Good neighbour guide and advice

Buying your first home is full of choices, from what type of home you’ll buy to what area you’ll live in. However, even if you do the most advanced level of research, there’s no choosing what kind of neighbours you’ll get.

But while you can’t always pick your neighbours in London, you can learn how to deal with issues and disputes, and how to be a good neighbour in return. Check out our guide to get the best out of your neighbour relationships:

How to handle disputes and safety concerns

No matter how good you are as a neighbour, there might come a time where you run into a disagreement. To make sure it doesn’t escalate, pick up these tips on how to handle disputes:

Get on friendly terms in advance

One way to resolve disputes altogether is to be on friendly terms with your neighbours as soon as possible. Make an effort to know your new neighbours, and make them feel welcome. This means that, should you run into a disagreement, it’ll be a lot easier to come up with a speedy resolution.

If in doubt, talk it out

The easiest way to resolve a dispute is to immediately talk it out with a neighbour. This way you can hear where your neighbour is coming from, air out any grievances you have, and reach a solution that works for both of you. This might sound a bit scary, but the sooner you bring it up, the quicker you can squash the problem.

Speak to your landlord if you are renting

Speaking directly to your neighbour isn’t for everyone, but if you are renting your apartment, getting the help of your landlord is a much easier option. Whether you have a noise complaint or something else, your landlord or letting agent should have a complaint process for you to resolve any issues.

Get in touch with your local council

Exhausted every avenue without any luck? It might be time for you to approach your local council for help. Local councils are legally obliged to investigate statutory nuisances and might be the best authority to advise you on how to proceed.

How to be a good neighbour

While you can’t control who your neighbours are, you can do certain things to avoid becoming a bad neighbour yourself. Here are some easy ways to become the neighbour everyone will want to have:

Keep an eye on volume

If anything stands out as the most common neighbourly offence, it’s loud volumes at inappropriate hours. Be considerate about the volume you put on your TV or speakers, and try to keep your voice down if you’re returning in the late hours. If in doubt, just wear headphones.

Be mindful with household rubbish

Being careless with household litter doesn’t just leave a bad smell for you – it’s also unpleasant for your neighbours to deal with. To avoid this, put your household rubbish in the bins provided, and remember the waste removal day to avoid a build-up of rubbish over time.

Park your car considerately

There are few things more frustrating than being blocked out of your driveway by your neighbour’s car. If you have a car, make sure to park it in a responsible way that doesn’t block access to others. Also, as much as you might want to, try to resist the urge to rev your engine.

Warn your neighbours if you have a party

Do you have dreams of hosting a party for the ages with friends and family? Before you start ordering balloons and confetti, make sure to give your neighbours the heads up so they can plan accordingly. Whatever you do, don’t let a sudden shindig catch your neighbours by surprise. If your neighbours have small children or need to wake up early for work, this is an easy way to get into their bad books.

Finding a London Living Rent property

Finding it hard to live in a community of good neighbours? With London Living Rent, you can pick from some of the most popular communities in London, including areas like North Greenwich and Camden – recognised as some of the most charming neighbourhoods in London.

But what is London Living Rent? The London Living Rent scheme is an affordable housing project designed for middle-income Londoners who need extra breathing space to save up for a home. For people struggling to get on the property ladder, the scheme offers the prospect of high-quality homes with a reasonable rental fee (based on a third of the average household income).

Put off by the high cost of renting in London? On Share to Buy, many housing providers offer affordable renting schemes, including London Living Rent and the Intermediate Rent scheme. To start saving towards your new home, check out some of our affordable rental options today!