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Original poster

Neighbours...how well do you know yours?

48 replies

shesabitofastrangeone · 31/12/2022 14:14

Inspired by another thread about neighbours (and how well you do or don't know them), wondering how well you get on with yours?

We live on an estate where everyone mostly keeps themselves to themselves. I know the names of the neighbours in about 4 or 5 nearby houses and I'll occasionally swop a few messages with the neighbour next door....just stuff about the bins or if the kids were ok to go into the garden to retrieve their ball (when we weren't in) etc.

All very polite and straightforward and probably the way we prefer it. Some of my friends have neighbours who are in and out of their houses constantly. Don't think that'd be my thing at all.

Do you have good neighbours? Do you prefer to keep a distance? Or are you all great mates?

OP posts:

bigbluebus · 31/12/2022 16:56

I know the neighbours on either side of us and their immediate neighbours too. Plus the people direct opposite who moved in just before we did - 30 years ago. We all chat in the street and would help each other out without a doubt. I'd say we know each other's movements without being intrusive but would definitely know if something was wrong - and offer help.

SirChenjins · 31/12/2022 16:56

I know them all pretty well - we all get on well, help each other out, and have a street WhatsApp, but we’re definitely not in each other’s pockets. It’s a lovely street and I feel lucky to live here.

Proudofitbabe · 31/12/2022 16:58

Barely. Know their names, wave hello, exchange Christmas cards and take in the odd parcel. Perfect!

user1471538283 · 31/12/2022 17:00

@SchnauzerEyebrows - my last lot of neighbors destroyed my mental health and I lost thousands of pounds because I had to move. I'm left with anxiety that I'm still recovering from.

MajesticWhine · 31/12/2022 17:01

We have 2 sets coming for dinner tonight so we know them quite well! We don't socialise with them loads probably 2 or 3 times a year and hello and a quick chat when walking past on the road.

StopFeckingFaffing · 31/12/2022 17:06

The family opposite we are very neighbourly with and will help each out as required and chat quite regularly, we don't socialise with them as such but would have a chat if we bumped in to them in the pub

Next door neighbours I know very little about tbh. We will nod and acknowledge each other and take in parcels for each other but rarely chat. I have no idea what they do for a living and know nothing about their lives.

At our previous house we were very friendly with several of our neighbours and uses to regularly socialise together

Fedupofdiets · 31/12/2022 17:07

I moved into my house last year and live in a mid terrace. On speaking terms with both sides, one moved in after me and she is lovely, same age as me and we have doorstep chats. Wave and say hello to other neighbours and sometimes have a little chat but only on a superficial level. We have a neighbourhood FB group which is lovely and people are always giving stuff away or sharing numbers for tradespeople. For a terrace this is the quietist house i have ever lived in.

EllaPaella · 31/12/2022 17:09

We know and like both of our immediate neighbours. Get on well I think. I know two doors down very well but because we have mutual friends rather than because we live near each other. We know the people whose garden backs onto ours and they have been to ours in the summer for drinks in the garden and we've been invited to parties at theirs. I know several others on the street reasonably well because we've lived here for 13 years now and a lot of our kids have been to school together. It's a nice street.

floradora · 31/12/2022 17:12

About 80% of our little semi-rural cul de sac; frequent chats in the street (maybe having a dog helps, we're out on foot a lot) and drinks invitations several times a year, with whole street do once or twice a year.

Thriwit · 31/12/2022 17:13

We’re on a v quiet road on the edge of an old estate. I will wave hello, take the odd parcel in and occasionally have the odd 5-minute chat if a neighbour instigates, but that’s it. I think lots of them know each other quite well though.
I don’t particularly want neighbours, we only live here so the DC can walk to school. Once they’ve left school or are driving we plan to move to somewhere less populated/more rural/no neighbours.

HashBrownandBeans · 31/12/2022 17:15

We have a lovely little courtyard area that we all started using during lockdown to sit out and have coffee together in the sunshine, and we are still doing it(in summer obviously). It’s ace, I know when I get home from work there will be a cuppa waiting for me and someone to chat to. The kids all sit out there with us, the toddlers make it look like an explosion in a Smyths factory. We have parties and bbqs at weekends. Couldn’t get any better to be honest.

