Katy Hopkins is Britain's least desirable neighbour

Updated
Wimbledon Simulator Katie Hopkins photocall - London
Wimbledon Simulator Katie Hopkins photocall - London



Nobody wants to live next door to Katy Hopkins. Whether it's the thought of being judged by an eagle-eyed celebrity next door for everything from your weight to your children's names - or the thought of bumping into her on the doorstep and trying to steer the conversation away from tricky areas - Katy Hopkins has been voted the celebrity we would least like to live next door to.

Hopkins was followed by David Cameron, Jeremy Corbyn, Wayne and Colleen Rooney and Cheryl Fernandez-Versini. And while the thought of living next to an opinionated politician is understandably alarming, this seems particularly rough on the Rooney's - especially give how much of the year the property would be empty and quiet while the family were on holiday.

At the other end of the spectrum, Zoopla named Mary Berry as the celebrity we'd most like to have next door - presumably at least partly on the off-chance she pops round with a cake every so often. She narrowly beat the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge - who come with the threat of a crying baby at all hours.

Perfect neighbours

The study also looked at the attributes that make someone a desirable neighbour. Top of the list (77%) was someone who will keep an eye on your home for you while you're out, this was followed by someone who keeps their own property well-maintained (63%).
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The survey respondents disagreed about how much contact they'd like with the neighbours though. Some 40% would prefer neighbours to keep themselves to themselves, while 38% would like the kind of neighbours who would always stop for a chat.

However, they agreed that the least pleasant attributes were being noisy (93%), not keeping the property well maintained (65%) and gossiping (39%).

Good neighbours

The survey doesn't just highlight our attitude to outspoken columnists and politicians, it also reveals how essential it is to get along with the neighbours. The respondents were right, good neighbours are like gold dust. They will keep an eye on the property, keep the area looking good, take in parcels, and even look after your pets when you go away.

Bad neighbours, meanwhile will drive you mad with noise, let their property go to pieces, and in some cases make being in your own home unpleasant.

It means that before you move into a property, it's important to consider the neighbours carefully. You should check the maintenance of their property, ask the estate agent and the owners about the neighbours and their behaviour, and check the documents carefully to see if there are any neighbour rows listed.

It also makes sense to visit the property several times, at various times of day and in the week, to see whether the neighbours are prone to having loud parties, listen to the radio day and night, or have noisy dogs.

Of course, once you have moved in, you have very little control over who moves next door, but at least you can ensure that you have at least a few months of peace before Hopkins moves in.



Katie Hopkins's Five Most Controversial Moments
Katie Hopkins's Five Most Controversial Moments

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