Dodgy pipes are to blame for noises at night - not a haunted house, builder says

Broken guttering and mice in walls among causes for strange sounds

Andy Simms advises getting a tradesman in before an exorcist. (Getty)

A builder, on a mission to prove that haunted houses don’t exist, has said dodgy pipes and creaky stairs are usually the reason behind strange noises that rouse people’s fears.

In a new poll, a third of homeowners (32 per cent) have been found to believe they live in a haunted house but tradesman Andy Simms said things that make hissing or banging noises in the night are much more likely to be simple problems that need fixing.

Mr Simms said these kinds of noises come from broken guttering, mice in the walls and wind coming through a gap in a window - among others.

The study, carried out by OnePoll on behalf of MyBuilder, found that 52 per cent of Britons have heard frightening noises at night, but haven’t been able to identify where they are coming from.

The most common noises reported were a creaking sound (54 per cent), banging from a radiator (49 per cent), and gurglings from a toilet (26 per cent).

An unfortunate 23 per cent have smelt a mysterious odour in their home at night, while randomly flickering lights have plagued 42 per cent of homes.

As a result,13 per cent feel their home could benefit from an exorcism while 44 per cent said they would not explore creepy noises. Thirty per cent admitted they’d send their partner to explore instead.

The poll also found that 52 per cent of people are scared to tackle home improvement projects on their own.

Of the results, Mr Simms said: “Our homes can be scary places if we don’t understand them, and never more so than in the dead of night.

“But every spooky sound has a perfectly common explanation - so before calling an exorcist, find a great tradesperson instead.”

SWNS