Holiday season is officially here, and along with the usual worries of how you’re going to cram everything into your suitcase and whether you’ve remembered to sort the travel insurance, there’s also the concern over how secure your home is going to be while you’re away.
The simple solution to your holiday quandary could be closer than you might think, however, with new research showing that one fifth of us will ask our neighbours to check our homes whilst on an extended break, rather than asking friends and relatives to help out.
Whether your neighbours are popping round to water the garden and check the house every couple of days, going into the house to move the ever-increasing pile of post from the hallway floor, or just keeping a close eye on the property, knowing that someone close by is looking after your home means you can relax and enjoy your time away.
The study, conducted by home interior specialists Hillarys, found that two thirds of respondents speak to their neighbours ‘regularly’, and two fifths know their immediate neighbours’ names. This is a contrast to a previous 2016 study, which found one in three of us couldn’t name any of our neighbours.
What are we talking about to the people that live closest to us? Issues with our neighbourhoods topped the list of topics (78 per cent), followed by the weather (55 per cent) – no doubt whether our gardens will last the heatwave – and plans for the day (49 per cent).
This rising spirit of cooperation fascinates and heartens us – especially in view of the news we reported this week that communities in the United States are coming together via the Neighborhood app to report crime recorded on homeowners' Ring video doorbells to help local police catch criminals.
‘With so much negative news, it is great to see a sense of togetherness through neighbourly communities,’ says Lucy Askew, spokesperson for Hillarys. ‘It doesn’t cost anything to be nice, and making friends with neighbours can lead to a lovely tightknit friendship group close to home.'
We agree, whether home surveillance when you're away is carried out by neighbours popping round or high tech reporting via an app, it seems neighbourliness is not dead.
And if you're heading off on holiday soon? Make the effort to get to know the couple on the other side of the fence before you go... your home security will thank you for it.
-
This interiors trend could put buyers off, according to a realtorBold tiles can deter buyers, warns Juliette Hohnen
-
Move over tiny homes, the US is seeing a sharp rise in 'granny pods'There's been an explosion of ADUs since mid-2020
-
This Californian zip code has been named the most expensive in the USThis ultra-desirable postal code has held its position in the top spot for the fifth year running
-
Prefabricated homes explained – the advantages and where to startWondering about the benefits of prefabricated homes and want to know more? Get the lowdown
-
This is now the most expensive US city to rent in, according to new dataSpoiler: it's *not* San Francisco
-
Why you shouldn't move house on a Saturday - and other house-moving superstitionsGood luck to those moving this Friday 13th
-
These are the best – and worst – US cities for rentersThe most affordable, friendliest, and safest locations for renters revealed
-
The colors that will sell your home this year – according to ZillowIf you're selling your home this year, these are the colors that will maximize its value
