Now, everything cannot be hunky dory all the time can it? Yes, while you can have the most amazing neighbours, who are like family, you could also be "blessed" with the most annoying and irritating neighbours.

How do you handle such package deals?

Madhavi Lal, a working mother from Mumbai, moved into a new flat after living for 12 years in another area. "We were obviously a little worried about the locality and the neighbours. And I must say, we got the worse of the lot. They were the most conservative bunch of neighbours, how were always tired of our "forward" ways."

Their daughter, who was used to wearing shorts, had to change her wardrobe because of the taunts and stares she got when she stepped out of the house. In fact, their next door neighbours went to the extent of checking their mail to check for anything suspicious.

"It went to the limit when I caught my neighbour red handed one day, checking our mail," she says. "I blew my fuse and gave him a piece of my mind. I really never wanted to have a bad relationship with my neighbours, but then, this behaviour is uncalled for. Really!"

On the other hand, Annie Lakra, a student from Kolkata, and her family had a terrible time with her neighbours, a bunch of engineering students living next door. "They were such a pain. They would play loud music, drink and smoke so much that the smell would reach our house, and make a racket till the wee hours of the morning," she says.

She tried to talk to them about their behaviour but to no avail. Eventually, she had to complain to the authorities and they had to leave the flat.

"I never meant to do what I did, but when I tried to explain to them, they did not listen. It was impossible for my family and me to take anymore," she continues.

How to Go About...

Remember, your neighbours are people after all. Taking extreme measures is unrealistic. It is important to know where to draw the line between being too friendly and being too aloof.

• If you are moving to a new place, make sure you keep the pleasantries going, at least. A good morning or a hello is always welcome, and if you get along, the conversation could always extend to a "friendly snacks session".
• Don't wait for them to take the first step. You don't need a reason to make a good relationship with the next door family. And, if they don't want to thaw, you can always take a step back.
• Don't just trust your neighbours blindly. Remember, just like it takes years of experience to know someone personally, it takes quite long time to know your neighbours as well. So, if you are planning to leave a spare key at their house, make sure you know them quite well.