Homeowners in the UK are increasingly prepared to hire people who have taken plumbing or tiling courses to carry out work on their property.

Research from Saga found that 19 per cent of homeowners would rather call in a professional, who has undertaken the appropriate training, than try to carry out improvements on their property.

What's more, the study showed that one in twenty homeowners had had to call in someone who had taken appropriate plumbing or tiling courses to correct work they had tried to carry out themselves.

Interestingly, the report indicated that people who take plumbing, tiling or other construction courses in the north-east are likely to be able to find work as homeowners there are most likely to hire a professional.

A separate study indicated that homeowners in the UK will collectively cause £25 million worth of damage over the Easter weekend by attempting DIY work that would have been better left to those who have attended the appropriate training courses.