Neighbours at war! - insurers can bring peace in our time

As a new survey reveals a third of Brits have argued with their neighbours, people are increasingly turning to their home contents insurer for help in resolving disputes.

Last year more than 500 calls were made to Cornhill Direct Insurance by policyholders asking for help to resolve a dispute with a neighbour, an increase of 10 per cent over the previous year. Most requests for advice were made during the summer months.

The survey of 3,500 home owners found that arguments can be sparked by literally anything, with the humble wind chime voted the most hated and annoying outdoor object.

Despite being loved by some UK holiday-makers, caravans parked in the driveway are also thought to "lower the tone" of the neighbourhood and came second in the poll.

Cornhill Direct's home contents insurance policyholders can opt for legal expenses cover, which includes access to advice on any personal legal matter.

Cornhill Direct spokesman, Simon Coughlin, said: 'Our survey shows that neighbourly disputes are a fact of life for many people across the UK. Arguments can be sparked by the most trivial of things and that's where we can provide help with advice on how best to settle the dispute.'

Trampolines and even garden gnomes are enough to trigger a major quarrel, leaving many people relying on their home insurer for help.

Water fountains, hot tubs and solar lights have also been blamed for sparking ill feeling between neighbours.

Even barbeques can cause rifts as many people get annoyed when they can't hang their washing out in the summer for fear of it getting smoky.

Mr Coughlin added: 'Generally, it's either the noise outdoor accessories make or the noise people make using them which normally causes the problem.

'The garden can be quite a battleground between neighbours.'

Cornhill Direct suggests that the way to harmonious neighbourly relationships is for everyone to have nice landscaped gardens together with well maintained borders and driveways.

A fifth of people believe their neighbours house or garden ruins the overall appearance of the street.

Twenty seven per cent of people say their neighbours need to spend a lot more time tending to the appearance of their house and garden.

A staggering 91 per cent say their own garden is far nicer than their neighbours and five per cent of people believe their neighbour has stolen from their garden.

Mr Coughlin said: 'Often common sense and tact is all that's required but disputes between neighbours can get seriously out of hand.

'It is wise to invest in legal expenses cover when taking out your home insurance and great value for money at around £18. This cover includes access to Lawphone 24 hours a day 365 days a year, offering legal advice in areas such as neighbour disputes, employment issues and personal injury.'

The poll also revealed homeowners spend an average of £180 a year on their garden to make sure theirs is the best in the neighbourhood.

The top 20 most hated outdoor objects

Wind Chimes
Caravans
Over-sized Trampolines
Garden Gnomes
Children's Swings
Water Fountains
Hot Tubs
BBQ
Solar Lights
Footballs
Towing Trailers
Garden Ponds
Water Fountains
Conservatories
Sprinklers
Swing Balls
Bird feeders
Football goal posts
Hanging baskets
Swimming pools