There’s some bad news if you value your privacy and live in Northampton
Brits have been exposed for their nosey habits, with almost two thirds of us admitting to looking into our neighbours’ homes from outside, new research reveals.
The survey, by Shuttercraft who provide made-to-measure window coverings, looked into the nation’s curiosity and willingness to overstep boundaries, and also found neighbours being home was not a barrier, with more than one in five (22 percent) admitting they’ve been caught while prying.
Of those caught in the act, 28 percent invented an excuse for looking and, in typical British fashion, 15 percent would simply apologise.
But more than one in 10 (11 percent) said they simply ignore their neighbour until they think they’ve forgotten about it.
The survey of 1,500 people revealed the living room as the space most looked into, followed by the kitchen, dining room and, yes, the bedroom. Whether in the bedroom or not, a shocking 15 percent admitted to having witnessed nudity or sex. This includes a naked Twister game, an affair, and some reports of people cooking or watching the news in the nude.
Other unusual scenes seen from outside include someone eating toast off the floor, kissing the TV and having a Christmas tree up well outside of the festive season.
Regular arguments between couples and families also made the list of the most spotted activities through the window, as well as illicit activity such as neighbours smoking weed, throwing rubbish over the fence, and even burglaries.
Coming top of the nosiest town ranking was Northampton where a staggering 92 percent admit to peeping into their neighbours’ homes. In second is Southampton (75 per cent) with Leicester (74 per cent) in third. Window watching doesn’t seem to be a Midlands trend though as only 40 percent of people in Derby have the habit.
While both genders admit to being extra nosey and looking in from the street, women are better at doing so unnoticed – only 18 per cent have been caught, while for men it’s over a quarter (26 percent).
Women are better at having a peer into a neighbour’s home without getting caught in the act (Shuttercraft)When asked what they would do if someone was looking into their home, 70 percent would do something about it, like stand in front of the window or confront the person, while 30 per cent would just ignore them. And remarkably, one in five admit to encouraging neighbour nosiness by leaving the windows uncovered on purpose – hoping to cause some home envy.
Despite these stats, 98 percent of people said that home privacy is important for them.
Nearly a quarter (23 percent) of us report getting angry and 15 percent said they feel violated when they spot someone looking in the window.
Tony Reid, Head of Marketing for Shuttercraft, comments: “The stats speak for themselves – we can all be a little too curious sometimes and while many don’t mind sharing their lives with the world occasionally, home privacy is more important than ever.
“With the spike in DIY activity we’ve seen over the last two years, it’s no surprise some people would leave their shutters open on purpose, to show off their home upgrades. However, it’s important to have a sense of boundary – so people can open their homes to the world if they want to, but also be able to shutter them in order to keep private moments private.”
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