Wind chimes 'top cause of neighbourly disputes'

People are increasingly turning to their insurers for help in resolving disputes sparked by wind chimes and garden gnomes, according to a new survey.

Insurer Cornhill Direct said that more than 500 calls made to it last year were from policyholders asking for help resolving a dispute with a neighbour, ten per cent more than during the previous year.

A poll from the company found that arguments between neighbours were often caused by objects outside people's houses, with wind chimes being voted the most hated item, followed by caravans.

Gardens could also be a potential source of conflict. A fifth of people said their neighbour's house or garden ruined the appearance of their street and 27 per cent of people said their neighbours needed to spend a lot more time tending to them.

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."

A recent Abbey study found that the second-most common reason for people to move house was "neighbours from hell", with around 4.5 million people doing so as a result in the past five years.

"Huge increase" in caravan insurance popularity

There has been a significant rise in the number of people taking out caravan insurance policies recently, it seems, as the mobile home holiday soars in popularity.

Insurance firm Alan Blunden reported that it had seen a "huge increase" in its turnover regarding caravan insurance.

Assistant manager Mike Stammers said that the firm had also seen a large number of caravan insurance renewals, as although it is a niche market, customers generally choose to renew their policies unless they sell their caravan.

Mr Stammers explained that one of the aspects that made caravan insurance quite attractive was that it is a relatively simple kind of policy.

He commented: "I would like to think it's quite easy to write...and its documents are quite simple."

Research from the AA also out this week found that over one in five British holidaymakers are planning a break by car this summer, reflecting the growing popularity of this kind of holiday.

Diesel cars are likely to be more popular with potential caravanning holidaymakers this year, with 35 per cent of people opting for one compared to 27 per cent for petrol vehicles, the study found.

Insurances Limited “You do need to consider your holiday insurance carefully as mobile holidays can be a risky business. Before leaving home make sure you have adequate cover for the contents of the caravan.”

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