Only 6% of Finns have googled their neighbours

SATO, one of the leading rental housing providers in Finland, took a look at Finnish neighbourliness. Young people and those earning over €80,000 are the most likely to google their neighbours.

The notion of Finns being a quiet and introverted people does not appear to hold true, at least when it comes to relations with neighbours: 84% of respondents reported saying hello to their neighbours. This was just one of the findings of the survey commissioned by rental housing provider SATO.

“Interaction with neighbours extends beyond just exchanging hellos, as more than half of the respondents (61%) said they also tend to stop for a quick chat with their neighbours. We take this to be encouraging news, as such conduct boosts residential comfort and wellbeing,” says Antti Asteljoki, SATO Vice President for Housing Business.

Some also take a keener interest in the people living in their building or on their street, as 6% of the respondents reported having googled their neighbours. One of the highest rates of googling was found among those aged 16–24, of whom 10% had looked up their neighbours on the internet. Curiosity about neighbours also ran higher among those in the €80,000+ income bracket, of whom 11% reported googling.

Untidiness and door slamming found annoying

Living with neighbours is not all peace and joy, however. The survey, conducted in early autumn, revealed that people find all sorts of things annoying in their neighbours. The top complaints were littering in common areas and common spaces, and untidiness in the waste shelter and its misuse.

What do you find annoying in your neighbours?

Littering in common areas and common spaces 17%
Untidiness in the waste shelter and its misuse 17%
Nosy neighbours 14%
Door slamming 14%
Neighbours not saying hello 14%
Having to listen to neighbours argue 14%
Smoking on the balcony 14%
Making noise in the stairwells 13%
Smoking in the yard 11%
Playing a loud instrument, or another noisy hobby 11%
Watching TV or listening to music 10%
Noisy children 10%

Source: Digital media survey, Dagmar 2019

The most annoyed by their neighbours were respondents aged 25–34 while those aged 55–69 found their neighbours the least annoying. Nonetheless, 42% of respondents reported that there was nothing annoying about their neighbours.

Most mind their own business

Sometimes people also confront their troublesome neighbours rather than letting the matter be. Among the respondents, 8% had contacted their building manager to complain, while 7% had rung their neighbour’s doorbell to complain in person. Banging on the wall, floor or ceiling between their apartment and the adjoining one was something 4% of the respondents admitted to having done. Some (4%) had also had to call the emergency number because of disruptive behaviour next door. However, the majority of the respondents (76%) had never confronted their neighbours.

As one of the leading rental housing providers in Finland, SATO has taken steps to foster positive neighbourhood spirit by providing tools to maintain good neighbourly relations.

“This autumn, we are calling on everyone in Finland to become better neighbours to each other,” Asteljoki says.

The survey was conducted as a part of the monthly Digital Media Survey by marketing agency Dagmar. The 1,000 respondents to the survey represented a sampling of the Finnish-speaking population aged 16–69 living in mainland Finland.

For more information please contact:

SATO Corporation
Miia Eloranta, EVP, Marketing and Communications, p. 050 441 4221