JayJay 88

I didn't realise how much I would miss our neighbours until they invited us round for one last evening before we go to Oz. We sold our house and moved out a couple of weeks ago. We had a great evening, they invited the neighbours the other side as well - so after a bottle of wine or three we decided to get the karaoke out. 15 minutes into my Shania Twain impression there was a knock on the door, I jokingly said I expect that is your new neighbours (ie who bought our house) coming to complain..... And it was. Even more embarrasing when the host said - "oh come in, Rob and Jayne are here...." They politely declined.
Can't help but think that the neighbourhood has gone downhill since we moved out...We'll tell you which suburb we move to in Perth, then you can either avoid it like the plague, or dust off your Elvis moves and join the karaoke!

monkeypeaches

We live in a house that's been converted into flats and we know the other occupants with varying degrees of intimacy (oo-er!). There's an American couple who are pretty much the same age and with the same interests as us, and we're really good friends - we do something social together every weekend. There's a single bloke who we don't socialise with really, but we chat in the garden lots and he looks after our cat when we go away. Then there's the landlord and his girlfriend, who we chat to but don't want to get too close!

This is the first time I've ever really been friendly with my neighbours (apart from when I was growing up and the girl next door was my best friend for 10 years), and it makes for a nice atmosphere, especially as London can get a bit impersonal at times. When we lived in Perth for 6 months I don't think we ever saw the neighbours, but we lived in an end flat and I worked in a bar so kept pretty odd hours.

lollyno1

hi

neighbour dosnt come round for cocktails...just to use the loo..shower...bath..

they've been without a bathroom for three days..lol

its been interesting to say the least..lol

GinaUK

We live in a cul-de-sac (UK) with 12 houses and we know all the neighbours. The ones directly next to us and the ones directly across the street we know best.

We don't have parties together or anything like that, but if we arrive home at the same time, we'll have a chat in the street. And if we go on holidays, we let each other know and the ones not going on holiday take out the bins for the other one and keep an eye on the place (make sure the post is pushed through the letter box and so on).

The ones across the road from us have the spare keys to our place (just in case we ever lock ourselves out).

It's a very friendly cul-de-sac and I hope we'll have equally friendly neighburs in Oz.

Gina

rugbymatt

We know ours too bloody well!!! Ours are my best friends who i set up 7 years ago!!!! The others are my landlords! Tossers!!!!! And the next nearest houses are about a quarter of a mile away! Dont talk to them! There bloody foreign, living in the next village and all!!!!!

Lord Pom Percy

Neighbours, everybody needs good Neighbours,
just a friendly wave each morning, helps to make a better day.
Neighbours, need to know each other, next day is only a footstep away.
With a little understanding , you can find a perfect plan.
Neighbours, should be there for one another.
Thats when good neighbours become good friends.

Caroline G

Our neighbours in the UK were pensioners on one side. Really lovely and we'ld have some good chats over the garden fence, up the road and we'ld look out for each other if going away etc. The people on the other side moved were a younger couple with kids but they seemed quite shy so we'ld just say hello and pop a Christmas card round etc. Another guys garden backed onto ours so we'ld also have a chat over the fence behind the shed. Generally, our immediate area was pretty friendly.

Our neighbours in Oz came round to introduce themselves. One lady next door, a pensioner again, has been round for dinner and we've had drinks at hers. Looked out for post and put bins out etc. The pensioner lady on the other side is very quiet and keeps herself to herself but I've had a few chats with her daughter when she's been visiting. The people over the road have helped us out with a couple of queries and have always been friendly.

Milo

Hi,

We knew the whole street when we lived in the UK as there was only 5 houses. Got on great, had some great barbies as well in the summer months, north east of uk, VERY SOCIABLE LOT . One of our ex neighbours has even been to see us here in Sydney. Get on great with our new neighbours, pop in regularly to see my neighbour on our left, has two small children and needs heeps of advice, neighbour on right owns Greek cafe and brings us fabulous cakes now and again cos they hate to waste them , we have a street christmas party at the same house on the corner so get to meet all the neighbours from a couple of streets.

BadgeIsBack

The pensioner couple that lived next to us in our rental have become our surrogate grandparents and see our daughter once or twice a week, and get 'upset' when they don't.

It's also good for them, as they're kids have moved interstate.

So we're all doing our bit for humanity. Irony is, we have more 'family' here, and accessible, than we ever did in the Uk. I had to practically book to see my old dear and she lives in Scotland anyhow. My wife's parents live in New York.

chels

London - knew my neighbours really well (too well in one case ), still in contact with some of them

Kent - never saw them

Sydney - first rental was a unit in the eastern suburbs: mixture of old biddies and backpackers. Didn't want to know them. But no choice in the matter with the old biddies. Found out a lot about their grandkids, hip operations... No one like us (youngish couple, no kids) so didn't make any friends that way.

Second rental, a house in inner west - VERY unfriendly neighbours on one side, you could walk into them and they wouldn't say hello. Other side, old couple Fred and Beryl, kept an eye on our house and collected the mail when we were away, and love a (long) natter with us (usually when we are in a hurry to get to somewhere else). But again, we don't have any kids so we are finding it hard to mix with other people living round here.

Sorchar

I know half the people in my neighbourhood and the other half know me We all look out for each other and lend a hand when needed but are not in each others faces. Look out for each others houses, children and for those neighbours who are older or housebound. Cups of tea and long blethers over the fence, but we don't do in and out each others houses, except for emergencies and special occasions. All nice and friendly, any wee problems sorted out over the garden fence. Only hope my future neighbours are as good

themerlin

We have a street party every year at xmas so I guess we know most of them, didn't sdo anything like that in the UK!