Brits love a good neighbour – but admit to being a nation of nosy ‘curtain twitchers’

A new survey from Blenheim Estate Homes has revealed that Brits put huge value on good neighbours – three quarters (75%) of respondents saying they’d pay more to live somewhere with a strong sense of community. 

The national survey of 2,000 people also found that nearly 6 in 10 (59%) of those polled admitted that they wished they could vet neighbours before moving into a new home – and 94% agreed that a bad neighbour is the ultimate nightmare. A quarter of those surveyed (26%) also admitted they had considered moving house to escape a bad neighbour.

The poll also found that over half of respondents (55%) feel that their neighbours are nosy – however nearly two-thirds (64%) admitted to being nosy themselves and spying on their own neighbours.

Other findings from the survey included:

• Helpful – top ‘favours’ we do for our neighbours include taking in deliveries (44%), putting out the bins (42%) and watering their plants (27%) – although 27% of respondents said they don’t do anything for their neighbours!!
• Honest – over 80% of those polled said they’d never borrowed something from a neighbour and not returned it
• Hiding – 69% of respondents have hidden and pretended to be out (either once or many times… Three in 10 said they’d done it many times!
• Bin sneaky – four in 10 (43%) admitted to putting rubbish in a neighbours’ bin when their own was full
• Keep it down! – the top three most annoying neighbour behaviours are loud parties (51%), be nosy (38%) or make constant noise with DIY (35%)

Karis McMahon-Lane, Marketing Manager for Blenheim Estate Homes, commented: “There are some fascinating findings here – and it’s great to see the survey confirm our belief that house buyers really value good neighbours and a sense of community, something which we put at the heart of all our developments.”

Built in partnership with Pye Homes, Hill Rise in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, is Blenheim Estate Homes’ latest innovative low-carbon and energy efficient community of new homes, that has sustainability, wellbeing, and community at its core. The development will deliver up to 180 highly energy-efficient homes with an initial 48 homes in the first phase of building. 

For more information on Hill Rise visit their website