360,000 move because of ‘neighbours from hell'

Nearly one in 10 homeowners have been forced to move by irritating neighbours.

According to a report carried out by mortgage lender Halifax, the number of people who have fallen out with their neighbours so badly that they have relocated has increased by a third in the last two years.

Arguments with neighbours are more of an influence on people choosing to move than the proximity to good schools.

The complaints most cited for forcing a relocation are: aggressive behaviour (60%), excessive noise (53%) and a messy property or garden (19%).

Other factors involve neighbours allowing their home to fall into disrepair (18%) stealing and curtain twitching (12% and 11% respectively). The study revealed that a third of neighbours have had some kind of a dispute.

Apparently property buyers are willing to pay a premium of £5000 for the guarantee of a quiet life.

Anti-social neighbours can wipe £30,000 off the price of a house, the survey found. As a result, four out of five sellers with nuisance neighbours don’t tell the estate agents of the problem, despite it being a legal requirement.

A fifth of Brits also report that a neighbour has caused damage to their property costing an average of £312 per incident to fix.

Martyn Foulds, senior claims manager at Halifax Home Insurance, said: “Having a good neighbour is one of the most rewarding things a homeowner can experience; not only will they keep an eye on your property when you’re away, but they may also become a close friend.

“But people shouldn’t put up the ‘For Sale’ sign at the first sight of problems with a neighbour. It may just be a simple misunderstanding.”