You know what’s funny? When you’re in a flat (an apartment for my non-british/kiwi members), there’s this one guy (the fix-it-all guy) who just shows up at your front door. Door squeaks? He’s got a screwdriver. Leaky tap? Done. But then you move into your own house and oh boy, suddenly everything’s a mess. Need a plumber? That’s $200 just for a “look”. An electrician to fix your flickering lights? Another $350. By the time you’re done, your bank account will be screaming louder than the baby next door.

So here’s a thought, why not have your very own Jack of All Trades? Someone who doesn’t care if it’s a leaky loo or your dodgy garden fence. Just one person on speed dial to sort it all out, no questions asked. It’s a bit like that Netflix subscription everyone keeps moaning about (you say you’ll cancel it, but you don’t). Imagine paying a monthly fee say, $50 and you’re covered. It doesn’t matter if you need the TV fitted or the boiler tampered with (not literally, but you get the point).

Strangely, this isn’t even a crazy idea. In Japan, yes, they have these ‘fixers’ like actual businesses. Take Sumomo Handyman Services, based in Tokyo. They do everything from assembling IKEA furniture to fixing your squeaky door, from carpentry to electrical work to even unique tasks like cat sitting and Japanese lessons, no, I’m not kidding. Check them out: Sumomo Handyman Services.

There was a guy who tried to discuss this with his mate Tom, who had just bought a new car, and he laughed. “Why would I pay someone monthly?” he asked. Fair enough, but then two weeks later his cat flushed a tennis ball down the toilet (don’t ask). $600 for a specialist to come and sort it out! I swear I could see his wallet begging for mercy.

Here’s the kicker, this idea isn’t even “new”. Back in the Middle Ages, there was the village blacksmith who sorted your tools, fixed your cartwheels and mended your kettle. (OK, maybe not the kettle part.) These days, we’ve just put a modern twist on it and called it, “membership services”.

It may not be for everyone but here’s how I see it, if someone wants to start this, you’ll be stamped in no time. Couple it with a nifty app and let people book a handyman for one-off jobs or subscribe to unlimited calls. Frankly, the potential is huge.

But hey, I admit, there’s always that one grumpy neighbour who’ll say, “What’s wrong with doing it yourself?” And sure, fixing a shelf might look easy, but what if your socket starts sparking? Nah, I’d rather not electrocute myself, thank you.

The moral of the story? Whether it’s a squeaky door, a cracked tile or I don’t know, a mischievous cat flushing tennis balls, every homeowner deserves their own all-rounder.

Anyway, maybe you think I’m crazy or maybe you’re Googling “handyman subscriptions” as we speak. Either way, it’s food for thought.

Let me know what you think! Would you pay for it? Or is it just another “great start-up idea” that they’ll all forget about by next Tuesday?