One in four Australians are skipping vital home repairs amid cost pressures

One in four Aussies are avoiding or delaying home maintenance due to cost of living pressures, new data reveals.

As the cost of living continues to squeeze pockets, many Aussies are cutting corners to stretch their finances to the very last dollar, even when it becomes dangerous.

Polling by comparison group Finder revealed 26 per cent of households were actively avoiding repairs due to the high cost of living.

About one in 25 homeowners were reported to have delayed major structural repairs that needed attention, which Finder estimated totalled about 400,000 homes at risk nationally.

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Finder home loans expert Richard Whitten said the data reflected the broader financial challenges many people were facing.

“After the bills are paid, there’s just not enough left over to repair a leaking tap or fix an electrical issue,” Mr Whitten said.

“These aren’t ‘nice to have’ fixes – they’re critical for safety and for protecting the value of the home,” he said.

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Rate hikes announced by RBA governor, Michele Bullock have put pressure on mortgages. Picture: Martin Ollman

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There’s a number of ways to calculate how much to budget for repairs but approximately one to four per cent of your home value should be allocated annually, according to Airtasker.

Mr Whitten urged people to build emergency funds or look into payment options so they can fix small issues before they become dangerous or even costlier.

“We’re seeing more households forced into short-term decisions because of cost pressures, but unfortunately that can create longer-term financial stress,” Mr Whitten said.

“A small issue today can quickly become a much bigger, more expensive problem if it’s left unresolved.

“Even if you can’t fix everything at once, it’s important to triage what can’t wait,” he said.

More homeowners are delaying critical maintenance and resorting to unsafe DIY fixes.

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Respondents were able to select more than one option with the top neglected categories being interior maintenance (10 per cent), gardening or exterior upkeep (10 per cent) and electrical issues (eight per cent).

Other delayed maintenance included pest control, plumbing issues and essential appliance repair or replacement, all of which made up seven per cent of those surveyed.

Only 42 per cent said they didn’t “currently require any household maintenance” with 17 per cent saying they weren’t avoiding or delaying repairs.