Hot tubs ‘running dry as households squeezed by rising living costs’

Just over half of hot tub owners say they now rarely or never use them, according to Direct Line Home Insurance.
Hot tubs are running dry as the cost-of-living crisis bites, according to Direct Line Home Insurance (David Davies/PA Archive)
PA Archive
Vicky Shaw6 September 2022

Hot tubs are running dry as the cost-of-living crisis bites, according to a survey.

Four-fifths (80%) of hot tub owners surveyed for Direct Line Home Insurance said they had bought their hot tub since 2020 – the year when the UK coronavirus lockdowns started and people spent more time at home.

But nearly a quarter (23%) of those who no longer use their hot tub cited the running costs as being too high.

More than half (55%) of hot tub owners said they now rarely or never use it.

Rising energy bills and the general cost-of-living crisis seems to have hit household budgets hard

Dan Simson, Direct Line Home Insurance

Some also said they now use their hot tub less often due to the time taken to maintain it or the potential environmental impact.

Others said they had lost interest in what had been a “pandemic purchase”, the survey of 2,000 people in June found.

Dan Simson, head of Direct Line Home Insurance, said: “Hot tubs soared in popularity in recent years as households across the country sought new ways to enjoy their gardens when they could not leave their homes.

“However, rising energy bills and the general cost-of-living crisis seems to have hit household budgets hard and may mean British gardens become something of a hot tub graveyard.

“If hot tubs are no longer being used, it’s important owners disconnect and drain them safely to minimise the risk of damage or leaks if they are not maintained properly.”

A spokesperson from another insurer, Aviva UK, said: “Hot tubs have been a hot topic since the start of the Covid pandemic.

“Analysis from Aviva discovered home insurance claims involving hot tubs almost tripled in 2020.

“Analysis of Aviva’s UK claims data revealed a year-on-year increase of 188% in relation to accidental damage claims for hot tubs in 2020.

“Scenarios included a grass strimmer bursting an inflatable tub, birds pecking holes in a spa cover and an engagement ring ripping a tub lining. Hot tub-related claims were still way above pre-pandemic levels in 2021, but had fallen by 12%, compared to 2020.”

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Sign up you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy notice .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in

MORE ABOUT