How Neighbours by Ring Powers Modern Neighbourhood Watch Schemes Across the UK

Neighbourhood Watch schemes have long been a cornerstone of British community spirit. Traditionally, keeping an eye out meant relying on window stickers, local newsletters, or chance chats over the garden fence.

With Neighbours by Ring, local safety and community awareness are going digital. Integrated directly into the Ring app, this free feature acts as a hyper-local digital noticeboard, helping UK residents share real-time safety alerts, report suspicious activity, and reunite lost pets.

Below is everything you need to know about how Neighbours works alongside traditional Neighbourhood Watch principles and how you can start reporting and receiving alerts today.

What is Neighbours by Ring?

Neighbours is a community-powered space built into the standard Ring app. It creates a hyper-local safety radius around your home address so you can stay informed about what’s happening in your immediate area.

Key Highlights:

• No Ring Device Required: You do not need to own a Ring Video Doorbell or Security Camera to use the Neighbours feature—it is completely free for anyone who downloads the Ring app on iOS or Android.
  
  
• Customisable Radius: You can adjust the size of your neighbourhood boundary to focus strictly on your street or broaden it to cover surrounding roads.
  
  
• Multi-Location Support: You can set up and monitor up to three different locations (such as your home, a relative’s property, or your workplace).
  
  

How It Complements UK Neighbourhood Watch Schemes

1. Real-Time Safety Alerts: Instead of waiting days to hear about an incident on a local forum or WhatsApp group, Neighbours sends instant push notifications when a nearby resident posts a verified safety concern or alert.
   
   
2. Reuniting Lost Pets (Search Party): Ring works in partnership with Dogs Trust in the UK. When a dog goes missing nearby, owners can post a lost pet alert. Outdoor Ring cameras can even help match lost dog reports, allowing neighbours to coordinate a search party and bring missing pets home safely.
   
   
3. Public Safety Engagement: Verified public safety organisations and local community groups can post official updates, offer safety tips, or issue urgent warnings directly to the feed.
   
   
4. Complete Privacy & Control: Your home address and video footage are never publicly broadcast. You maintain full control over what footage or details you share with your community.
   
   

Step-by-Step: How to Access & Set Up Neighbours

1. Download the Ring App: If you haven’t already, download the free Ring app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
   
   
2. Open the Neighbours Tile: Log in or create an account, then tap the Neighbours tile on your main app dashboard.
   
   
3. Set Your Boundary: Go to your Neighbours settings to define your neighbourhood radius and adjust your notification preferences so you only receive alerts that matter to you.
   
   

Step-by-Step: How to Report an Alert or Post an Update

If you witness a security concern, suspicious activity, or lose a pet, publishing an alert takes only a few taps:

1. Open Neighbours: Launch the Ring app and navigate to the Neighbours section.
   
   
2. Tap the Plus (+) / Post Button: Select the option to create a new post.
   
   
3. Choose Your Post Category:
   
   
   • Safety / Incident: Share details regarding suspicious activity, attempted break-ins, or local hazards.
     
     
   • Lost Pet: Upload details and photos to initiate a local Search Party.
     
     
   • Community Updates: Share general safety advice or local community notices.
     
     
4. Add Context & Media: Write a concise description (time, location details, context) and attach relevant photo or video clips if you have them.
   
   
5. Publish to Your Neighbourhood: Tap Share. Once approved by community moderation standards, your alert will notify nearby residents within your set radius.
   
   

Note: Always report active crimes or emergencies directly to 999 (or 101 for non-emergencies) before posting on community apps.

Summary

By combining traditional community vigilance with modern digital tools, Neighbours by Ring empowers UK residents to look out for one another more effectively than ever. Whether it's preventing local opportunists or bringing a lost dog back home, staying connected is the simplest way to build safer, stronger British communities.

 

Neighbours Ring app - click image to view enlarged

 

7 easy ways to outsmart scammers

Protecting yourself from scammers doesn't necessarily mean spending hours changing passwords or digging through your phone's settings. Sometimes, a small change to your everyday habits can make a big difference.

We asked Which? experts to share the precautions they take in their own lives, including one colleague whose family came up with a secret code for their messages after a particularly frightening WhatsApp scam.

Source: Which? (20 Oct 2026) 

How to screen calls to avoid scammers

Scam calls can be disruptive at best and financially devastating at worst. Unfortunately, the problem isn't going away, with new figures from the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) showing that complaints about automated nuisance calls have reached a five-year high.

