Do you have what it takes to be a good neigbour? New UK research from Harbour Lifestyle, might say otherwise…
The recent survey conducted by the luxury outdoor living brand, unveils a surprising consensus from homeowners – we all hate a noisy neighbour. Almost half (45.7%) of those surveyed agreed that playing loud music was the most annoying thing a neighbour could do.
As a nation, us Brits love using our outdoor spaces. According to the research, 54% of UK households use their back garden more than five times per week during the summer months. 90% love sunbathing outdoors, 73% get creative whilst gardening, and 72% indulge in alfresco dining and socialising. So, when we’re spending so much time outdoors, how can we ensure we aren’t being ‘that’ annoying neighbour?
The nation’s top annoying neighbour habits have been revealed:
- Playing loud music – 45.7% agree.
- Creating litter – 35.4%
- Children screaming and shouting – 35.2%
- Not keeping their garden well maintained – 32%
- Leaving noisy pets outdoors – 23%
- Throwing balls or toys over the fence – 20%
- Throwing gatherings without prior notice – 18%
- Cooking outdoors whilst washing is on the line – 17%
So, it seems that being a noisy neighbour truly grinds the nation’s gears – with noise related traits taking up three of the top eight rated annoyances. With that said, how can we avoid making these faux pas, and ensure we are being a decent neighbour?
When asked what makes a good neighbour, participants ranked the below traits at the top of their love lists:
- Keeping excess noise to a minimum – 63% agree.
- Notifying neighbours of upcoming gatherings in advance – 61%
- Keeping your garden well maintained – 33%
- Having a chat / being conversational when outside – 31%
- Ensuring children and pets are supervised outdoors – 27%
- Inviting neighbours to upcoming gatherings – 21%
- Waiting until washing is indoors before cooking alfresco – 16%
- Offering help with gardening – 4%
So, if you’re looking to become Britain’s best neighbour, keeping unwanted noise to a minimum, having a well-maintained garden, and being social when appropriate keeps households happy.
Andrew White, Garden Expert at Harbour Lifestyle, comments:
“With the nation spending so much time in their garden during the summer, the way we interact with our neighbours can truly make or break the experience. So, we wanted to find out what truly makes a good neighbour, and to get to the root of it, we also needed to find out what makes a bad one.
“Surprisingly, Brits care a lot about noise – whether that is dogs barking, children screaming, or loud music playing. But, we found that as long as neighbours were informed in advance, the issue became irrelevant.
“Interestingly, keeping your own garden maintained has a huge effect on how your neighbours perceive you. With such a large portion of the population wanting their neighbours to have a picturesque outdoor space, keeping your garden in good nick has never been more important. Of course, your outdoor space is personal to you, and it should always be catered towards your own needs, but it is interesting to see how much it affects other people, too.”
To find out more information on keeping your garden on form, from fabulous furnishings to creating the ultimate alfresco dining BBQ space (when your neighbour’s washing is in, of course!) – check out the Harbour Lifestyle’s blog.
