Creating a Friendly Neighbourhood

Author: Jeff Durham

All of us would prefer to live in a friendly neighbourhood, as opposed to one in which nobody spoke to one another, or one in which disputes and arguments were commonplace.

In fact, even though the majority of the articles contained within this website are primarily aimed at dealing with issues surrounding the resolution of Disputes Between Neighbours, underpinning much of the advice lies the answer to how to create a friendly neighbourhood in the first place. Here is some general advice for how you can create a friendly neighbourhood.

Be Friendly and Communicative in the First Place

Take time out to say ‘Hi’ to neighbours and maybe even stop for a chat occasionally. We all tend to lead busy lives these days and often feel there are simply not enough hours in the day to devote sufficient time even to our work and our families.

You may bump into your neighbours in passing or when mowing the garden or tending to other projects outside the house, so a few kind words won’t cost you anything, doesn’t need to take up much time and will always engender a good community spirit.

Be Considerate

Tips On Being A Good Neighbour include being considerate towards others. Things like understanding a little more about your neighbour’s lifestyle can often help with issues relating to noise, for example. If they work night shifts and/or weekends or if they have children, be mindful of all these kinds of things in terms of the noise you generate and other activities you might wish to pursue inside and outside of the house, such as having a party, a social gathering or a barbecue.

Neighbour Rights Checker

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You’ll often find that once you understanding a neighbour’s lifestyle a bit more, it will also help you to plan events when your neighbour is not going to be around, so you’ll also be able to let your hair down a lot more. Avoiding Parking Disputes and controlling the noise and behaviour of any children and/or pets you have will also help to create a friendlier neighbourhood, too.

Look out for Others and They’ll Look out for You

If you’re approached for a favour of any kind or asked for help or advice, try to offer assistance wherever you can. Obviously, this shouldn’t mean you should feel that you’re at the beck and call whenever a neighbour comes knocking on your door. But if it’s not going to create too much of an imposition upon you in terms of time and effort, your help will be very much appreciated and you’ll often find that you’ll get that kindness back tenfold in return.

Things like putting your neighbour’s bin back up their drive once they’ve been emptied is a nice gesture. We all might need to go on holiday sometimes or take a day or two away for a break or because of work commitments. By establishing good relationships with your immediate neighbours, they’ll end up looking out for you and your property while you’re away, and likewise you can do the same for them sometimes.

Being a good neighbour does not impose too much effort on your part. It doesn’t mean having to become great friends and regularly socialising with your neighbours either. It’s simply mostly a case of good communication and understanding, being friendly and helpful where possible, and showing respect and consideration for others. We may do all of these things for our own family and close friends anyway, so it’s really an extension of that which leads to the creation of a friendly neighbourhood.

The Next Step

Now that you have read through the advice above, you might want to put it into practice. Our Neighbour Rights Checker lets you check your legal rights in any neighbour dispute. Takes 1 minute. Try it now →

8 Comments

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Marjie 10 Jan 2017

I share part of my driveway with a neighbor. My driveway splits off from his and then runs along his front yard. I have a fiance and children that park in my part of the driveway. He left notes that the lawnmower people cant access his yard when we park our cars in our own driveway. (Even though the lawnmower person can cut across his side walk and get to his yard but it blows his mulch around). So sometimes we park on the street near the mail box. I heard complaints were told to other neighbors. I asked what it was about. I was told that we are parking on their street. Also, when I vacuum, I have a little dog that barks at the vacuum. I have gotten official letters of complaint. I got another letter of complaint about dog barking even though it was the neighbors dogs. I'm feeling frustrated that they complain to everyone and spread around ill feeling. Last week, another neighbor gave the advice...you better keep moving...He gave me a look and I knew it could be taken two ways: one for the cold weather and two it's time to leave the neighbor hood. (He also told me that the neighbor who dislikes us and copied our Christmas laser lights had more sparkly lights than ours and was more needed in the neighborhood). Would you leave because of neighbors acceptance or lack of acceptance?

kasabugu 26 May 2015

I made a complaint about a noisy neighbour 8 years ago and it was investigated by the local council. Their response was that the new ( at the time ) neighbours were not causing excessive noise and that it was in the 'nature of the building' ( being a Victorian house conversion ) for noise to be heard between the flats. The neighbours were informed and made an effort to reduce the noise and we have since learned to ignore it. We have recently retired and intend to move to the country, do we have to declare the complaint or is there a time limit for such disclosures.

Mikey 11 May 2015

In our area, unless you are steaming at the local pub every night of the week, you are not part of the "gang" I am a fairly considerate person, always say hello, pass the time of day. The neighbours have none of these qualms. Kids out screaming at the crack of dawn, banging the bins, leaving household stuff in the garden to moulder, using power tools before 9 am on a weekend...... the list goes on and is long! Does not matter how considerate you are, if your neighbours don't give a fig it all counts for nowt!!

Wolf Girl 15 Apr 2015

The advice is fine, but there are some people who are just inconsiderate and don't care how much stress they cause others. If you get them as neighbours the only thing to do is move (if you can afford to) because they will never change and you could end up having a breakdown.

holyhobbit 29 Oct 2014

People should make more effort to be friendly

Watcher 29 Oct 2014

I live in a neighbourhood that is great but the neighbourhood watch guys are taking it a little too far!!

cornet 5 Sep 2013

we have had disputes with next door for now over 3 yrs, they party every weekend sometimes its continual all weekend non stop. Alcholism and drug abuse is rife, the people at the other side have had the council out several times, a noise abatement order has been served on them but the council just keep giving out further warning letters for non complyance saying they have no jurisdiction over "people noise" as no law is being broken the abatement order reads Loud music & associated party noise, so why issue warning letters if they aint breking the law ??????????????

Ken 3 Oct 2012

Creating a neighbourhood spirit of co-operation will help harmony in the area, as well getting people involved in Neighbourhood Watch, which can certainly cut down on crime. Simply having locals know each other is a very good start and welcoming those who move into the neighbourhood, making them feel part of the community – local activities for the family aid in this, too.

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