Nosy Neighbours - The UK areas where residents spy on their neighbours the most

In an ideal world, we would all get along with our neighbours. However, that’s not always possible. Some neighbours are loud, others are inconsiderate, and a few will even look through your blinds after you leave for work.

That’s why we asked 2,000 people across the country about their neighbours' nosy habits, and their own, to see which areas of the UK need to invest in some made to measure blinds to stop their neighbours from peeping.

We’ve asked eight questions to homeowners across the UK to find out what they think of their neighbours.

More than half (52.55%) of the UK considered their neighbours to be nosy.

Almost two-thirds of people in the UK admit to observing their neighbours activities, and over 30% of people have even caught them in the act. There was also 60% of people who admitted to making judgements based on the activities that they observed. A third of people in the UK have also admitted to listening to their neighbours’ conversations.

A third of people have been made to feel uncomfortable by their neighbours, and a little more than a third of people have felt their neighbours prying into their private lives.

The UK's Nosiest Neighbours Revealed

Belfast has the nosiest neighbours, with almost two-thirds of people classing their neighbours to be nosy. We asked the question ‘Would you class your neighbours as nosy?’ to people from all over the UK. These are the top 10 most nosiest cities:

1. Belfast - 67.9% of people think their neighbours are nosy

Belfast is the city with the nosiest neighbours, with almost 68% classing their neighbours as nosy. Despite more than two-thirds of people considering their neighbours to be nosy, the capital of Northern Ireland is known for being a warm and friendly place and was once voted the friendliest place in the UK.

2. Norwich - 62.3% of people think their neighbours are nosy

The city with the second nosiest neighbours is Norwich, with 62% of people considering their neighbours to be nosy. Norwich is a city known for its sense of community. It’s also a city known for being one of the UK’s safest places to live and boasts a low crime rate.

3. Manchester - 61.6% of people think their neighbours are nosy

Manchester completes our top three with 61.6% of people considering their neighbours to be nosy. Manchester is another city considered to be friendly, with the locals happy to engage in conversation. It’s unclear whether their friendliness has been misinterpreted as nosiness, nonetheless, over 60% of Mancunians think their neighbours are nosy.

The UK areas where residents spy on their neighbours the most

Sheffield is the spying capital of the UK, with 71.7% of people watching their neighbours’ activities. We asked people from all over the UK ‘How often do you observe your neighbours’ activities?’. Here’s what they said.

1. Sheffield - 71.7% of people observe their neighbours’ activities

With 71.7% of people observing their neighbours’ activities, Sheffield takes the top spot as the spying capital of the UK. Despite the fact that almost three-quarters of people in Sheffield admit to watching their neighbours’ activities, it’s a city that is considered friendly and vibrant. It’s also got a large student population.

2. Belfast - 71.4% of people observe their neighbours’ activities

A city considered one of the friendliest in the UK makes its way into another one of our top threes. Just 0.3% behind Sheffield, Belfast takes second place with 71.4% of people admitting to watching their neighbours’ activities.

3. Glasgow - 69.6% of people observe their neighbours’ activities

Scotland completes our top three, with just under 70% of people admitting to observing their neighbours’ activities. Glasgow has previously been voted as one of the friendliest cities, not just in the UK, but the world. Glaswegians are known for being chatty, however, behind closed doors, they’re making sure their neighbours aren’t up to no good.

The UK areas where residents have caught their neighbours spying

Almost half the people in Belfast have caught their neighbours spying on them, more than any UK city.

1. Belfast - 46.4% have caught their neighbours spying on them

Belfast is becoming a regular feature in our top threes. This time, the capital of Northern Ireland takes the top spot with 46% of people having caught their neighbours spying on them.

2. Manchester - 40.9% have caught their neighbours spying on them

Taking second place is Manchester, with just over 40% of people having caught their neighbours spying on them. As friendly as the people in Manchester may be, they’re also very nosy, featuring for a second time in one of our top threes.

