Neighbourly life has long been a defining feature of Irish communities, but modern living is reshaping how people connect with those living nearby. Hybrid working, busier towns and cities, and changing housing patterns mean neighbours are spending more time close together, but not always feeling closer as a result.
Noise complaints are the most common neighbour issue, reported by almost 20% of respondents to a new survey from home insurance comparison site, Chill, while parking issues remain a similarly common source of tension.
COMMUNITY SPIRIT
Community spirit appears mixed across Ireland, according to the results, where surveyed 2,000 adults nationwide were surveyed. Fewer than half of respondents say they are happy with their neighbour relationships, and just 42% say they genuinely like the people living nearby.
Trust and deeper connections are even less common, with only 35% saying they trust their neighbours and 23% experiencing a strong sense of community spirit.
Clear generational differences also emerge. Just 39% of Gen Z say they are satisfied with their neighbour relationships, compared with 63% of Baby Boomers, highlighting how connection often strengthens with age and stability.
ACTS OF KINDNESS
A total of 46.4% say a neighbour has taken in a parcel for them, a sign of day-to-day trust that many people rely on more than they realise. Almost as many have received help during more serious moments. A total of 27.1% say a neighbour has stepped in during an emergency, and 25.9% have borrowed tools or equipment.
Neighbourly kindness looks different across Ireland’s cities. Waterford emerges as one of the most generous, with residents most likely to receive help ranging from parcel collection to DIY support and childcare. Limerick shows strong social bonds, leading in shared meals and emotional check-ins, while Cork stands out for practical everyday help, such as bin support.
While many neighbours display acts of kindness, almost two-thirds however have faced some form of friction in the past.
Dublin residents report the highest levels of neighbour issues, with only 32.5% saying they have never experienced a problem. In contrast, Galway (42.5%) and Waterford (47.9%) residents are more likely to say they have had no disputes, suggesting that neighbour tensions are less common in these areas. Limerick and Cork sit closer to the national average at 37.9% and 39.1%, respectively.
CAUSES OF TENSION
Noise and parking are the most common sources of neighbour-related tension. Almost one in five residents (19.5%) report having experienced noise issues, closely followed by parking disputes (19.4%).
Most residents prefer resolving neighbourly disputes through direct conversation, with nearly 60% addressing noise issues and 66% handling parking problems this way. However, they tend to escalate issues involving property or safety, contacting the council for DIY, fence disputes, blocked light (19.20%) or misuse of bins and the police for property damage (17%) or intrusive behaviour (16%), such as the use of security cameras.
