Junk keeps vehicles out of garages: Half of motorists never park in the garage, new survey reveals

If your garage is so full of junk that you can no longer put your car inside it, you are not alone.

Fifty-three per cent of drivers with garages never park their cars in them.

And 68 per cent of them say it is because they use their garage to store other items. The survey of 2,138 drivers by motoring organisation the RAC found that 30 per cent of those who do not park in their garage say their vehicle is too big to fit through the door.

Simon Williams, of RAC Home Insurance, said: ‘It seems most garages are nothing more than additional storage, perhaps because many houses don’t have enough easily accessible space to store lots of household items.’

Things often kept in garages include DIY tools and materials (90%), gardening tools and furniture (74%), bicycles and scooters (55%), wellington boots and other footwear (36%) and camping equipment (24%).

A lack of room to comfortably drive in and out of garages due to their limited size was the second most common reason (39%) for not using them to store cars.

Three out of 10 (30%) motorists who do not keep their car in their garage claimed their vehicle is too big to fit through the door in the first place.

Mr Williams added: ‘Our findings show the vast majority of UK garages aren’t used for the purpose they were intended. At best, 40% of those with garages park their cars in them on a regular basis.

‘But in fairness to many people with garages, some just aren’t big enough to get a modern car in, and then there are some that you can drive into but are then too small to comfortably get in and out of your car.

‘With so many items such as bikes, golf clubs, tools and fitness equipment being stored in garages, it’s important every homeowner makes sure they have a good quality home insurance policy in place covering both the building and its contents.’