MAKE A GRAND ENTRANCE R
NEW analysis of the priorities of British homeowners suggests that more than one in five don’t currently have any insurance policy in place, with the majority admitting they simply want to ‘avoid the additional cost’ of taking out the policy. What’s more, almost one in 10 have previously tried and failed to claim, due to an invalid or insufficient policy.
As part of ongoing research into Britons’ understanding and perceptions of home insurance policies, a UK company has conducted a new piece of research that highlights the main issues homeowners face when insuring their properties. The study showed that a percentage of British homeowners simply cannot afford or find the correct cover relevant to their own unique properties.
The team at Cover Builder polled 2,256 participants aged 18 and over for the study, all of whom were in full time employment (35+ hours a week), and owned a UK property. The value of homes owned by participants taking part ranged from £150,000 to £850,000.
All those taking part were initially asked if they were in possession of home insurance, with just under four fifths (79 per cent) revealing that they were. Of these participants, the majority (67 per cent) told researchers that their existing home insurance policy had been put in place by a mortgage lender with a financial interest in the property.
Next, the 21 per cent of respondents who didn’t currently have home insurance taken out on their properties were asked to reveal the reason behind this decision, with ‘wanting to avoid the additional financial outlay’ revealed as the most popular answer (37 per cent) followed by ‘forgetting to renew home insurance policy after the last expired’ (18 per cent). A further nine per cent admitted that they’d ‘struggled to find the correct cover’ for their unique property, and as a result didn’t currently have a policy in place.
Finally, all participants were asked if they’d ever tried and failed to make a claim through a home insurance policy they had taken out against a property they owned, with almost one in 10 (nine per cent) stating that this had happened to them in the past. When asked why, the majority (55 per cent) said it was due to incorrect information given to the insurance company and 39 per cent said they didn’t have the right policy for their claiming needs. Of these respondents, the majority (81 per cent) confessed the experience had taught them ‘a valuable lesson’ for the future. EFRESHING your home’s entrance is a big job. Richard Burr – former contestant on the Great British Bake Off – reveals his five top tips for a perfect paint job. “Thanks to the property programmes on telly, we know all about kerb appeal these days,” he explained. “No better place to start than your front door. If it’s been looking shabby for a while and you’ve been meaning to sort it, now’s the perfect time – before the dark and wet evenings set in. It’s not as daunting as you might think.” Great British Bake Off runner-up Richard Burr, who works as a builder when he’s not in the kitchen, gives his decorating tips condition, use a two-part wood filler before undercoating. Do not use decorators caulk, as it’s not appropriate for front doors. You’ll also need paint primer and an undercoat to prepare your surface. However, you won’t need both of these separately if you get a primer undercoat.
“Then, of course, you’ll need the paint for the door and a two-inch synthetic bristle brush. Finally, white spirit or brush cleaner will make cleaning brushes easy, while a Stanley knife blade is very useful for cleaning spots of paint off glass.” “Prepare the outside of the door on day one, by removing all the door furniture then sanding it all over (being careful not to scratch your glasswork), wood-filling if necessary and dusting it down with your rags.
“First, paint all the mouldings and cut into the windows using the one-inch brush. As you look at the door, you’ll see horizontal lengths of wood – ‘rails’ – that fit into vertical lengths called ‘stiles’. Often down the middle of a door, you’ll also have a length of wood called a ‘muntin’. Paint the muntins first, using long, sweeping motions. Next, paint the rails. Once you’ve painted all the rails, you can paint the stiles, so that the edge where each rail finishes is painted over on the stile - this will give you a good finish.” “For a front door, I use two layers of primer undercoat and one coat of gloss. The undercoat is touch-dry after two hours, but I always leave the door open for as long as possible. I let it dry properly for 18 hours, then give the door a fine-sand, rub-off with a rag, and repeat the process.
“Use a wedge to prop the door open while it dries and if you need to be elsewhere in the house, put on the internal security chain. For the gloss layer, it takes 24 hours to dry properly. If you don’t want to leave it wedged open during the night, make sure you leave it for as long as possible and do some touching-up the next day.