Professional decorators may be covered by insurance, limiting the risk of debt if anything goes wrong during home improvements, it has been suggested.

Andrew Leech, technical consultant to the National Home Improvement Council, warns Britons not to undertake substantial renovations without adequate insurance cover.

He predicts that claims for structural instability are unlikely to be paid if the policyholder knocked out a supporting wall.

This could see homeowners faced with a debt risk as they look to fund repairs to work they have carried out themselves.

"On the other hand, if you get a person in to do it for you, then he would have to have insurance to cover that sort of thing," Mr Leech advises.

"So if there was any disaster it wouldn't touch your household insurance."

Recent research from Halifax found the average repair bill following a botched DIY job stands at £484 in the UK.

The combined national DIY debt totals some £350 million as a result of such failed home improvements, the financial services provider identified.ADNFCR-1287-ID-18320545-ADNFCR

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