I live in a smallish terrace. Not really had any issues with either of my direct neighbours. Unfortunately we lost one one neighbour to cancer two years ago. She was very easy to get on with, we even had a gate into each others gardens and had keys to each others houses. After her death,
the house was empty for six months while her estate was divided and sold.
Just before lock-down in February last year new neighbours arrived. They seemed ok, although they had three dogs and were very noisy. We chatted about the Covid crisis etc, the woman was more chatty than the bloke who seemed very dour.
A week or so after there arrival all the existing fences were removed and six foot plus fences put up all around the property. Big gates were fitted at the front of the property. Two cameras were fitted at the front.
The garden under went a major transformation, being completely paved with a strip of astro turf. A Gazebo went up, along with an outside Television. A hot tub then arrived. I've no problem with all this although we were both a bit put out with all the noise. There was not a day that went past with out drilling or some commotion.
But last week a security camera arrived high up on the back wall? We back onto a farm, so I'm really not sure what the camera is viewing. I've not spoken to the male neighbour since before Christmas, he keeps a very low profile.
We joke that he is in witness protection or on the run??
My partner is furious about the camera going up as it is over looking our garden. She is writing to the neighbour today reminding him of voyeurism laws.
Has anyone suffered this sort of behaviour?
Last edited by wildheart; 9th July 2021 at 09:45.
We have cctv that, as well as covering our garden, points towards our neighbours on either side. I asked the company installing them to blank out the neighbours' gardens from the image, which they did - a black square on the image obscures all but our garden. Both of them have got cctv too - I've never asked them whether they made similar provision but it doesn't particularly worry me if they haven't (though appreciate not everyone might be so relaxed).
I'd be wondering why they're so paranoid?
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
Do you do anything in the garden that would make footage 'voyeurism'?
Sounds like you just don't get on with the neighbours and 'writing to them' isn't going to help that.
Not sure I would anymore.Originally Posted by number2
So many people have cameras on their houses, in their cars/on their motorbikes, on their motor/cycle helmets, that I gave up wondering what people were worried about years ago.
M
Last edited by snowman; 7th July 2021 at 09:41.
Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?
Falls under data protection laws:
If you are filmed on someone’s domestic CCTV system, which is capturing images outside the boundary of their home, the data protection laws give you several rights.
In particular, you have the following rights:
- To be told that a home CCTV system is being used. The CCTV user must let people know they have CCTV. Signs are the most common way of doing this. They must be clearly visible and legible.
- To ask for a copy of the information that is held about you. This is known as making a subject access request. You can ask verbally or in writing for copies of any footage where your image is identifiable. The CCTV user must respond to this request within one month. Bear in mind that if they regularly delete footage they no longer need, they might not hold your images.
- To ask the CCTV user to erase any personal data they hold about you.
- To ask that the CCTV user does not capture any footage of you in future. However, the nature of CCTV systems may make this very difficult and it might not be possible for the user to do this.
https://www.gov.uk/request-cctv-footage-of-yourself
https://ico.org.uk/your-data-matters...le-using-cctv/
Make life a nightmare for them. Wander around you garden 10 times a day, log the times you do it. Then request the footage the day after and check they have reviewed it all correctly. Then do it every day.
If you’re going to cite legislation, I trust you have done your homework re the correct chapter and verse.
But perhaps a better first approach would be a quiet, non-confrontational chat with them.
In case of interest (and why I didn't want images of my neighbours' gardens) https://ico.org.uk/your-data-matters...le-using-cctv/
Edit - just seen I have been beaten to it :)
Last edited by JonRA; 7th July 2021 at 09:50.
As annoying / possibly wrong as it may be, I find talking directly in a "neighbourly" way more beneficial in the long term.
From the OP's comments on the male owner - I'd be very wary of any interaction with him. I can see it becoming very confrontational, very quickly - no matter how casual the approach...............
Downhill fast after that, I think.
Conversely I would see it as a good thing, provided I had access to the video, if not tell him you don't give your permission to film, Obviously I don't know what the camera can see
That looks like an up to date system, I'm sure that it will have the facility to pixilate out your property. As above, the law is on your side. The issue is, as has been suggested, is how to convey your wishes to your neighbour without creating an unpleasant neighbour dispute. Good luck with that.
I recently installed a CCTV system at our property to reassure the wife (lock down dog thefts, they can have the horses for me) and have put up signs etc.
