Workers who have attended plumbing courses may find that they are called out to fix very basic problems, a DIY expert has suggested.

Andrew Leech, director of the National Home Improvement Council, explained that a lot of very simple skills are not being passed down from father to son, which means people call in professionals to deal with all sorts of issues.

In his opinion, it will end up costing consumers a fortune if they have to use the services of a professional who has completed plumbing courses every time a tap washer needs to be changed.

His remarks were made in response to DIY research carried out by Halifax Home Insurance, which showed that 65 per cent of under-35s admit their fathers are better at carrying out home improvement projects.

However, Mr Leech added: "There are certain things that you can't do, which have got regulations because they are dangerous to do."

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