Neighbourly love

As Neighbours becomes TV gold, Jennifer Morgan asks if you can really have good ones, and what to do when things aren’t quite as ‘Scottand Charlene’ as you’d like

Love them or hate them, often you’re stuck with them – when it comes to neighbours, relationships can vary immensely. Two thirds of us have had arguments with our neighbours, according to the 1,000 people surveyed by goodmove.co.uk, with noise levels the biggest cause of complaints.

This is something Jo Perry and her family have experienced only too well. ‘We’ve had everything from the nosey to the noisy,’ she shares. ‘Once, we rented a maisonette and had “Nosey Norman”, a retired policeman, living downstairs, who wanted to know everything that was going on in our close. He knew when everyone was on holiday and where they’d gone. He once even tried to talk to me over the hedge in a pair of yellow Y-fronts. I was glad to move, but I’ve since discovered there is a type of Norman in every close, road or street… although not always as creepy!’

In the same street, Jo experienced a couple in their 40s who had both separated from previous partners. ‘The ex-wife and daughter would come and shout abuse at the ex-husband and his new partner, even keying his car. We’d have the teenagers from the house having parties until the early hours and throwing beer bottles into our garden,’ she remembers. ‘We called the police on many occasions.’

The Citizens Advice Bureau (citizensadvice.org.uk) suggests discussing any issues with neighbours, and if that doesn’t work, then reporting them to the council or, if they’ve broken the law, the police. ‘Make a note whenever the problem happens, including as much detail as possible, and keep any messages your neighbour sends you and collect evidence if you feel safe to,’ they advise.