7 Qualities ALL Good Neighbours Have – How Many of These Do You Have?

Whether you live in a rented flat of a multi-storey building, in a duplex in the prime location of a city, or in a family home on the outskirts of town, you must be having neighbours. We all have neighbours, and they can either make our lives easier or can completely ruin it for us. If you are blessed with good neighbours, you probably don’t have to worry about leaving your child alone at home when you have to run an errand because you know that there will be someone to keep an eye on your child. Similarly, you know you have nice neighbours when you can borrow stuff like sugar or a box of matchsticks from them or get a lift to a place nearby if needed. Good neighbours can come as a blessing in disguise and we don’t really tend to value them until we get not-so-great ones!

7 Qualities That Good Neighbours Possess

You must be a wonderful neighbour or at least, trying to be one. If you want to know about the qualities that make a good neighbour, read on! And do check off the ones that you have, and take pride in yourself!

1. Good neighbours are friendly.

We live in a society that comprises of all sorts of people, and the only way to live happily with everyone is by communicating and maintaining healthy relationships. The same rule applies to you and your neighbours. Good neighbours are friendly, exchange pleasantries, and they make it a point to check up on people residing near them if they haven’t seen them in a while. If you also do these things, your neighbours are lucky to have you, and vice-versa if you have neighbours who look out for you as well! After all, everybody likes to have friendly and helpful people around them.

2. Good neighbours are NOT over-friendly – they show respect.

While welcoming a new family into your neighbourhood and being friendly with them is fine, constantly knocking on their doors to check how and what they are doing or prying into their personal matters is not fine at all. Good neighbours are friendly for sure, but they also respect each other’s boundaries. They also make their children understand that they should respect their neighbours’ privacy! We know you must have taught your kids not to go into your neighbour’s house every half hour or not to trouble them by doing things like ringing the doorbell and running away! These little things that you think of for the welfare of your neighbours make you a good neighbour too!

3. Good neighbours are tidy.

No one likes to live with or around people who thrive in mess. Living next door to people who don’t tidy up their porch or verandah regularly or those who dispose of their trash the wrong way would be impossible for anyone; more so for cleanliness enthusiasts! But good neighbours are not like that. They take out their trash every day, clean their doors and shoe racks, and they don’t crowd the space in front of their neighbours’ apartments with their things. If you are mindful of all these things and the likes, your neighbours must like you a lot.

4. Good neighbours help, even before they are asked.

You must have encountered many people in your neighbourhood who’ve said to you, “Let me know if you need any help!” But not all of these people reach out when you actually need help. On the other hand, there are some people who offer help even before it is asked for. If you have neighbours who don’t make small talk or false promises but are the first ones to approach you when you need help with someone or something, you should value them and try to be like them too; if you already aren’t, of course!

5. Good neighbours are reliable.

One of the most loved and appreciated qualities of good neighbours is reliability. There are times in life when we are faced with unexpected situations, and it is then when we need people around us to help us out in whatever way they can. If you’ve ever faced such situations, and your neighbours have helped you out, be thankful! If you can ask your neighbours to babysit your child or leave your house keys with them, no doubt, they are dependable and trustworthy. Make sure you return the favour when needed!

6. Good neighbours follow the rules of the society/building they live in.

This is especially true for people who live in a society as they have to follow certain rules of the building or society they live in. If your society has certain set rules which the residents are supposed to abide by, and your neighbour does it all without making a fuss, consider yourself lucky. Simple but important rules like segregating waste, attending monthly meetings, not playing music loudly late into the night and so on make it easier for people to live in peace. If your neighbour follows the rules of the society/building, we know you must be having no trouble living next door to them. We hope you too are following all these rules and being just as wonderful a neighbour to those living next door to you!

7. Good neighbours are courteous.

This is primarily for apartment dwellers because they live in close proximity to their neighbours. People in such living conditions need to be especially considerate of their neighbours’ needs and wishes. For example, if you’re hosting a party and have people over, no doubt, the noise levels in your house will go up. But if you’re considerate of your neighbours’ feelings, you’ll probably try to keep it down as much as possible and perhaps would even inform your neighbours beforehand about the party. After the party, as a courtesy, it would be great if you ask your neighbours whether they were disturbed at all and apologise for any inconveniences caused. Good neighbours are courteous and we know you are too if you’re mindful of your neighbours’ peace of mind.

We all have neighbours, some good and some not-so-good, but we have to learn to live with them – because honestly, they learn to live with us too by ignoring some of our quirks and flaws, right? You might be close to your relatives and friends, but in most cases it’s your neighbours who can come to your immediate help. Hence, it is essential that you maintain healthy relationships with them. If you can count on your neighbours and they can count on you, you know there is one less thing in your life to worry about!