Creative CCTV Signage Ideas...

caprikid1

Can you post up details of the convenant and who benefits.

davidmcn

moneysavinghero said:

Does a sticker in a window even count as a sign?

If it looks like a sign and acts like a sign, it's a sign. Being sticky or in a window doesn't make a difference.

Jeepers_Creepers

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/domestic-cctv-using-cctv-systems-on-your-property/domestic-cctv-using-cctv-systems-on-your-property

"We know exactly what nefarious activities he doesn't want us to record, but we're really not interested!

Then about a month ago he said these stickers breached a restrictive covenant which only allows signs giving the house name or number or the customary For Sale or To Let signs.  So we removed the stickers and hugely reduced the viewing angle of the cameras so that they don't catch the road in front of our house.  This is a concern because we have had theft from our front garden and a home invasion which would have been difficult to present to the Police without the very clear clips of the perpetrators."

Are your neighb's 'activities' criminal or anti-social in any sense? Do they impact negatively on others? If so, you have justification in recording them. Keep all these clippings together in a 'Best of...' format... If he asks, he is entitled to have a copy. I'd be happy to do that - then we'd both know exactly where we stand. For him, that's on dodgy ground.

If, however, it's just him staggering home from the pub but being relatively quiet and civil, then delete these recordings on at least a weekly basis, and inform him that is what you do to all your recordings unless they actually capture 'illegal' behaviour. (And when you do say this, you must do it. If you turn up a recording of him just staggering latter on, he'll have grounds for making a complaint. ONLY keep 'illegal/anti-social' behaviour.)

And when you captured the theft from your front garden, the fact that your cameras covered at least part of the road in front of your house was significant? Ie, you would/may have missed important detail had the camera not covered this area? If so, you also have justification for that.

That's the first rule of CCTVing; 'why...', 'do you need to...', 'are there any other ways...', 'can you justify its use...'? If it's a clear 'yes', then you should be on perfectly safe ground.

You should also inform anyone likely to be caught in the recording area - you're neighb knows, so that's that taken care of :-)

As for passing members of the public, is there anywhere else you could place a small notice - on the fence facing the road, for example?

Hold old is your building?! Bottom line, the 'restrictive covenant' is unlikely to have been added with consideration of required warning signs - I suspect CCTV wasn't a twinkle in the deed-writers eye. Your neigh clearly seems to think he's a bit of a smart-a, citing such covenants, but as said before, who will be able to enforce this?

My inclination would be to fulfil the requirements of regulations and laws that you know are required and/or enforceable; that CCTV warning sign.

If your neighb really wants to pursue this, fine - I very much doubt he'll get anywhere with it. But as soon as he makes moves to, contact your local police station and ask their advice; "I need CCTV as I have (as you know...) been the victim of crime, but also wish to follow all the correct guidelines for its use. Square that, pal"

cymruchris

Jeepers_Creepers said:

You should also inform anyone likely to be caught in the recording area - you're neighb knows, so that's that taken care of :-)

For domestic residential installations there is absolutely no law that says you NEED to have a sign - the terms linked are recommendations at best -they aren't requirements.

'Guidance on the use of domestic CCTV'

The OP has already said they are focused on their own property - and the neighbour is acutely aware that the system is operational - so no signage required. 

Titus_Wadd

Thank you everyone who contributed: we needed a laugh!  But also thank you for the serious advice.  I think we are GDPR compliant but the NFH has influence over the person who has the benefit of the covenants and they who have paid for a solicitor to send us a Cease and Desist letter.  - What's funny is that, apart from the legalese, the letter reads as though the NFH has dictated it; it's definitely in his "voice" iykwim!  If he had brains he'd be dangerous - he wore a very distinctive sweatshirt when he pinched stuff from the front garden.  The Police and local council are batting our case between them and a Community Protection Notice seems unlikely.  Every time we log another incident it feels as though the ASB goal posts move just outside our situation.  I'm very sorry to be so cryptic but I really don't want to identify who I am and we have our own solicitor on the case.  The covenants are quite clearly written and some probably date back to the 30s we have ones about not running a brick kiln or accommodating "gypsies" (their word)...I'm really tempted to get a summer house in the form of a traditional curved painted caravan! (maybe with the camera symbol hidden in the paintwork!)