But there are ways to fight back. Our tech expert, Tom Morgan, explains how to keep scam calls at bay.

Prefer 1-2-1 technical advice? Join Which? Tech Support. Our friendly team is there to chat on the phone or by email as often as you need. Find out more and get 50% off an annual membership for the first year. Offer ends 31 October.

Source: Which? (21 Oct 2026) 

What to do if a scammer has your bank details

If a fraudster has your bank details, contact your bank immediately using the number on the back of your card or from its official website.

Once you've done that, you might need to secure other accounts depending on what details the scammer has obtained. Our experts explain the steps to take after speaking with your bank.

Source: Which? ( 20 Oct 2026)

​Community Event: Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Information Session

Sidcup Partners is hosting an upcoming Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Information Event aimed at building safer communities together.

 

Whether for personal knowledge or to help a friend, neighbour, or colleague, all community members are encouraged to come along, learn, and share the information.

 

Event Details:

 * Date: Wednesday, 28th October

 * Time: 11:00 am – 1:00 pm

 * Location: Sidcup Leisure Centre

 

What to Expect:

 * Learn Key Information: Find out how to spot the signs of abuse, how to report concerns, and how to support someone who may be struggling.

 * Resources & Advice: Confidential information and personal alarms will be available on-site.

 * Refreshments: Complimentary tea, coffee, and cake will be served.

 

Even if you never need the information yourself, knowing what to do could help someone close to you. Please share this event across your local networks to help spread the word!

 

Scams to watch out for right now

Stay in the know about scams that are currently targeting people across the UK. Our experts share real examples and telltale signs to look out for, so you can protect yourself and your loved ones.

The latest scams we've spotted include a dodgy pop-up claiming to be from Apple and a fake NatWest email. Check out our full list.

Source: Which? (14 Oct 2026)

British medical endorsements used in scams

Which? exposes how fraudsters based overseas are using trusted medical endorsements, including the British Dental Association, to peddle dodgy products on social media.

An ad must not display a trust mark, quality mark or equivalent without the necessary authorisation. However, we found plenty of ads on Facebook and Instagram doing just that. See the examples we reported to Meta and find out how to spot fake ads online.

Source: Which? (14 Oct 2026)

Who is stopping these dodgy advertisers?

When our investigations find scam ads, we report them to the platform and they're usually (eventually) taken down. However, we've found that sometimes the advertiser behind the scam remains active.

We reveal three scam advertisers that have continued to publish scam ads even after Which? has had their content taken down.

Source: Which? (15 Oct 2026)

Bexley Crime stats ward summary Sep 2026

 

Source: Bexley Watch Viz

Don't Let 'Porch Pirates' Steal Your Festive Cheer: Lessons from Channel 5

If you caught Matt Allwright and consumer champion Harry Kind on Channel 5 (aired friday 9 Oct 2026), you’ll know a familiar autumn and winter nightmare was top of the agenda: porch piracy.

With October kicking off prime shopping season for Halloween costumes, autumn decor, and early Christmas presents, doorstep delivery theft is surging. Thieves know deliveries peak between October and December, leaving unattended doorstep parcels as prime targets for opportunistic grabs.

Here is a comprehensive breakdown of consumer rights, who is legally liable when a parcel goes missing, and actionable advice from Neighbourhood Watch to keep your deliveries safe this season.

Consumer Rights & Legal Liability: Who Is Responsible?

When a parcel is stolen or lost from your doorstep, courier companies often try to fob consumers off, and retailers may claim "it shows as delivered". Under UK law, the rules surrounding contractual obligations and risk transfer are clear.

1. Your Legal Contract is with the Retailer, NOT the Courier

When you buy an item online, your legal contract is strictly with the retailer who sold you the goods—not the courier company delivering them.

• Do not get passed back and forth: The retailer cannot force you to deal directly with Evri, DPD, Royal Mail, or Amazon Logistics. It is the retailer’s responsibility to deal with their chosen delivery provider.

2. Physical Possession & Risk Transfer (Section 29, Consumer Rights Act 2015)

Under Section 29 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015, goods remain at the trader’s risk until they come into the physical possession of either you or a person identified by you to take possession of the goods.

