• Over half of households with hot tubs (55 per cent) rarely or never use them
• High energy bills could spell the death of the hot tub, as £100 a month running costs are set to rise further
• Hot tubs do not hold their value, second-hand ones sell for half the price
• Insurance claims for hot tubs have risen 59 per cent from 2020 to the first half of 2022

 

Hot tubs across the country are running dry as the cost-of-living crisis bites, with over half (55 per cent) of owners rarely or never using their outdoor spa, reveals new research from Direct Line Home Insurance¹.  Almost a fifth (19 per cent) of hot tub owners never use their outdoor spa pool at all.

Hot tubs were incredibly popular during the pandemic, with the vast majority (80 per cent) of households with one having purchased it since 2020. With people spending £2,200 on average per hot tub, huge sums have been invested in home leisure equipment that is now sitting empty. Hot tubs are technically exempt from the hose pipe bans in place in some parts of the UK². However, water companies have asked owners if they can wait until cooler weather and demand for to water reduce before using them.

Almost a quarter (23 per cent) of households that no longer use their hot tub say it is because the running costs are too high, with owners estimating they cost £100 a month to run. As energy bills look set to soar again in the autumn, running costs are likely to rise even further, which could mean even more households choose not to use their hot tub.  Energy costs are on top of the cost of the chemicals required to keep a hot tub clean and the water safe, which include sanitisers, calcium, clarifier, filter cleaner, Ph increaser and decreasers.

The time and energy needed to maintain a hot tub has discouraged 23 per cent of owners from using their outdoor spa pool. The environmental impact has led a sixth (17 per cent) of owners to stop using them and safety concerns have halted 15 per cent of owners.

Table one: Reasons why households are no longer using hot tubs 

Source: Direct Line Home Insurance, 2022

The number of insurance claims³ for hot tubs and inflatable spa related incidents have increased significantly since the pandemic, rising from none pre pandemic to over 1,800 since Covid-19 began in 2020. This Summer could see large numbers of claims, with the first five months of 2022 seeing a 55 per cent rise compared to 2020. The top reasons for claims include weather damage (30 per cent), punctures (12 per cent), accidental damage (nine per cent) and it no longer working (five per cent).

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.”

Over a fifth of owners who do not use their hot tubs (22 per cent) are planning on selling them at present. One in six (16 per cent) are hoping to give it to someone else and one in eight (12 per cent) are keeping it purely because they do not know what else to do with it.  Those who wish to sell their hot tub should not expect to make their money back. Second-hand hot tubs are selling for an average of £1,164⁴, over half (53 per cent) the price they were purchased for, and soft hot tubs sell for considerably less (£234) than solid ones (£2,245).

ENDS

Notes to Editors

¹          Research conducted by Opinium among a nationally representative sample of 2,000 adults between 10^th and 14^th June 2022

²          https://www.southeastwater.co.uk/about/updates/tubs-faqs   

³          Direct Line analysis of home insurance claims made between 1^st January 2020 and 31^st May 2022 relating to hot tubs, extrapolated to cover the whole of the UK market

⁴          Analysis of 159 second hand hot tub listings on eBay on 22^nd June 2022

For further information please contact:

Ewan Robertson

Head of News and Issues

Email: [email protected]  

Direct Line

Started in 1985, Direct Line became the first UK insurance company to use the telephone as its main channel of communication. It provides motor, home, travel and pet insurance cover direct to customers by phone or on-line.

Direct Line general insurance policies are underwritten by U K Insurance Limited, Registered office: The Wharf, Neville Street, Leeds LS1 4AZ. Registered in England and Wales No 1179980. U K Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

 

Direct Line and UK Insurance limited are both part of Direct Line Insurance Group plc.

Customers can find out more about Direct Line products or get a quote by calling 0345 246 3761 or visiting www.directline.com/home-cover