Another way you can suss the neighbours is to call in a company called the House Detectives o 01483 200999. This is a team of private eyes who will do all your Columbo style snooping for you and the locals wont suspect a thing. Some of our younger people even wear school uniforms so as to appear incognito when we are sleuthing, says company founder Nigel Parsons. Parsons, however, prefers to take his dog Misty when he moves into an area and sits, watches and listens to the locals. Every road has a nosy neighbour who knows what everyone else is doing, so I make sure I find them as they give me a useful picture of the area, says Parsons, whose company charges £395 for each assignment. Alternatively, you could buy a notebook and a pair of binoculars and do it yourself
