Teenage parties are getting increasingly out of control, research suggests, as
the average repair bill has risen by more than a third in the past year.

According to the insurance giant Allianz, the cost of damage to the family
home after a child’s party now stands at £162.

This represents a £45 rise a 38 per cent increase on the figure of £117
recorded for 2010.

With an estimated one in 10 teenagers damaging their parents’ homes during a
wild night in with friends, it could mean that the total damage bill is as
high as £23million.

It could lead to nervous mothers and fathers locking away more of their
possessions ahead of one of the most popular nights of the year for house
parties, New Year’s Eve.

Half of the 2,000 parents surveyed said under-18s had caused “general rubbish
and mess” but almost as many (45 per cent) said the festivities had led to
furniture being broken.

More than a quarter (28 per cent) reported their garden and plants being
trampled when guests went outside while almost as many came home to find
their carpets stained (24 per cent) and upholstery singed (23 per cent).

Boys’ parties were more at risk of ending with chairs and sofas being trashed,
but girls’ events were twice as likely to create a mess for mothers and
fathers to clean up in the morning.

Andy James of Allianz Your Cover said: “One in 10 teenagers has caused damage
to their family homes by throwing a party, so parents have good reason to
worry about celebrations getting out of control.

“By being vigilant to their teenager’s behaviour, parents can avoid being the
unlucky owner of a home ravaged by a teen party that has caused thousands of
pounds worth of damage.”

Teenage parties often get out of hand when gatecrashers turn up, having heard
about the event on social networking websites such as Facebook.

Last year a party hosted by a 15 year-old girl, Rachel Ross, led to an
estimated £15,000 of damage being caused to her parents’ home after dozens
of adults heard about it on the internet. Other children have been forced to
cancelled planned events after their invitations went “viral” and attracted
thousands of would-be guests.

The average teen has 243 “friends” on Facebook, research suggests, so “by
posting details online, teenagers are essentially opening the door of their
family home to hundreds of people”.

Yet Allianz found that 1 in 10 parents did not know if their children had
advertised a party online, while just 17 per cent admitted monitoring their
children’s online activity, down from 35 per cent last year.

Mr James added: “We would urge parents to talk to their teenage children and
set boundaries for parties to ensure that any festive celebrations do not
compromise the safety and security of their home. We recommend that parents
check the levels of accidental damage cover on their home insurance
policies. Less than half of our customers have opted for accidental damage
cover which would ensure they are protected. ”