Home insurance warning for conversions

Homeowners who make costly conversions to their properties have been advised to check their home insurance policies.

Research by AA Insurance found that one in five British homeowners have converted "dead space" into new living areas, spending more than £90 billion in the process.

Meanwhile, a quarter of those said the driving factor behind them making home improvements was increasing the value of their property.

This has prompted the firm to remind homeowners to check the details of their household insurance policies, as they may need changing once the renovations are completed.

Janet Pell, head of home insurance at AA Insurance, commented: "Your three-bed cottage might suddenly become a four-bed house.

"And of course, you'll have additional furniture and possessions too."

Ms Pell added that homeowners should also make sure they have the appropriate building regulations approval before proceeding with any work.

The research found that attics and garages were the most popular spaces to convert, while 15 per cent of homeowners were found to have converted sheds into a living area or workspace.

Earlier this month, Halifax urged homeowners to be careful that they do not make mistakes when carrying out home improvements.

The household insurance provider stated that the cost of repairing work that has gone wrong exceeds half a billion pounds

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