Recent surveys have also shown that the actions of neighbours can severely affect the value of your property - with untidy neighbours often leading to a drop in price by several thousand pounds.
Having good neighbours - and getting on with them - can have many benefits. Once both parties are happy with the boundary line and the height of the hedge, getting on with friendship can be easy.
If a new neighbour is moving in, the ideal gambit is to offer to help them get settled. Whether this is helping them move boxes - if they don't have deliverymen already on the job - or offering to show them the local sites of interests, pubs or restaurants is up to you but it's a great way to get to know someone new and they will be extremely grateful for the help and the insider knowledge.
This could turn into a long-term friendship not only for you but for children as well and if their child is moving school they will be very grateful to know a friendly face when they turn up for class.
Getting to know your neighbours is particularly useful when you go on holiday as you can have someone nearby to look after your pets, plants and to investigate any strange activities. This idea can be stretched to everyday life with the creation of - or by joining - a neighbourhood watch scheme. In this, a street looks out for one another and would-be criminals are aware that their actions are being monitored, acting as a deterrent against possible crimes.
As well as bringing peace of mind to residents, being part of a neighbourhood watch scheme can have positive benefits on your home insurance policy as these areas have a lower rate of crime.
There may be the odd neighbour that doesn't want to socialise with those living nearby, but many are very open to being sociable with people on their street. This adds an extra dimension to your circle of friends, as well as making your area a safer place to live.
While a dispute over the perfect height of a tree that shadows next door's garden may still have the potential to destroy a relationship, if you're on positive terms with someone it should always be easier to approach them if you are unhappy about something like that, which makes it a lot easier to solve the problem.
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Andrew Regan writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.
