Unruly kids reducing value of properties

Children are succeeding in reducing the value of some properties due to the damage they cause, according to new research.

Statistics from a study by Direct Line show that 60 per cent of parents quizzed divulged that their offspring under the age of five had harmed their home in some way.

Furthermore, one in ten of the respondents believed their kids’ penchant for leaving a trail of destruction had caused them over £2,000 worth of damage.

Andrew Rowe from Direct Line commented: "We understand that homes are prone to toddler damage, indeed, our research has shown most toddlers have caused some form of destruction.

"And while it is impossible to put measures in place that make a home toddler-proof, we recommend all parents ensure they have sufficient insurance to cover possible accidents and make sure any repairs are carried out by qualified tradesmen."

Data showed Yorkshire to be the worst region for "kiddie catastrophes," followed by the north-west, east midlands and west midlands, which all came joint second.