Squatters are the most-hated type of neighbour, followed by students. Christina Jordan finds out more

While it may be important to consider ‘location, location, location’ when you are buying a property, it’s also a good idea to have a peek over the garden fence.

In fact, who lives next door can be just as important as deciding where to live, and how much to pay, according to a survey from propertyfinder.com.

The research reveals that nightmare neighbours can take thousands off the value of a property. People were asked to choose the best and worst types of neighbours from a range of categories.

Squatters top the list of neighbours from hell, with 90% of respondents voting them as worst, but students came a close second with 63% of the vote. Families with teenagers came third on the list, with 36% the vote. Young flat sharers’ disruptive lifestyles mean that they polled fourth worst.

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Childless couples, pensioners and singles were voted the perfect neighbours.

Respondents were also concerned that unsuitable neighbours damage property prices by a lack of interest in the upkeep of their properties, dragging down property prices for surrounding homes.

Potential house buyers believe that squatters next door devalue properties by 16.3%, and students by a sizeable 10.1%. This equates to a massive £16,078 off the average house price. Party-prone flat-sharers affect property values by £6,828 while childless couples were thought to boost neighbouring values by over 4%.

Nicholas Leeming, director of propertyfinder.com commented: “Students are notorious for having a good time and living in messy conditions, but our results show a greater concern among householders regarding the detrimental effect students can have on the price of their property. Our neighbours have a very significant influence on our quality of life, especially in urban areas, and increasingly, house hunters are prepared to pay a premium for a quiet, trouble-free life.”