Building work often fuels tension between neighbours

Instances of neighbours coming to blows have risen by a third over the last two years, with one in five homeowners experiencing serious problems this year alone. The study, produced by Halifax Home Insurance, found the most common gripes are excessive noise, rude or intimidating behaviour and the ‘hijacking’ of legal boundaries through illegal building or structural work.
According to the research, financial concerns are fuelling the tension – widespread unemployment has led to an increase in home ‘transience’, while community cohesion has fallen by the wayside.
Since the onset of the recession, 300,000 more tenants have been created, which has resulted in sharp increases in neighbour complaints in areas of high rental density.
In addition, the dumping of rubbish on neighbouring property has become more commonplace, particularly in areas where refuse collections have been scaled back.
For a number of homeowners it all becomes too much and a change of address seems like the only solution. Many opt to conceal the problem from potential buyers, which is unsurprising given that data suggests anti-social neighbours can see offers dwindle by a staggering £31,000.
Martyn Foulds, senior claims manager at Halifax Home Insurance says, “It’s clear that neighbour nuisance is a real and growing problem that affects thousands of Britons. If the problem gets out of control, homeowners can resort to legal action but there are also many things you can do to try and improve relations without opting for this last resort. It’s a good idea to develop a dialogue with your neighbours, so that if a problem does arise, it won’t be the first time you’ve spoken to them. And if an incident does occur, make sure you don’t react in anger. Often, it’s best to wait until the next day before you raise the matter.”