LaurelGrove · 31/12/2022 17:16

In inner London. One side, polite and friendly and will keep an eye on their house while they are away. On the other side, we get on very well - I am currently using their washing machine (they are on holiday, mine is broken) and they borrow our car, camping kit etc. and we will go to the pub from time to time. The wider neighbourhood is good - we have a great street WhatsApp group which is very helpful, supportive and makes a big difference.

MKD1 · 31/12/2022 17:23

We moved to our house 1.5years ago. We are the 'youngest' family here. We know our immediate neighbours well, everyone's names and jobs etc. To put in perspective the dad is a GP, mum is a retired nurse and kids are in University.

We know them very well, they have brought both my kids (6 &3) presents for Xmas. And I mean in correct sizes and things they know my kids like. Very touching. They ended up spending a lot.

So we always say hello to all other neighbours but I always end up forgetting names.

So I have a list on my phone with names and door numbers as everyone gives Xmas cards on our close (around 20 houses only).

MKD1 · 31/12/2022 17:24

Also, I know if we asked someone different neighbours to put our bins out etc, I know they would do it.

So far we have only asked out immediate neighbours and they have been very helpful

Northernsouloldies · 31/12/2022 17:38

I keep hoping our new one dies, junkie mink cunt.

YouWouldNotBelieveIt · 31/12/2022 17:44

We've lived in our house for 31 years, so have seen a lot of different people come and go. There are 3 households who have lived here even longer than us. The nieghbours on either side are very nice - one's a man alone, the other's a woman alone, both about our age. Nobody round here really bothers with anyone - but equally, we don't get any trouble or arguments on the street, either. No horrible kids/dogs/drunks or anything on the street.

AlwaysFoldingWashing · 31/12/2022 17:48

All of the immediate (3) ones really well. Have a communal WhatsApp, arrange stair repairs and payments together, send each other Christmas cards, gave presents when the babies were born, stop and have a chat when we see each other, bring the bins in/ take them out, have offered messages when it's been snowing... we have been really lucky to have such nice neighbours

Nomsa22 · 31/12/2022 17:49

I see them when we head into the lift. And that it

Africa2go · 31/12/2022 17:58

Very well. Immediate semi detached neighbours - we all go on holiday / socialise together. Cul de sac - street party every year, everyone helped each other out in Covid, whatsapp group, regular dinner / drinks / walks / get togethers & invitations. Absolutely love my road. The neighbours are the reason we'd never move.

HarrietSchulenberg · 31/12/2022 18:02

I live in a street of 50 houses. I know about 75% of my neighbours by sight and to say Hi to when walking the dog. I know 8 households well enough to natter to and swap Christmas cards with.

cakewitch · 31/12/2022 18:28

Very lucky to have ours. Great fun, similar habits to us, love cats, always there if we need anything and us with them. But we don't live in eachothers pockets . Couldn't wish for better ones.

Lessoftheold · 31/12/2022 18:57

HashBrownandBeans · 31/12/2022 17:15

We used to live in a neighbourhood like yours, it was wonderful. I'm now in a street where I don't know anyone and really don't want to as they're rude, noisy and inconsiderate so I just keep myself to myself.

Isabelle70 · 31/12/2022 23:46

The neighbour on my left are a family with 2 young boys that like to play football and my dog loves to shred any balls that come over. I try to throw them back before he notices but if I am at work he has a field day. We say hello and are polite.
The neighbour on my right I no longer talk too. Her garden is overgrown,full of bramble's and broken bikes and garden equipment. She also gets overrun with rats that she won't do anything about. The neighbour the other side of her and I put poison down or I arrange for the pest control guy to visit. Needless to say, since the rats I no longer speak to her.
The neighbour the other side of her is a friend and we will catch up and pop into each other's at least twice a month or stop for a catch-up on the road.

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