Dog barking tops list of neighbour annoyances for Brits

More than half of Brits say a neighbour's barking dog is their biggest pet peeve, according to a survey. Adults aged 55 to 64 are the most bothered by the noise.

A third of people said hearing neighbours having sex is the biggest nuisance. Playing loud music, cars taking up road space, unkempt property and overgrown trees also wind people up.

Other common irritations

Smoking in the garden and having lots of visitors also rile people up, along with being asked to join community events. But a surprisingly small number said they found chatting with neighbours to be annoying.

Just one in 10 can't stand making small talk with them. And 96% said they like bumping into those who live nearby while they're out and about.

Football rivalries not an issue

While football may divide people from their family and friends too, it isn't an issue when it comes to their neighbours. The survey by online nicotine pouches retailer Northerner found just 7% admit it's annoying if their neighbours support different teams.

Northerner's Markus Lindblad said: "It's fairly common for us to get irritated by our neighbours' habits and behaviours, but community is a really important thing. It was really heartwarming to see that neighbours do still enjoy chatting and interacting with each other."

Noise impact research

It follows research last year which looked at the impact that noise has on us. The study by Hive found nine in 10 people admitted that certain sounds send their stress levels soaring.

At the top of the list of annoying noises was hammering and banging, 46% of people picking it as their top irritation. It was closely followed by the yap of a small dog and the sound of drilling coming from next door.