27 December 2006
The cost of calling out a tradesperson to deal with problems to heating or hot water at home is forcing many Britons to go without this winter, according to new research.
The Direct Line study reveals that one in ten people will make do without hot water if their home plumbing falls foul of the weather due to the fees charged by tradespeople.
One in five homeowners have forked out at least £50 an hour, while nearly two thirds admit to not even knowing what prices they should expect to be quoted.
Andrew Lowe, Direct Line's head of Home Response 24 Insurance, commented: "Going without heating or hot water is never pleasant - particularly not at this time of the year - but finding a tradesperson, let alone someone who is reliable and reasonably priced - can be problematic."
Indicating the importance of having adequate home cover, he added: "There is no way that people can predict when they will be faced with a home emergency that needs to be dealt with quickly and professionally."
Although costs can be high, the research showed that an encouraging 36 per cent of homeowners will take the time to shop around for the best deal by finding out three separate quotes.
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