New research has revealed the lengths that Brits will go to spy on people next door, with a third admitting to regular curtain twitching, and as many as one in ten regularly coming out into the street in their dressing gown, in the style of Last of the Summer Wine’s Nora Batty.
Over a third (35 percent) said they were often envious of their neighbours’ home improvements, with a new kitchen one of the most common cause of jealousy. Offering to take neighbours’ kids to school to get all the gossip, inviting themselves over to take a closer look at home improvements, and even peering through letterboxes were other ways Brits like to keep tabs on nearby residents.
One in ten were green with envy when nearby residents got a new front door, and one in five were left bitter and twisted when they purchased a new sofa. Loft conversions, new windows and fancy conservatories also left Brits envious.
According to the poll, as many as one in twenty have gone through a neighbour’s belongings while they were supposed to be feeding their pets or watering their plants. Nearly a quarter (23 percent) of UK adults class their neighbours as good friends, but 60 percent said they are ‘people they talk to from time to time’. One in ten said they didn’t know any of their neighbours and one in twenty claimed they couldn’t stand them.
A spokesperson for Anglian Home Improvements who commissioned the poll of 1,000 people said: “Although it may seem annoying to have neighbours who curtain twitch, having nearby residents who know your movements can actually be a blessing when it comes to home security, so it’s actually not all bad!”
Despite keeping tabs on their comings and goings, 70 percent of adults are happy to take in parcels for their neighbours, half are willing to keep an eye out if any other residents go on holiday, and ten percent are even happy to babysit their neighbours’ children.
BRITAIN’S NOSIEST NEIGHBOURS
1. Cardiff
2. Norwich
3. Nottingham
4. Liverpool
5. Sheffield
6. Plymouth
7. Newcastle
8. Brighton
9. Birmingham
10. Belfast
SIGNS OF A NOSEY NEIGHBOUR
1. Curtain twitched (30 percent)
2. Turned the TV or radio down so you can listen to goings on (27 percent)
3. Peeked through blinds (22 percent)
4. Opened a window so you can hear more of a conversation (21 percent)
5. Spied when they get a new delivery (20 percent)
6. Peeped over the garden fence while they are having a BBQ (15 percent)
7. Came outside in your dressing gown to see what was going on (12 percent)
8. Cupped your ear to the wall (11 percent)
9. Taken a parcel for a neighbour and had a sneaky peek inside (9 percent)
10. Popped over so you could see a new kitchen/conservatory (8 percent)
11. Put an empty glass to the wall (5 percent)
12. Snooped when you were meant to be watering the plants or feeding pets (5 percent)
13. Taken food or treats over as an excuse to see the inside of their home (3 percent)
14. Had a look at their letters or mail (3 percent)
15. Looked through their letterbox or window when they were on holiday (2 percent)
