to think that I can 'buy' good neighbours

[uis]

Ok so I think I am probably BU but let me set context. I also appreciate this thread might grate on a lot of people given the difficulties in getting on the property ladder but I post this with the humblest of intentions and appreciate how fortunate I am.

So I've been on MN for a long time and read a lot of neighbour dispute threads. Most of the nuisance neighbours seem to be druggies, on benefits and out of work or just not right in the head. We live in a detached house and had a set of bad neighbours who were renting (loud music in the garden, parking issues, drugs and we suspected dealing as well). Through us and neighbours persistently complaining to the landlord and development company, things improved after a few months and they moved out after 12 months anyway.

We're currently in the process of selling and have reserved a detached house in another new build development much further away. The houses around us are all detached and around the £600 - 680k mark and it got me thinking - we were worried about getting dodgy neighbours again but sort of assumed that being at this price range, we'd avoid really bad nuisance neighbours or that we'd get neighbours who would probably be more reasonable about things.

Is this a really bad assumption? Does anyone have any horror stories about neighbours despite living in a nice affluent area or area with relatively high house prices? I know minor parking disputes are fairly commonplace regardless of where you are but any major issues anyone has experienced? I guess had we not had issues ourselves, we might never had considered it. Thanks in advance for any responses!

just think of all the cocaine you can buy when you can afford a 600k house! your neigh ours may never sleep.

Plenty of people on low incomes, renting and or in benefits are very nice. Plenty of wealthy people are not very nice. I suspect you can feel the fingers pointing in your direction through the screen?

You need to watch Midsummer Murders, I’d be more scared in a nice quiet “affluent” area!

We live in a nice area. Not as expensive, but our next door neighbour is an ex footballer, 2 range rovers on the drive type thing.

They're lovely people, awesome polite kids (3), but they're not good at noise consideration. Think lots of people watching the screen in the garden bar, kids beeping on electric cars up and down the long garden, dogs barking... the road breathes a sigh of peace and quiet when they're away.

I've not complained, it's never been late, they're just living life and enjoying what they have. 🤷‍♀️ Fortunately they holiday a lot. 😁

I agree with those saying the problem with living around money is people can buy stuff that annoys you!

Hot tubs, loud music systems etc. they also can afford drugs even if they aren't dealing. They can afford to host large BBQs and parties and cater for large numbers.

There's probably some statistical chance you'll get better neighbours than in an area of severe deprivation but I doubt it's got to do with economics but more population density.

Most of the nuisance neighbours seem to be druggies, on benefits and out of work or just not right in the head. We live in a detached house and had a set of bad neighbours who were renting (loud music in the garden, parking issues, drugs and we suspected dealing as well).

Brilliant ... you couldn't sound more prejudiced and stuck up if you tried OP. Not everyone who is an arsehole is a druggie, on benefits or out of work or renting !! Good luck to your new neighbours, I think they'll need it 🙄

I can see there are now more thought out responses which is helpful for me. I understand the whole point around it being luck and people can be cretins across all income brackets but some PP are acting as if I've said 'If I buy an expensive house does that mean I won't have bad neighbours'. I've not said that at all and am simply asking if it's reasonable to assume that the more you pay for a house, the less likely you are to have bad neighbours or they are likely to be more conciliatory if you have issues. If people think not then that is fair enough - I just wanted to garner some thoughts.

I think some people have forgotten that I've already gone through living next to horrible nuisance neighbours that were playing loud music, drug dealing and being very antagonistic. As @Kris02 said, it's absolute hell and my DP was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder during this period for which he continues to take medication. We just don't want to go through it again and it's sad that people turn it into a 'snobbish' thing because if I said I was moving from say a council flat to a £150k house I doubt I would get the same type of comments.

Having lived in some diverse areas income wise, I think it's fair to say you'll just buy a different type of risk. You choose your poison.

My cousin had the worst ndn .he was rude nasty and abusive.very wealthy man .in a house well over I mil!

You just get a different kind of dodgy if you pay more money. You might get a neighbour who isn’t happy with how you trimmed your hedge or some such petty shite and comes whinging and whining about nothing. Sometimes when people have a bit of money, they think they are some sort of superior being who should dictate to others.

even celebs who live next door to eachother with ££££££££ argue about stuff.

Oh and I do know someone (in fact they had a 600k house coincidentally) who had to move due to awful neighbours.

We live in a home similar in value to what you’re moving to. Our neighbours are the worst we ever had in 40 years! I’ll not go into detail, but I will say bad neighbours can really ruin your sense of well-being and self confidence!

