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From being locked out of home on the coldest day of the year to running out of hot water when getting ready for a date, a quarter (24 per cent) have spent at least *200 putting something right that has gone wrong at home at the worst possible moment.

And according to the British public, people are most likely to have to put their hands in their pocket on a Monday * the day when sod's law strikes most often.

But it seems it's not just cash that people are in danger of losing, as relationships with friends and family are also at risk. Nearly one in five people who have fallen foul to Sod's law have argued with their partners and 11 per cent their families as a result of home catastrophes that took place at an inconvenient time.

Nearly half (44 per cent) of those who have been a victim of sod's law found themselves about to watch their favourite TV programme when the electricity went off. Others (29 per cent) were cooking a special meal in their kitchen when the cooker broke.

The sod's law situation Britons dread happening the most is their property flooding just after they*ve spent money decorating * 66 per cent cited this as their worst case scenario. Others include the heating and boiler breaking down on a really cold day (62 per cent) and being locked out of the house in the freezing cold (44 per cent).

For those who think they*ve escaped sod's law, then think again. Instances happen so regularly that a third (32 per cent) of those questioned for Home Response 24 * Direct Line's 24-hour accident emergency service * said their bad luck home emergency occurred within the last week.

Andrew Lowe, Head of Home Insurance, Direct Line, said:

*Home emergency situations at any time can be stressful and costly, especially when they happen at the worst possible moment, which they invariably do. Not only do they ruin plans but they can also be a hassle and take a while to put right. As this research proves sod's law really does exist.

For peace of mind, it is worth taking out the appropriate insurance to cover emergency repair work.*

* The research found that 30 per cent of people have spent money to rectify a sod's law situation, of whom 24 per cent have spent at least *200. If the GB population of people aged 18 or over is 44,174,897: