I have a little

job for you...

Source: CORGI HomePlan survey, 2017

Rather than a simple lack of skills, the issues are
wider and societal. The lack of expertise is
symptomatic of long-term renting, with the property
ladder far out of reach for many.
Manchester resident Elizabeth Warrington, 28,
says she learns DIY skills from online videos, but that
she will not feel confident using them until she owns
a property. She paid handymen to put up curtain poles
and purchase the necessary fixtures as she did not
know what was required.
“I wouldn’t feel confident just having a go in a flat
that wasn’t mine,” she explains. “I also can’t aford
to buy equipment without being absolutely certain
that it’ll do the job.
“What I lack is the money for tools. Plus, being a
young person who can’t aford a house, I won’t have
enough use for these tools to want to purchase them.
“I’ve used websites before where you borrow tools
from people in your neighbourhood, which worked
well, but I just wanted something done in a hurry so
this was more convenient. I wouldn’t buy them
any way because I’m in a little student flat and have
nowhere to store them.”
Money was also a factor for Penrith student Emily
Heaviside, 22, when she sought out someone skilled
to assemble flat-pack furniture.
She says, “My flatmates and I once had a tradesman
come round to build a set of drawers for us, and
while he was there we had him look at some dodgy
lightbulbs.
“To be completely honest, we just weren’t confident
in our own abilities, and when you’ve forked out for
a piece of furniture you can’t really aford to make a
mess of it.
“I certainly didn’t have much involvement with
household DIY growing up, and it’s not something I
have a lot of time to think about now when I’m
working to keep the roof over my head. We deal with
things as we need to when they come up.”
Emily adds that on a handful of occasions she had
visited stores such as Homebase with friends “just
for a fun look around” despite acknowledging that
they could not aford to make any purchases.
With young adults naming exorbitant property
deposits and soaring rent rates as factors behind their
lack of practical know-how, buying and letting
professional body Propertymark notes that recent
research suggests a diferent pattern.
A spokesman explains, “For owner occupiers, we
are seeing a slowdown in the sales market while
homeowners choose to upgrade and renovate rather
than move.
“The cost of housing and stamp duty puts people
of moving and is why we’re seeing the length of time
people stay in a property ever-increasing.”
Acknowledging that letting industry numbers
continue to rise – both in terms of renters and price

• the spokesperson adds, “Best practice is for
  landlords to bring properties up to scratch at the end
  of a tenancy eg lick of paint, flooring, potentially a
  new kitchen or bathroom, general maintenance.
  “Now a greater population is renting, there will
  be more of this activity going on, because the sector
  has increased.”
  Up to 1,500 jobs could be at risk when Homebase
  shuts the 42 under-performing stores currently
  marked for closure.

@hannahjtw

What millennials say they can’t do

43%43%

can’t wire a plug

12%12%

More than

say they

can’t change

a lightbulb

32%32% 28%28%

don’t know how to

bleed a radiator

can’t fix a toilet

sea t

52%52%

don’t know how to

hang wallpaper

1 in 101 in 10

millennial men

said there is an

“unsafe” DIY fix in

their home

23%23%

said they would

hire a tradesperson

every time instead

of attempting jobs

themselves