Millions of us are struggling with buyer’s or renter’s remorse, a new study has revealed.

According to research by HomeOwners Alliance and Resi.co.uk, 12.5 million UK households have things they dislike about their home.

While location, number of rooms and a private balcony or garden are the key criteria for most people when moving, 52 per cent of renters and 42 per cent of homeowners wish they’d looked more closely at other aspects of their property.

A quarter (25 per cent) regret not paying attention to storage space, while 21 per cent have found maintenance and repairs an issue, including the condition of the roof, electrics, boiler, plumbing, heating, damp and insulation. Noise from neighbours and traffic was also a problem for 21 per cent.

Despite these and other issues, 77 per cent say they’re happy in their homes – though renters are less happy than homeowners.

While 87 per cent of people who own their own home say they’re happy, only 63 per cent of renters feel the same.

Homeowners aged 55-plus are the happiest of all, with 91 per cent responding positively and only 36 per cent saying they have regrets.

Paula Higgins, chief executive of HomeOwners Alliance, said: “Staying at home 24/7 is making a lot of homeowners regret their choices. The things we didn’t get right from the start are really starting to nag us.

“Our research shows that while we may get the big things right when choosing a home, we often overlook the smaller, less glamorous considerations like storage, how well insulated a property is and the condition of the roof and boiler. These are issues that are difficult or expensive to put right but if ignored, can negatively impact our lives on a day-to-day basis.”

Paula added: “If you have a problem with your roof, heating or have penetrating damp that can’t wait then you shouldn’t live with it – not even during lockdown.

“The government has advised that work carried out in people’s homes, such as tradespeople carrying out repairs and maintenance, can continue, provided that the tradesperson is well and follows social distancing guidelines. Many plumbers and gas engineers are still operating but some have closed until further notice so be prepared to phone around.’