered by home insurance policies, so if a problem has developed over time and the homeowner has not taken action, the insurer need not pay out if the problem becomes a major issue requiring expert attention.
Key to dealing with the issue of wear and tear are regular inspections. Checking the exterior of your home for corroded or damaged pointing (the mortar between the bricks) is crucial, for example. It's also vital to check your roof for missing or damaged tiles and taking a look at your windows to make sure that seals and fastenings are intact.
Gordon Morris, managing director of Age UK Enterprises, said that these simple steps can go a long way to helping homeowners identify potential problems early on, which can ultimately save them money and prevent stress and worry.
As a person ages, they may very well become less able to carry out repairs themselves, but spotting problems quickly and hiring someone to do the work will significantly reduce the bill on future repairs, and will help to convince your insurer to pay out should a claim arise.
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Simple but vital maintenance tasks
Besides the already mentioned checks on the exterior of your property, you should also pay attention to your gutters and drainage, making sure that pipes and drains are unblocked, particularly in autumn when the leaves fall. Blocked gutters can lead to damage to your roof or walls, which could be very costly to put right, while blocked drains at ground level might lead to flooding.
[SPOTLIGHT]The exterior of your home should be repainted at sensible intervals to help protect your home from the wind and rain. The interior of the property should be considered too, as wear and tear builds up over time, and paint helps to protect the plaster as well as rejuvenating your home.
If multiple fuses frequently blow or your circuit box is tripping often, call an electrician so that the cause can be identified and the problem rectified.
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms should be tested once a week, and the batteries replaced annually.
Even simple cleaning tasks undertaken on a regular basis can help to not only make your property pleasant to live in, but also prevent damp and mould developing. These can have a negative effect on your respiratory health as well as potentially damaging your walls and floors.
Keeping your home well ventilated also helps to protect against mould, so make sure to keep extractor fans clean and open windows to allow airflow when you are at home. Just remember to lock them all up tightly when you go out.
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Who to hire
If you’ve noticed a problem, don’t wait to get it sorted, as the damage could get worse and any insurance claims might be dismissed if there was a pre-existing longstanding problem that the homeowner neglected to have fixed.
In an ideal world, you’d save money by doing the work yourself, but you shouldn’t try to do anything if you’re not fully confident that you can resolve the problem. Never attempt to perform maintenance on your electrical, gas or plumbing systems, unless you are fully qualified. These should only be checked by professionals with relevant accreditation.
If you are looking at tackling a specific DIY problem, hardware store B&Q and rival Wickes have some ‘how to’ guides that you might find useful.
For those who aren’t handy with a toolbox, trustworthy tradespeople can be found through TrustMark, a Government-backed scheme. This will help you find local, reputable firms, and avoid cowboys.
You might also want to get in touch with your local Home Improvement Agency. These organisations provide a range of services for the vulnerable, and some can offer home visits to give advice about problems.
Be aware that the specific services available through these vary depending on your location, so it would be best to have a chat with your local agency about your situation to see what they can help you with.
Home Improvement Agencies can also help you locate a handyperson who will do odd jobs like gardening and small household tasks, which would be of benefit to those who find it physically hard to do such work themselves.
If you live in a rented property, when you notice a problem you should report it as soon as possible to your landlord, who has the legal responsibility to keep in repair and working order the structure and exterior of the property, and the supply of essential utilities and heating facilities.
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