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Finances 'holding back repairs in UK'

14 June 2008

UK householders are struggling to keep up with repairs to their boilers as a result of financial strains, it has emerged.

New research conducted by Alliance & Leicester indicates that when a boiler breaks, five per cent of people look to their family to help them with the cost.

Only one in three claimed that they would be able to afford repairs or replacements; however, over 900,000 people admitted that they would have to sell some of their possessions in order to do so.

Hetal Parmar, manager for savings at the building society, commented: "The reality of being a homeowner means that at some point you will inevitably have to pay out for repairs such as broken boilers and faulty appliances.

"We would encourage people to start saving sooner rather than later to avoid a basic household emergency becoming a financial headache."

People should contact Corgi - the national watchdog for gas safety - when installing a new boiler.

Find out how the Energy Saving Trust can help you