• Doorstep Photos Are NOT Legal Proof of Delivery: A driver taking a photo of a box sitting on your door mat or doorstep does not constitute physical delivery to you. Unless you explicitly gave permission for that location, it remains an uncompleted delivery.

• If left on a doorstep without consent and stolen, the retailer must provide a full refund or a replacement.

3. The "Nominated Safe Place" Trap

Be careful when selecting delivery preferences in courier apps:

• If you explicitly nominate a safe place (e.g., "leave in the shed" or "behind the wheelie bin"), the legal risk transfers to you the moment the driver leaves the parcel there.

• If it is subsequently stolen from a designated safe place, the retailer is generally no longer legally liable. Only nominate places that are genuinely secure.

What Payment Protections Do You Have?

If a retailer refuses to issue a refund for an unauthorized doorstep drop, you can leverage payment protections:

• Section 75 (Consumer Credit Act 1974): For purchases paid by credit card over £100 (up to £30,000), your credit card provider is jointly liable with the seller. You can submit a Section 75 claim directly through your bank.

• Chargeback Scheme: For debit card transactions or purchases under £100 on a credit card, file a Chargeback dispute through your bank within 120 days of the purchase date.

Neighbourhood Watch & Community Prevention Advice

Neighbourhood Watch networks across the UK emphasize that community vigilance and smart habits are the most effective ways to deter opportunistic thieves during the peak festive shopping period.

Community & Vigilance Guidelines

1. Coordinate with Neighbours: Build a agreement with trusted neighbours to collect each other’s parcels when someone is out. Specify a named, trusted neighbour directly in your delivery app options.

2. Join Local WhatsApp or Watch Schemes: Share alerts about suspicious vehicles or individuals following delivery vans down suburban streets. Porch pirates frequently tail couriers and grab packages within minutes of a drop-off.

3. Report Every Incident: Research shows only a fraction of doorstep thefts are reported to the police. Always report thefts via 101 or your local police web portal to help build crime mapping intelligence in your area.

4. Never Leave Parcels Visible from the Road: If expecting a delivery while away, ask a neighbour or relative to move visible packages inside so criminals don't spot an empty home.

Essential Crime Prevention Checklist

Measure	How It Protects You
Secure Lockers & PUDO	Eliminate doorstep drops altogether using Amazon Lockers, InPost Lockers, or DPD/Evri Pickup points.
Smart Video Doorbells	Gives motion alerts and allows real-time two-way audio to instruct drivers to hold or redirect parcels.
Locked Smart Boxes	Install a bolted, secure parcel drop-box requiring a one-time passcode for drivers.
Workplace Delivery	Direct packages to your place of work during standard business hours.

Step-by-Step Action Plan If Your Package Is Stolen

1. Obtain Proof: Download doorbell or CCTV footage showing the delivery and any subsequent theft.

2. File a Police Report: Obtain a Police Crime Reference Number online or via 101. This holds significant weight when dealing with resistant sellers.

3. Notify the Seller in Writing: Request a full refund or replacement citing Section 29 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015. State clearly that the item was not delivered into your physical possession and no safe place was authorized.

4. Escalate to Bank Protection: If the seller refuses to comply, initiate a Chargeback or Section 75 claim with your card provider.

Porch pirates: top tips (click to view enlarged)

What to do immediately after a data breach

This year has seen several high-profile organisations fall victim to hackers. Just this week, online fashion brand Asos confirmed that some customers' 'basic personal information' has been accessed by criminals. We reveal the steps you should immediately take if you become aware that an organisation has lost your personal data. Find out how to protect yourself and, in some cases, claim compensation following a data breach. Source: Which? (07 Oct 2026)

A confusing debit card scam

We recently helped someone whose phone alerted him to two mystery debit card charges in Dubai totalling £3,850. His bank cards were safely tucked away in his gym locker, but scammers still used them to make Chip and Pin payments in the Middle East.

When he reported the fraud to his bank, HSBC refused to reimburse him. Find out what happened when our expert stepped in and how this sophisticated scam really works.

Source: Which? (07 Oct 2026)

Blocklisted firms’ ads are still online

Adverts from firms on a regulator's 'warning list' are still appearing on social media platforms and search engines. Despite advertisers not having permission from the FCA to promote financial services in the UK, this hasn't stopped big tech firms like Meta and Google from taking their money and pushing their ads out to the public.

Read our full investigation and what the tech companies have to say about this.

Source: Which? (07 Oct 2026)