06th February 2012
More homeowners are joining the Neighbourhood Watch
An increasing number of Britons are making use of Neighbourhood Watch schemes in their local communities, according to new research.
Comparison site GoCompare.com found that the number of customers who declared membership of such schemes rose by 38 per cent in the last 12 months.
Furthermore, the majority of them (59 per cent) believed their membership to be worthwhile.
Just under a fifth (18 per cent) also praised the sociable aspect of the schemes, seeing them as a good way to keep in touch with each other.
Of the 3,000 respondents, nearly a third (28 per cent) recommended the Neighbourhood Watch for providing a "network of neighbours" that could be called upon in an emergency.
Mark Greening, head of home insurance at the comparison site, believes this to be indicative of how community and security are becoming increasingly important to British homeowners.
"We would encourage those people who are not members of a Neighbourhood Watch scheme to seriously consider becoming part of an official group.
"As well as strengthening the community and helping you get to know more people in your local area, active membership could, in some cases, help reduce your home insurance premium," he said.
Mr Greening added: "Improving your home's security by pulling together can only be a good thing."
Neighbourhood Watch started in the UK in 1982 and there are now around 150,000 schemes running throughout the UK, covering nearly five million households.
It is the largest voluntary movement in the country.
However, it was not only Neighbourhood Watch members who said they would provide assistance to someone in the local community.
Nearly half of those polled (44 per cent) said they would help out a neighbour in need.
While Neighbourhood Watch schemes can improve the security of a community, it is also important to take precautions when the home is unoccupied for an extended period of time.
A quarter of Britons (27 per cent) admitted to updating their status on social networking sites to let others know of their travel plans.
However, there are two downsides to this.
First of all, it is not as effective as informing a neighbour directly about leaving the home empty.
Second of all, thieves may target the property if they know the owners are planning to be away.
Posted by Victor Onuohae
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