Just ask them to send you a one minute video or some stills so you can verify it doesn't look into your garden (it probably will and so this will set the ball rolling). If it does ask them to make arrangements.
The reality is they'll probably never ever check the footage in their lives unless burgled and I wouldn't let it bother me.
Why they want cameras isn't your business.
Anyone else thinking drugs?
No.lots of reasons for cameras, I have 2.
Crossed my mind - seen a couple of houses in Liverpool like that, and asked the Paramedic running my course about it. He said 'drugs'.
The hot-tub etc don't fit into that profile, though - I don't think.
It's possible, given that a lot of house moves result from a burglary (hence the dogs), that they may be overly cautious. I would have a chat with them and maybe that will help break the ice a bit.
Hadn't thought of that, and it could be a good opening line with the neighbours.
The only time I ever had any interaction with a neighbour over my property's cctv (which encompassed part of their property) it ended badly - for the builders whose lorry had damaged their home.
R
Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.
Very difficult having any dialogue with the chap at all Rod, he’s very evasive. I will speak to the lady, she is approachable but he calls all the shots. They are not drug dealers, he apparently works for the Co Op and she’s a mobile Hairdresser. Maybe they have something to hide from their past?He was living on Guernsey until last year or so he said when I first met him. As I say the only time I have spoken of him this year is when he was trying to drill into one of my concrete fence posts? I asked him what he was doing? He gave up with no further comment.
He’s just a bit of an odd ball, but not very friendly.
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What on earth are you on about? Are you reading what you're writing? You sound like a total fruitcake.
Strong from you after all you've said in the thread so far. Absolutely crackers.
Honestly don’t think it’s worth it. Why risk antagonising them when you have to live next door to them? If they are doing something that is directly affecting you or your property then fair enough, but a security camera that you *think* might possibly be able to view some of your garden? What is going on in there that they would be interested enough in to want to document it?
Forget about it, save your energy for when you look out of your bedroom window in the dead of night and see him stood naked in your garden staring back
I keep a couple for my stash
I think what people are missing is that it's the OP's partner that is furious about the cameras.
If it was just me, I'd ignore them. I do nothing in my back garden that I wouldn't want my neighbours seeing when they look out of their bedroom window so a camera wouldn't bother me. But the OP is stuck between an incommunicative neighbour and a furious partner.
TBH It’s still a touch early for me, but if your offering bring it on…
Just install a camera high up yourself, they might then see why you are complaining - free hot tub vision
I can another thread shortly regarding disputes - choose the easy life & live stress free.
Thanks to everyone who was constructive, my lady is very fragile at the moment with Covid, working in a secondary school has not been easy for her. Our grand children play in our garden, which is her main concern. Horrible when your neighbours lock away like living in Fort Knox, their gates don’t have a bell on them.
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I agree, cameras pointing in your garden is complete invasion of space.
On the bevvy early today, Wiley?
I don't drink but will admit reading this thread was a bit much for me. Utter neuroticism.
On a slightly more positive note (some may think), our CCTV system (which was installed due to me being away with work a lot pre-covid and my wife being at home alone) recorded one of our neighbours houses being burgled.
We didn't know this until the police arrived at our door and asked if we had CCTV and when we said we did, they looked at it and took some of the footage away for evidential purposes. It also allowed them to create a timeline to search for other systems in the area, rathe than scanning through hours of other footage.
I'll disagree with you on this.
If someone moved in directy next door to me, started building fortifications and installing cameras, put in a hot tub, tried drilling into my fence posts and then didn't speak to me, I'd be concerned and just a little bit pissed off.
And I think the OP has every right to question the camera, especially as it may or may not look into his garden?
Think about it, you wouldn't be happy either, surely? We all have to rub along with neighbours we wouldn't ordinarily want to, but that goes both ways. Bad neighbours can make life miserable.
Genuine question, but isn't CCTV only supposed to record the property it's installed on, so not the neighbours or the street?
The drilling into my fence post then walking off without saying anything would set me off, I won't lie about that. They don't sound like the ideal family to move in next door. If my neighbour put in a hot tub I wouldn't be thrilled but a camera? Unless it's actually invasive I wouldn't care.
However as I said earlier the OP can just pop over and ask for a still or a short recording of the camera to make sure it doesn't invade his space. No doubt it will invade to a degree and that will start the ball rolling to black out his garden or remedy it another way.
We're on a forum where people have tens of thousands of pounds in watches and whatever else at home and are somehow shocked when a neighbour secures their home? Seems a bit much. As for the OP saying maybe the new neighbour has something to hide - absolutely crackers.
Because the very wide focal lengths on most of the cameras on CCTV systems, it's almost impossible to not include any nearby houses/gardens/cars/roads.
I didn't deliberately point it the way it caught what happened, and even then, it was only bottom of their patio doors.
I guess it all depends on your reasons for having it in the first place. I make no apologies for making my wife feel safe when I'm not at home.
Not OT but don’t understand why dash-cams can record anything but there’s these restriction on domestic cctv.
Dash cams are used to record in the public domain. CCTV generally records on private property.
Was it not on this forum there was an extensive thread on CCTV on a private/shared road? I thought the rules were well-explained on it.
If cctv records the street outside it falls within remit of data protection laws.
i certainly wouldn’t be happy with a neighbours CCTV recording me and my family in my back garden, the OPs partner isn’t being unreasonable to not be happy about that.
of course i’d approach my neighbour in a diplomatic and friendly way about it though.
Massively over the top to write them a letter.
In my opinion you’re getting the hump over nothing and potentially going to create an issue.
I don’t like speaking to my neighbours, I have a high fence and cctv……I don’t have anything to hide.
I personally wouldn’t want any neighbours to ever have keys to my house or share a gate with them.
- - - Updated - - -
Massively over the top to write them a letter.
In my opinion you’re getting the hump over nothing and potentially going to create an issue.
I don’t like speaking to my neighbours, I have a high fence and cctv……I don’t have anything to hide.
I personally wouldn’t want any neighbours to ever have keys to my house or share a gate with them.
Aye- never use a medium which precludes you seeing their eyebrows knit together and start to fume!
Face to face, but "tread carefully"
If I was your neighbour I’d be annoyed at the erroneous apostrophe
As a post note. My lady waited for my neighbour to return home. She’s politely asked him to consider, her feelings. He got very defensive, said she made him feel like a pervert. He then got a bit verbally aggressive. She’s very upset, but I’m not surprised. Maybe he gets a kick out of bullying women in their 60’s. We’ll leave things there. As my old Dad used to spout, ‘there are no actions, without consequences’.
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You and your wife are the one who have created the issue here for me.
The bloke done nothing wrong, you just don’t like his new fence, his hot tub and some cctv.
Things change and neighbours come and go, just get on with your lives.
Ridiculous! The only thing OP is complaining about is his garden being recorded. His only action towards his neighbours is trying to initiate a polite conversation. That’s all they’ve done, attempt to speak to them.
Whether you agree with his views on his neighbours is irrelevant, he hasn’t auctioned them.
If someone recorded my garden I’’d happily consider sinking to their level!
Last edited by Rodder; 8th July 2021 at 14:49.
I really think you are over egging how much of the garden is recorded here. It will be right at the back and due to distance distorted as anything. The camera doesn't even look high end so the quality will be pants.
I have a video doorbell and as such can see more than just my house. No one has winged at me or anyone else who has a video doorbell on the road, you just get on with your lives.
The neighbour does sound like a bit of a bellend though, not for the fence or the hot tub or even the CCTV but for the fact he doesn't seem to be able to respond politely to a politely asked request.
But I’m sure you’d act reasonably if someone did raise a concern; ‘’come in and have a look, do you fancy a tea or coffee while we chat etc’
With the proliferation of CCTV etc there are civil Liberty concerns. From my understanding footage from every Ring door bell in California is accessible to the Police. I think our homes should be a bastion from this. The neighbour may want jacuzzi and tv in the garden whilst the OP wants their grand kids round to have a water fight in their swimming costumes without it recorded. Both seem reasonable.
I understand the benefits of CCTV but it does affect how we interact with others. For example some schools use it in lessons. Would, a student who’s terrible, at say maths want to put their hand up and ask a question.
His garden isn’t being recorded the camera is pointing down the neighbours garden you can clearly see that on the image. The camera isn’t facing the OP’s garden.
Will a tiny amount of the OPs garden be visible in the peripheral of the footage ? Maybe but the quality will be so poor you wouldn’t be able to make anything out.
This isn’t an issue over the CCTV the issue is over the new neighbours being aloof, building a fence and gate and having a hot tub and cctv.
The OP need to get on with his life and tell his wife to stop getting herself upset over a CCTV camera not aimed at her garden.
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