What Neighbors Find Most Annoying

With summer, more time is spent outdoors. This can also lead to more noise and smells that might become bothersome. Barking dogs in the neighborhood are something that many homeowners find annoying.

What makes a good neighbor? To find out, the Swedish Homeowners Association conducted a large member survey revealing the causes of neighbor conflicts.

According to the survey, most people want to have good contact with their neighbors, but preferably at a reasonable distance. Nearly eight out of ten respondents say they want a good relationship, but “from a distance.”

Barking dogs are what the most people are disturbed by in the neighborhood, followed by loud parties, cats running into the yard, and neglected gardens.

– The issue of neighbors and relationships with them truly stirs strong emotions. The survey clearly shows that there are social codes in Swedish residential areas, almost like unwritten rules about how you are expected to behave toward your neighbors. Neighbor issues are often weakly regulated legally, so much depends on consideration and communication. If your neighbor’s tall arborvitae hedge casts a shadow on your patio, there is rarely a clear law to fall back on. People often need to rely instead on dialogue and common sense. Maybe that’s also why these issues arouse such strong feelings, says Lisa Hjelm, Head of Communications at the Swedish Homeowners Association.

However, it’s not all negative. While nearly half report having had a conflict with a neighbor at some point, a clear majority also say they have received help from neighbors in the past year.

Many also testify that having a good neighborhood and a special sense of community can be one of the greatest advantages of owning a home.

In the survey, people were also asked which celebrity they would most like to have as a neighbor: