Rising numbers of Scots are falling out with their neighbours as ding dongs increase over video doorbells, rowdy parties, DIY, parking rows and barking dogs.
Police Scotland say neighbour disputes increased in Scotland in the six months between April and September compared to last year.
They say reports of public nuisances and communications incidents are also rising.
According to Police Scotland, reported incidents of anti-social behaviour (ASB) and disorder overall decreased “slightly” during the period.
Data shows there were almost 138,500 ASB incidents reported during the period, fractionally down compared to the same period last year.
There were more than 96,600 complaints reported about disorder, again marginally down on the previous year.
A force report says: “Publicly reported incidents of antisocial behaviour (ASB) and complaints of disorder have decreased slightly.
“Neighbour disputes, public nuisances and communications incidents are on the rise. Neighbour disputes, in particular, have increased in every police division compared to last year.”
According to the report, Police Scotland attended more than 60% of ASB incidents reported by members of the public.
They say they are working with local partners and communities in areas with high complaints to understand and respond to concerns.
Glasgow City Council – Scotland’s largest local authority – confirmed their community relations team also experienced a rise in incidents in 2025.
They say the most common complaints they investigate involve loud music or noisy parties, threats, harassment and vandalism.
Their Community Relations Unit aims to resolve “antisocial behaviour through support measures and early intervention”, with a focus on neighbour disputes.
Doorbell ding dong
According to the council, smart doorbells are playing an increasingly central role in neighbour disputes, with research showing more than one in five people have a device.
Many people feel smart doorbells and other security cameras invade their privacy or enable nosy neighbours to spy on them, highlighting a growing clash between security and surveillance.
The council spokesperson said: “Anecdotally it is becoming more common for these cameras to provide evidence and also, in some cases, the source of information that generates complaints.
“They may also help to deter anti-social behaviour.”
As doorbell cameras have grown in popularity so too have warnings about recording neighbours and invading their privacy.
Data protection laws can be breached if the devices capture footage or audio beyond owners’ private property boundaries.
Failure to comply can lead to fines and legal action for harassment or privacy breaches.
Neighbour disputes and tensions spiked during the Covid pandemic when “stay at home” orders saw people forced to stay within their own properties for extended periods, often leading to minor irritations turning into full-blown disputes.
The trend has continued as working from home has become the norm for many who never returned to office-based employment when the pandemic ended.
It has led to many becoming more sensitive to noise from neighbouring properties that might have passed largely unnoticed when they were out at work or school for most of the day.
The council spokesperson said: “Our community team mainly deals with anti-social behaviour, which covers a wide range of scenarios, not all of which end up requiring formal action.
“The most common complaints are excessive noise and harassment and our staff will most often provide advice and guidance, such as signposting to other regulatory teams with a specific legal role – for example, directing environmental complaints to our public health team.”
Experts festering neighbour disputes can have a serious effect on quality of life, especially if it leads to people feeling threatened, isolated or scared in their own home or community.
The council advises neighbours to try and resolve their differences amicably before they escalate.
“We would advise neighbours to communicate regularly and discuss any concerns at the earliest possible stage”, said the spokesperson.
“Talking to others as you would hope others would talk to you is always a sensible approach.
“We do have a mediation service that can assist with neighbour disputes.”
The Scottish Government advises people to try talking to their neighbour about any problem in the first instance.
But they stress that people should not try talking to them on their own if they are worried about their safety.
Their online advice says: “If you’re worried about approaching them, write a letter, explaining the problem clearly and sticking to the facts.”
