Neighbourhood conflict: How often and why do clashes occur?

Living is more than just four walls: it’s also about living together – with each other, in the neighbourhood, in the district. A representative study by ImmoScout24 reveals where and with whom the biggest points of friction arise and when things remain surprisingly harmonious. First and foremost: for once, it seems that talking, rather than silence, is golden.

How well we live depends not only on the apartment itself, but also on how harmoniously we live together. A representative study by ImmoScout24 shows clear patterns for Swiss men and women, as Martin Waeber, Managing Director Real Estate at SMG Swiss Marketplace Group, knows: “Conflicts are most likely to arise within one’s own household, with 30% of respondents experiencing them frequently or rather frequently. In comparison, relationships with immediate neighbours tend to be relatively conflict-free.” More than half of those surveyed (51%) say they rarely or never have disagreements with their neighbours, with only 15% reporting (very) frequent arguments, according to Waeber.

With regard to personal characteristics, it is striking that female respondents were more likely overall (20%) to report feeling disturbed by neighbours several times a week than male respondents (11%). This difference in the frequency with which disturbances are perceived also holds for people aged 18 to 44 compared to older respondents. Overall, the relationship with landlords, caretakers or people in the neighbourhood is more harmonious. Respondents with experience of conflict are in the single-digit percentage range here. 

Indoors, it’s untidiness that causes annoyance; outdoors, it’s the noise
These results show that, for most people in Switzerland, coexistence in the neighbourhood is largely peaceful. However, certain points of friction remain part of everyday life.

In shared households, most tensions clearly arise from untidiness. At 47%, this is by far the most common trigger, followed by broken agreements (26%), noise (23%) and other forms of inconsiderate behaviour (22%). However, well-known shared-apartment stereotypes, such as shared spaces being occupied for long periods or food disappearing from the fridge without permission, are hardly confirmed: only 15% and 9% of respondents, respectively, actually experience these problems.

When it comes to disputes with immediate neighbours, however, a completely different issue clearly tops the survey: noise is the most common cause of conflict, at 45%. This is followed by use of the laundry room (18%), smoking (17%) and dirt and rubbish in shared areas (16%). Issues such as gardening or barbecuing, on the other hand, are rarely perceived as disruptive. However, this ranking does not apply to all parts of the country. While noise is the undisputed number one issue, people in Western Switzerland are more bothered by dirt and rubbish than by shared laundry room use. In rural areas, pets (13%) can also be a source of conflict, whereas this is a very rare issue for urban residents surveyed (9%).

Regarding the administration, with which respondents say conflicts arise least frequently, these mainly concern minor repairs (31%) or utility bills (19%). A full 42%, however, state that they have never experienced any problems with any of the topics surveyed.

Conflicts are discussed thoroughly
Should conflicts and perceived disturbances arise in the neighbourhood, around three-quarters (72%) of respondents say that they would address the person concerned directly. Written communication (17%) or communication involving third parties, such as property management or landlords (14%), is much less common. However, it is just as rare for the conflict to be simply ignored (13%). “This open culture of conflict in Swiss neighbourhoods is also reflected in the very rare (9%) escalation of conflicts through legal action,” Waeber concludes, summarising the study results: “Communication by means of a letter from a solicitor or even moving out of one’s own home is rare. It is interesting to note that escalation is almost twice as common among respondents aged between 45 and 49 as it is among age groups below or above this range.”

Study design
The representative study comprises an online survey of people living in Switzerland. Between 12 and 22 August 2025, 1,264 people aged between 18 and 84 were surveyed in German-, French- and Italian-speaking Switzerland. The results were weighted according to age, gender, and language region.