The next battle will start when we start landscaping the front garden.  By next year I should have enough material for a sit-com or episode of Midsomer Murders and the grand prize?  I'll include characters based on the forum aliases who've replied to this thread! 

Jeepers_Creepers

Sounds as tho' you are on the case, literally and meta.

So the neighb was also the thief?! Good lawd! Nice to think he paid for a solicitor's letter. Almost certainly unenforceable in reality, but provided what Cymru says is correct, then by simply informing your neighb that you have CCTV (and he's acknowledged the fact with his email to you about the sign...) you are covered.

Now act as if he doesn't exist. Don't allow him to intimidate you in any way. Smile, nod, say hello, ignore him completely, whatever. But don't let his presence affect what you want to do in your garden. If he tries anything - even staring, passive-aggressive, stuff, note it down - and keep the clip. Get on 100% with your life.

And when you have cause, get the cops and insist on action.

FreeBear

Jeepers_Creepers said: Keep all these clippings together in a 'Best of...' format... If he asks, he is entitled to have a copy.

It is the OP's data. The NFH is not entitled to copies of any recording as the OP does not fall under the remit of the GDPR - Eveb if the OP did, the NFH would have to demonstrate that he is the "data subject".

Scotbot

Titus_Wadd said:

The next battle will start when we start landscaping the front garden.  By next year I should have enough material for a sit-com or episode of Midsomer Murders and the grand prize?  I'll include characters based on the forum aliases who've replied to this thread!  

I love a challenge! How about you replace a window with a stained glass one depicting a cctv camera and an arrow in the appropriate direction? Or have a stone slab  inlaid in your drive way depicting the same?

Titus_Wadd

Again, many thanks for all your suggestions.  I sometimes give a jaunty "hello" if I'm outside when he walks past.  He doesn't know how to process this.

We have a General Weirdness folder with standing staring, looking underneath our cars and walking over the front lawn to peer at the front door and a folder of more serious clips* but the local council ASB bod says the incidents need to be "not sporadic" and involve more than one household.  The police file everything, including the break-in, as a "neighbour dispute!  Sigh!  Finding amusing ways to circumvent the NFH's latest brain fart is more constructive and amusing than asking for help!  I can't wait for the window cleaner to resume his monthly visits to the house; it's been a flash point in the past (no clips of actual flashing thank goodness!).

I know it's a bit of a silly thread but hopefully the info supplied will help others in similar situations.

Stained glass window?  Hmm If there isn't already a patron saint of CCTV I'll lobby for the Neighbour's first name to be cannonised and linked to surveillance.  Otherwise St Sebastian being struck by cameras from all angles (instead of arrows) might be an alternative.  The other half likes the idea of a QR code mosaic!  Plenty of options thank you.

*clips which the system auto-deletes after 30 days from the initial folder of clips

Jeepers_Creepers

FreeBear said:

Jeepers_Creepers said: Keep all these clippings together in a 'Best of...' format... If he asks, he is entitled to have a copy.

It is the OP's data. The NFH is not entitled to copies of any recording as the OP does not fall under the remit of the GDPR - Eveb if the OP did, the NFH would have to demonstrate that he is the "data subject".

Thanks FB.

I was going by the last sentence, but may have misinterpreted it:

3.4 Taking responsibility for your CCTV system

If you are thinking of installing a CCTV system on your property, and it records images beyond your private domestic property, you must be aware of your responsibilities:

• it is your responsibility to make sure that the CCTV system is installed correctly
• you are also responsible for all the information that is recorded by your system
• you must make sure that the information is not used for any other purpose than protecting your property
• make sure you read the manual, and if necessary, ask your installer to show you how to operate it and how to export footage if required
• you will need to be aware of individuals’ data protection rights and make sure you take steps to allow the people you record to exercise these rights effectively (for example, you will need to respond appropriately to any subject access requests you receive from the people you record)