3. London - 40.3% have caught their neighbours spying on them

Our top three is completed by England’s capital, London, where 40.3% of the population have caught their neighbours spying on them. London is considered one of the least friendly cities in the UK, with Londoners holding a reputation of being impatient and impolite, perhaps explaining their inclusion in our top three.

The UK areas where residents judge their neighbours the most

Manchester residents are the most judgemental neighbours, with two-thirds of the people admitting to judging their neighbours based on their activities. We asked our homeowners ‘Have you ever made any assumptions or judgments based on your neighbours' behaviours or lifestyle?’. Here’s what they said.

1. Manchester - 66% of people judge their neighbours

Manchester takes the top spot, with 66% of people admitting to judging their neighbours for their behaviours and activities. Manchester has regularly featured on our lists, suggesting that it may not be as friendly as its reputation suggests.

2. Nottingham - 63.8% of people judge their neighbours

Nottingham takes second place with 63.8% of people admitting to judging their neighbours based on their behaviours and activities. Nottingham is generally considered to be a friendly place, which suggests that the people here are keeping their judgements to themselves.

3. Birmingham - 62.8% of people judge their neighbours

Our top three is completed by Birmingham, with 62.8% admitting to judging their neighbours based on their behaviours and activities. Birmingham, the second largest city in the UK, is generally considered a friendly and safe place to live.

The UK areas where residents listen to their neighbours’ conversations the most

40% of people in London admit to listening to their neighbours’ conversations, the highest percentage in the UK. We asked people ‘Do you ever listen in on your neighbours' conversations?’. This is what they said.

London - 40.5 of people listen to their neighbours’ conversations

The capital of England takes the top spot, with 40.5% of people admitting to listening to their neighbours’ conversations. However, 87% of people in London feel that their neighbours are respectful of their privacy. This means that those nosy neighbours in London are doing a good job of hiding it.

Manchester - 39.6% of people listen to their neighbours’ conversations

Manchester takes second place with 39.6% of people admitting to listening to their neighbours’ conversations. Manchester has a slightly lower percentage when it comes to people feeling like their neighbours are respectful of their privacy, at 85%. However, it does mean that Mancunians are also good at hiding their curiosity when it comes to their neighbours’ conversations.

Belfast - 39.3% of people listen to their neighbours’ conversations

Our top three is completed by Belfast, with 39.3% of people admitting to listening to their neighbours’ conversations. Just over 80% of people in Belfast felt that their neighbours were respectful of their privacy, which means their nosiness has been going a little under the radar. However, it is the lowest compared to the other two cities in our top three.

If you’re part of the 50% of UK residents that feel like your neighbours are nosy, then it might be worth investing in some new blinds. Our experts have put together a list of the top three window coverings to give you the privacy that you’re entitled to.

Top three window coverings for privacy

Roller Blinds

These are arguably the best blinds you can get to add some privacy and security to your home. When rolled all the way down, they completely cover the window to stop people from looking inside your home. However, roller blinds come at the expense of light, which means your room may not be as well lit. You can counter this by choosing our dimout blinds, which let in more light than our blackout blinds.

Wooden Blinds

Wooden blinds are a great choice if you want to add privacy and light to your home. A type of Venetian blind, these are made of slats which can be tilted depending on how much privacy you desire, or how much light you want to let in. They come in a variety of finishes and colours to match the aesthetic of your room. There are also faux wood options available for bathrooms and kitchens.

Perfect Fit Blinds

The best way to stop your neighbours from looking inside your house is with perfect fit blinds. Making sure your blinds fit perfectly means that there won’t be any gaps for your neighbours to peek in to when they aren’t welcome. Our perfect fit blinds come in a variety of options, depending on how much light or privacy you need.

Methodology

We submitted a survey, using TLF Research, to 2,000 homeowners in the UK (1,113 females, 885 males, and 2 transgender).