More than a third of Britons have had an argument with their neighbour according to new research by Rightmove.
The survey of homeowners and renters found that 36% have experienced a dispute, with noisy neighbours cited as the most common annoyance (78%), followed by contested parking spaces (71%) and “curtain twitching” (70%).
The behaviours most likely to put people off a neighbour were being asked for a Wi-Fi password (87%) and allowing bins to overflow (71%).
Generational differences were also evident. Those aged 18 to 34 were the most likely to be irritated by noise (82%) and nosiness (73%) while older residents aged 55 and over were more likely to have had disputes (39%). Regionally, the South East recorded the highest proportion of disagreements at 42%.
AVOIDING DISPUTES
Neighbour relations are also influencing housing decisions. Six in ten respondents said avoiding disputes was a top priority when moving home, with buyers taking steps such as visiting a property at different times of day (59 per cent), widening their search area (58 per cent) and checking local online community groups for complaints (43 per cent).
Colleen Babcock, property expert at Rightmove, says: “Neighbourly disputes are an inevitable part of community life, but our research highlights just how significantly these everyday annoyances can influence people’s decisions when moving home.
“It’s fascinating to see the lengths Brits will go to avoid these issues, from driving by potential homes at various times of the day to scanning local community groups for any signs of potential problems.
“With the largest choice of homes on Rightmove, we believe everyone can find a home that ticks all their boxes and doesn’t raise any neighbourhood red flags.”
BETTER DECISIONS
Mary-Lou Press, President of NAEA Propertymark, adds: “When buying a property, it can be essential to spend time researching and learning more about the immediate area that surrounds it.
“In addition to a comprehensive and physical look around the local vicinity during the day, the weekend, and/or the evening, and it can be helpful to strike up conversations with people, such as surrounding neighbours, if the opportunity arises.
“Online snippets of information might also help you make a better decision too, such as checking the rate of crime in a particular neighbourhood, the performance of schools and health-related services, or even running a car insurance quote to help with your financial planning.
“Should you then feel that the property ticks all boxes for you to move into, joining a Neighbourhood Watch scheme also tends to provide extra safety once you settle into your new home.
“If you do unfortunately happen to encounter any issues, then you should contact the relevant authorities as soon as any incidents occur, as this can help all parties involved more efficiently resolve any disputes.”
