Neighbours' failed DIY improvements could cost Britons as much £173 million in
home insurance claims and repairs, it has been suggested.
According to new statistics from Halifax, 594,960 people sustain property damage as a result of a botched home improvement attempt carried out by a neighbour each year.
Since 2003, the average cost of repairing such damage is £291, with over a third of homeowners having to pay for repairs themselves.
In 27 per cent of incidents, costs had to be shared by both parties.
David Rochester, head of underwriting at Halifax Home Insurance, said: "A number of errant DIYers are not just damaging their properties, but their neighbours' homes too. But even more interesting is that so many victims handle the situation with typically British aplomb."
He added that a number of people had chosen to claim damages on their own policy rather than make a fuss by forcing the neighbour to pay for repair.
Last month, Halifax released statistics suggesting that over a third of men dislike DIY work but feel pressured into undertaking the tasks.
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