"Next door".

I used to belong to a previous local network which was taken over by Nextdoor. I was horrified to find that they had published both my name and address without warning or consent.

The poster who said to give a generic version of your address is wise as I am a deeply private person.

It is probably useful if you have something to give away, need a small job doing by a local tradesperson or have lost a cat or dog. Also useful for warnings of local scams.

We were recently warned of men walking into gardens and looking in bins, claiming to be inspecting them for the correct type of recycling. However when challenged by a resident they quickly decamped into their unmarked van and sped off. The "bins" excuse could have merely been a cover for scoping out houses to rob.

I’ve recently joined Nextdoor and as I have quite a distinctive surname I only put my initial as my surname, so you don’t have to put your whole name on.

Also, I’ve just had a look at how to deactivate your account and it’s actually quite easy.

I too have found it very useful for local information. Just lately, however, our postings have become rather political asking for example what people think of Partygate, what we think of the war in Ukraine etc I don’t think Next Door is the right place for that. There’s plenty on GN but you can miss the political forum completely if you want.

I prefer the Facebook Community page which I am on anonymously. I don't live in a great area and certainly don't want all and sundry knowing where I am. Nextdoor, wanted too much information to my mind. There was also something about once you joined, it was difficult to leave? Can someone comment as that being true?

We have two schemes where we live.
One is letting us know whats going on ,ie,youths hanging around,car stolen off a drive,local plumbers etc.
The only thing i don`t like is they print your name so i don`t respond to anything.
The other one is a local on-line information site.
Both very usefull and informative.

Yes! I’m on it! Find it quite good actually! Find good recommended trades people, warned about crime in the area! Can’t fault it!

fB s various groups are every bit as helpful and a much wider choice of information I really don’t need anything else
I can get recommendations of trades folk, I can buy and sell, I can join the gardening groups, the local history groups, the local weather, local sea swimming group I can hear of accidents, fires, crashes as they happen, I know when roads are shut as and when they are bus train times Local restaurant and cafe reviews as well as small businesses when dogs and cats are lost and people join forces to look for teenagers gone awol There is a healthy group collecting food etc for those in trouble
I refused to join nextdoor when they first started as your name and address was not kept privately ( I believe this has changed)
But I don’t need it

I was invited to join some time ago - I declined when I found out that names and full addresses were published which I thought could be dangerous for women living alone, although I understand full addresses are no long published. Many of my neighbours also refused to join for the same reason.

However the area I lived in did have a local email group which did all the same things as Nextdoor.

I use it and have found a good Handyman on there.It's also useful to be aware of local crime etc.
You don't need to be on Facebook to be on it.

I’m on Nextdoor.com and find it very useful.

I joined it can we very useful last month we helped look for a missing cat. We live right on a country park that was a railway a big area to cover. I also enlisted the help of friends the cat was found. So yes it is a good community site to go on.

I joined years ago but I agree, recently addresses have been required before anybody can post anything. I advise people via PM to post eg 1-24 Acacia Drive rather than 6, Acacia Drive.

I have found a superb electrician and 2 handymen although I was let down by an electrician who came with glowing references. That is where I find my cleaners. It is easy living in London as so many folk are looking for jobs.

I gave my present electrician an excellent review and he received 43 expressions of interest so he got a lot of extra work.

I never employ anybody who advertises themselves- they must have a few reviews.

I joined a bit impulsively, it seemed like a nice idea.
But somebody actually got our phone number from it, and rang me to say that my neighbor had contacted her, to complain that our cat kept going in her garden!
I mean, what’s all that about?
I know my neighbor, why couldn’t she tell me herself!

Yes I have too. The only thing that I am concerned about is that whoever keeps posting the letters through my letter box has not put their name at the end, so I have no idea just who is wanting my information!
I was wondering as well, if it just a new version of the curtain twitchers that you used to see while I was growing up, a bunch of tittletattlers that have little else to do, or just avoidance of actually having a proper face to face conversation with neighbours?

Thanks for all your answers and I'm glad some people have had a positive response by joining. Ours seems to ask for a lot of personal details and I think we will be staying in our own little corner for now.

My daughters are both on Facebook pages in their respective villages/ small towns.

I think they find it helpful. Have found good trades people that way. They’ve also sold stuff very quickly.

Don’t think they have to specifically give details. I would just follow your gut feeling though. We have to be more cautious being older I think.

It is quite useful. I recently found a good builder that way.

I joined mine and found the best mobile hairdresser and the best plumber who replaced my boiler at a very reasonable price. Also sold my old lawnmower and some other bits and pieces.

I know several people who find it helpful - sometimes giving items away, other times taking advantage of a local person providing a service.
I’m not on Facebook, so can’t join my local branch, even if I wanted to.

It has its uses I suppose, mainly ours is filled with rubbish, things people want to get rid of, and increasingly people asking for things, anything from food, to furniture and baby equipment, to lifts.
I tried to delete mine, but can’t seem to get rid of it.
Having said that, I’m sure every area is different.

Dh has joined, and has occasionally found it useful, or has been able to help someone else.

I had too many tomato plants last year and got him to offer them, but there were no takers.

A dd uses it - the other night she was short of some ingredient for her curry, and asked if anyone had any to spare! Her road is very community minded though - any excuse for a street party, etc.

I joined my local group. I don’t use it much but people do ask for recommendations for tradesmen etc. However, if you are wary, why not leave off joining until you have a question that it would be useful to post - a recommendation for boarding kennels,for example. Nextdoor is useful, but not essential.

We're on this. We've found it helpful. Local tradesmen offer services on it and other neighbours recommend them. So far we have had a chap to clean our drive who did a fantastic job, also a decorator.
They warn of scams and crimes in the area too, lost cats etc. This is all done by email. However, we have never been asked for personal details part from our email and wouldn't have joined if we had. We're not on Facebook or Twitter either.

There is something similar where I live, and I declined, as it was linked to Facebook, which I won't touch. Apparently during covid it was dominated by people outing their neighbours for perceived transgressions.

My son and daughter belong to one where they live and find it very helpful, as it is an area they were not familiar with, but they are much more media -savvy than me and able to avoid the pitfalls.

I think only people within your postcode are allowed to join. We have limited invites (ie apply by a certain date) but I haven't ever joined. My neighbour has though and she tells me anything I need to know anyway