I think you're right OP, there's always going to be right moaners in here who contest anything you say, but you should be in with a higher chance of getting a better neighbour so fingers crossed you do!

Totally agree with this! The best neighbours I ever had was when I was in my first home, which was rented!

This is my experience. When I used to volunteer in a CAB bordering quite a wealthy area, the people coming in about lunatic hedge trimming, boundary dispute type stuff were all the ones with the expensive properties. That sort of thing simply did not fly on the estate I was living on. But there would've been more fighting. So it depends on the kind of nuisance neighbour you're most concerned about really. Would you like your life made a misery by someone who sends you solicitors letters every time you fart too loudly or by someone who engages in more stereotypically working class types of anti social behaviour?

No, pricey homes do not guarantee decent neighbours. I had friends who had a large beautiful flat in a subdivided listed building. The fall outs over maintenance, parking, access to gardens, noise levels, water damage due to leaks etc had to be seen to be believed. One couple were particularly noisy and the male partner flashed at my friend. Never ever would I want to live some were similar even if I could get it for half the price.

Money could help buy you greater distance from any neighbours but inconsiderate arseholes are in all walks of life.

On the Osbournes show I believe ozzy threw a log through the neighbours window.

I'm afraid annoying/anti social neighbours can come at all income levels, although it may be a different type of annoyance - often 'petty' things about access, fences, bins, frequency of lawn mowing etc- oh and yes, the neighbour we had who came round when my H was playing his guitar at sensible volume, (and he's an extremely good player) at 11am on a Sunday morning- whilst we had been putting up with this neighbour drilling out their basement from 8am onwards every weekend for hours at a time for around a year -- very middle class area and bloke!!

I've told this sorry before on Mn but I'll share again!

I moved into my current property 15 years ago. It was a new build and the estate was half built.

After the second phase was completed and everyone moved in there was some antisocial behaviour. Mainly unsupervised kids (we also have a park).

Neighbours for chatting and one day a neighbour trying to set up,a neighbour watch type thing approached me and discussed with me the issues. She basically said they wanted to council to pay attention because it's the problem caused with having social housing mixed in with private nowadays.

Her jaw nearly hit the floor when I pointed out the housing association was me and my neighbours and the properties she targeting were private - so good luck with getting them removed!

It was a prime example of people equating behaviour with socio economics.

I still love here and all my neighbours that have come and gone remain to be delightful!

Not BU as such, but incredibly naive. The newspaper websites are full of wealthy people in £250k+ houses battling over a foot of boundary or building extensions blocking views or letting trees grow too tall etc. Possibly not as bad as the situation you describe in your past but there are twats at all levels of society and the property ladder.

Just to be clear. Is the argument by most people on this thread that there is no link between socio-economic status and anti social behaviour?

because, while of course you get assholes at all income levels, I don’t think the statistics support the personal experiences reported on this thread.

I wish the world was like mumsnet believes it is. That crime and antisocial behaviour was the same on the most deprives day council estates as it is in the leafy suburbs. But as someone who has lived in both- and researched that crime stats in both that’s just not true.

I moved into a wealthier neighbourhood. It’s quieter and safer. It shouldn’t be but it is.

while my neighbours have parties occasionally, I haven’t witnessed any of my new neighbours committing crimes. There was a murder on my last street, and a drugs bust. Nothing like that has ever happened in my new neighbourhood.

At first I thought yes possibly your right but the more I've read the thread it shows that you can get some absolute nut cases anywhere you go 😁

YABU there is a rich, single guy that lives 2 houses down from my parents. He paid 2.3M and had a huge amount of work done too. Apart from the 4 houses it's isolated - but his place is party central. When he has a party the music goes on til 6am, the revving of car engines I'd constant and screaming/shouting.

In expensive houses you’re more likely to get neighbours who actually go out to work and aren’t at home causing trouble all day. They probably drink and take drugs less because they have to get up for work in the morning. No late night parties mid week for the same reason. And if the garden is bigger you’ll be further away from any noise.

I have a mid priced house and have much less trouble than people on nearby council estates or cheap new build estates. All of the neighbours who bought their houses at the current price are considerate, the only ones who are a problem are the family out the back who‘ve lived there since before the prices went sky high.

Mellowyellow222 very well put, I have lived on a crappy council estate and a suburban street in a nice area , there is no comparison, you can get twats anywhere true but much more likely on a rough estate