Two in five Brits admit they don’t know their neighbours’ names and 12% reveal they have never exchanged so much as one word with the person who lives next door to them, according to a survey of 3,000 people.
The research, commissioned by broadband provider
Hyperoptic, echoes a recent study by Neighbourhood Watch, in which more than half of people confessed they’ve actually hidden or delayed leaving home so they didn’t bump into their neighbours.
The new findings show that detached and semi-detached residents seem to be friendlier than people who live in flats - 54% of detached and 51% of semi-detached residents talk to their neighbours at least once a week, compared to only 40% of their flat counterparts.
Despite not knowing their neighbours, 55% of Brits claim they have lent their neighbour a hand in the last month, such as signing for a parcel. However, 12% of flat dwellers admit to never having helped a neighbour, compared to only 3% of detached and 2% of semi-detached residents.
Flat residents do top the list when it comes to helping their local community - nearly two in five (39%) are involved in some type of community project, followed by semi-detached residents (37%) and people who live in detached homes (36%).
Steve Holford, VP Product Marketing,
Hyperoptic, said: “It’s great news that so many Brits are getting involved with helping their local community, but it’s important to not to lose this mindset when you get to your front door. Friendlier neighbourhoods aren’t just safer, they are stronger - there is power in numbers, you will find that you share many problems and by working together you can fix them more quickly.”
