Quiz: Are You a Good Neighbour?
Most of us assume we are decent neighbours. The reality is that some people are naturally better at it than others. Being neighbourly involves awareness of your surroundings without being intrusive. It simply means treating those around you with basic consideration.
If you are ever uncertain about what you can reasonably expect from people living nearby, or what they can expect from you, our free Neighbour Rights Checker can help clarify your legal position.
Good neighbours also tend to show a reasonable level of tolerance. We all have different lifestyles, and most people need to unwind at home occasionally. If you can overlook the odd late night, an overgrown lawn, or a car alarm that goes off at an inconvenient moment, your neighbours will often extend the same courtesy to you.
Question One: Your Elderly Neighbour Has Not Been Seen for Days
You notice that your elderly neighbour has not appeared for several days. Her curtains have stayed closed, and you have not seen her in the garden or at the shop. What would you do?
- A: Knock on her door to check she is alright. You would feel awful if something had happened and you did nothing.
- B: Assume she is visiting relatives or has moved into care accommodation.
- C: Not notice at all. You barely register who lives nearby.
The neighbourly choice here is A. A quick knock can provide reassurance for both you and your neighbour. If you are unable to get an answer and remain concerned, you can contact the police non-emergency line on 101 to request a welfare check. You might also reach out to local social services or a trusted contact if there is a community support network in place.
Check your legal rights in any neighbour dispute. Takes 1 minute.
Try our Neighbour Rights Checker free, here on this site →Question Two: A Parcel Arrives While Your Neighbour is Out
A delivery driver asks if you will take in a parcel for someone a few doors down. They are not home, and the driver seems in a hurry. What is your response?
- A: Accept the parcel and drop a note through their door letting them know where it is.
- B: Refuse because you do not want the responsibility.
- C: Accept but forget to tell them, leaving the parcel in your hallway for weeks.
Option A reflects good neighbourly behaviour. Taking in parcels is a small favour that most people appreciate, and leaving a note ensures they know where to collect it. A polite refusal is also a neighbourly approach if you are unable to safely store the parcel, but ignoring it once accepted causes unnecessary frustration.
Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.
Question Three: Noise From Next Door is Keeping You Awake
Your neighbour has been playing loud music late into the evening for the third time this week. You have work in the morning and the noise is affecting your sleep. How do you handle it?
- A: Speak to them calmly the next day and explain the impact without being confrontational.
- B: Bang on the wall repeatedly until they stop.
- C: Start making formal complaints immediately without raising it with them first.
A calm conversation is usually the best first step. Many people do not realise how much sound travels, and a polite word often resolves the issue quickly. Jumping straight to formal complaints or aggressive responses can escalate matters unnecessarily. If direct conversation does not help, you may wish to seek advice from your local council's environmental health team, mediation services, community policing teams, or organisations such as Citizens Advice.
What Your Answers Say About You
If you mostly chose A, it suggests a tendency toward maintaining considerate neighbourly relations. You balance awareness with respect for privacy and handle disagreements sensibly.
Mostly B answers suggest you may sometimes take the path of least involvement. This is understandable, but a little more engagement can strengthen community ties.
Mostly C answers indicate you may not be fully aware of your neighbours or their circumstances. Small changes in attention can improve relationships and make your street a more pleasant place to live.
Being a good neighbour does not require grand gestures. It is mostly about small, consistent acts of consideration: checking on someone who seems unwell, accepting a parcel, or raising concerns politely before they become disputes. Such gestures can cultivate a positive atmosphere within the community and make day to day life more pleasant.
His windows,so he put a 6 ft fence up,now they're scared to go into their back garden.
As for my wife n me,he likes to bang on our side door at 2 am,3 am,when he comes home from
Partying,with his wife? We are in our 70's.Sunday morning it was 6 am.he thumped our door twice,so hard the house rattled.
So being sick to the back teeth with it,I phoned their landlord,who told me to phone the police
Next time,and keep a diary,time,what was done.
We're not looking forward to new year,no doubt he'll call me out to fight again,as he did last year
when I was trying to have my dad's body removed from the care home,cos he'd just died.
Beleive me I felt like knocking hell out of him,but for the wife who stopped me.
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