12% of home owners 'delayed moving for more than three years'

Around one in eight home owners have stayed put in a property they wanted to leave for more than three years before finally making a move, a survey has found.

Some 12.6% of home owners said they had done this - with the average Briton remaining in a property they did not like for 14 months before moving on.

The research, from Sarah Beeny's estate agent Tepilo, found not being able to afford the moving costs was the most common reason people had stayed put in their home.

This was followed by not being able to afford to trade up to another house and not being able to face the upheaval of moving.

Many people had also delayed moving for emotional reasons - because they had not wanted to leave friends, family or neighbours.

The main aspect of their previous property that people had disliked was that it was too small, followed by not liking the area and not having a big enough garden.

Disliking the neighbours, not being able to park and not being near enough to work were also common factors spurring people on to move.

The research also found that nearly one in three (31%) Britons had moved out of a home when really they had wanted to stay.

A marriage break-up or having to relocate for work were the most common reasons for doing this, followed by a partner pushing them into making the move.

The research also found that despite the upheaval of moving, three-quarters (75%) of the 2,000 people surveyed were happy with their current home.