Moving into your first home can be both exciting and exhilarating as you reach a new milestone in your life. While a lot of your energy will be focused on getting moved in and settled, it’s important you spend a bit of time thinking about your neighbours next door and what sort of neighbour you want to be.
Start off your new adventure on the right foot by trying to be the neighbour you yourself would like to have. Here are our top tips:
Introduce yourself
While there is no need to become close friends with your neighbour and invite them over, there is certainly no harm in establishing a good relationship from the outset. Being friendly to your fellow residents and getting to know them is a great way to start a relationship where you’re able to help one another with any problems that may arise e.g keeping an eye on their house while they’re away.
If you have the opportunity whilst you’re unpacking, say hello and maybe ask them a few questions about the local area, what days you need to put the bins out etc.
Respect your neighbour's lifestyle
Once you’ve got to know your neighbours, you should have a bit of an understanding about their lifestyle - what they do for a living, if they work evenings or if they have children etc. Whatever their lifestyle, it’s important to always be considerate and respectful. For example, if they have children and you’ve been out for the evening, make an effort to keep the noise down and keep the slamming of your car door and any shouting down the street to a bare minimum.
Party time
After settling into your new home, you may be thinking about inviting your family and friends over for a housewarming party. While we definitely wouldn’t discourage a housewarming, be sure to consider your neighbours and let them know in plenty of time. To ensure your party runs smoothly, offer up your contact details so they can get in touch if there are any problems. This will reassure them that they’ve been considered and allow them to feel more comfortable to call if there are any issues.
Parking
Parking can become an issue if not handled right by yourself and your neighbours. Whether you share a drive or you share off-street parking, it’s important that you do your best to be considerate of other people. Firstly, be sure not to block anyone in or park in a way which means they have to squeeze out of a very tight spot. Secondly, if spaces in your area are limited, try to avoid badly parking your car so that you end up taking more room than you actually need.
Important information
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
There may be a fee for mortgage advice. The actual amount you pay will depend on your circumstances. The fee is up to 1% but a typical fee is 0.3% of the amount borrowed.