Almost a third of those quizzed in a survey could not recall the first names of people living just yards away, while more than half were in the dark when it came to surnames.
And that is despite neighbours typically living next door to each other for more than seven years.
More than a quarter of people quizzed confessed they would not even bother to say “hi” if they saw a neighbour leaving the house.
Many are reduced to “thingy” and “whats-his-name” when talking about people living nearby while one in five has had a neighbourly argument, according to a survey by sofa makers DistinctiveChesterfields.com.
Nuisance noises topped the list of gripes, followed by rows over boundaries, bad behaviour and poorly kept gardens.
One in 10 Britons says they “hate” their neighbours, with six per cent resorting to legal action and two per cent claiming they have been assaulted.
Some those polled said they have been so riled by rows they had to move.
Traditional neighbourly values appear to be a thing of the past as three-quarters would not even ask a neighbour to watch their house while they went on holiday.
Just 18 per cent now give out spare keys in case of an emergency, and only 27 per cent would offer to put a neighbour’s bins out.
However, a third say they have kept in touch with a former neighbour after moving house.
Steve Laidlaw from DistinctiveChesterfields.com said: “It’s a shame we no longer seem to uphold the traditional values of living on a street where you know most of your neighbours.
“Gone are the days of nipping round for some sugar but it would be great to see more people getting along and looking out for each other.”
Daily Express :: Life and Style Feed
