Whether or not you subscribe to Sod’s law, Murphy’s law, Love’s law (all the best ones are gone) and the myriad of other things that seem to defy rational occurrence patterns, you might still accept advice from Direct Line Insurance.

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%) 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% their families as a result of home catastrophes that took place at an inconvenient time.

Nearly half (44%) 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%) 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% cited this as their worst case scenario. Others include the heating and boiler breaking down on a really cold day (62%) and being locked out of the house in the freezing cold (44%).

For those who think they’ve escaped Sod’s law, then think again. Instances happen so regularly that a third (32%) 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."

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