It’s a phrase you don’t hear much these days: ‘civic pride’. And, if a new report is to be believed, it won’t be long before it goes out of fashion altogether.
According to Britain at Home, a comprehensive bi-annual study commissioned by Lloyds Bank Insurance, more than half of UK homeowners live in neighbourhoods that are falling into disrepair. Common problems include untidy gardens, spaces used as dumping grounds, overflowing bins and grotty buildings.
The problem is now so acute that two-thirds of homeowners suffer from negative feelings about where they live and one in five are considering moving house.
Not surprisingly, this lack of concern for our immediate environment is also having an impact on community relations and, in one in ten cases, is leading to financial worries over a decrease in the value of properties.
There’s little doubt that garden detritus, peeling paint and refuse affects the price of a house and puts potential buyers off. I remember feeling constantly anxious when I was selling my flat in inner city London. Like many people in the capital, I shared a number of amenities, including the bins and the car park. And, along with 20 other householders, I was responsible for the upkeep of the building’s exterior and its communal areas.
While I had a modicum of control over these areas, there was nothing I could do about random morons using the car park as their own personal junkyard. One time I came home to find a stranger slumped across my front door. It was immediately clear that he’d relieved himself before passing out.
Hell is other people, said Sartre. I’ve got a lot of time for that sentiment. But when it comes to our living spaces, perhaps we also have ourselves to blame. Despite criticising the upkeep of their neighbours’ homes, the Lloyds research found that people are failing to invest in their own outdoor spaces.
Annual spend on outdoor areas is just £714, compared with the £3,579 spent indoors. One in six of those who hardly spend anything or would like to devote more cash to their garden put this down to a lack of time. A similar number prioritise upgrading indoors over outdoors.
Allison Ogden-Newton, chief executive of Keep Britain Tidy, said: ‘It is disturbing to see how many people are unable to love where they live, and that many homeowners are so affected by their neighbours that they are considering a permanent move. It is clear that while people in the UK acknowledge a widely held desire to live in a pleasant environment, this is often not being achieved, and with huge consequences. There are things we can all do to improve our external spaces, which will increase well-being and even reduce crime, therefore making our neighbourhoods better places to call home.’
I’m one of the lucky ones. I live in an area which prides itself on being a nice place to live. There’s even a pensioner who goes round the streets picking up litter out of his own volition. But I’ve never forgotten what it’s like to come home and wish bad things would happen to the neighbours.
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