Harassment

19761980

My neighbor installed cctv about 4 years ago. They have now put up a sign saying “Smile you are on cctv” The sign can only be seen from our back garden and we feel we are being filmed, against data protection laws. We feel this is harassment. What can we do?

elsien

You’re in the wrong bit of the forum.
Not sure where more people will see it - possibly the tech bit? 

However, how do you know you are being filmed and what the camera is aiming at?
And is there a back story because going straight for harassment is quite a leap. 

Penguin_

So the camera has been there for 4 years & you were ok with that? 

DB1904

19761980 said:

My neighbor installed cctv about 4 years ago. They have now put up a sign saying “Smile you are on cctv” The sign can only be seen from our back garden and we feel we are being filmed, against data protection laws. We feel this is harassment. What can we do?

It's not against the law to film you. How they manage the data maybe. 

tacpot12

If you have legal expense cover as part of your home insurance, call the legal helpline for advice. 

sourpuss2021

Neighbour dispute threads tend to be found here:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/house-buying-renting-selling

TELLIT01

DB1904 said:

19761980 said:

My neighbor installed cctv about 4 years ago. They have now put up a sign saying “Smile you are on cctv” The sign can only be seen from our back garden and we feel we are being filmed, against data protection laws. We feel this is harassment. What can we do?

It's not against the law to film you. How they manage the data maybe. 

Are you sure about that?  There was a case quite recently where somebody was taken to court because their video doorbell filmed the comings and goings of their neighbour.  They lost the case.

Ectophile

You aren't supposed to install CCTV that looks into other peoples' gardens.  You can point it at your own garden, or into the street, only.

DB1904

Ectophile said:

You aren't supposed to install CCTV that looks into other peoples' gardens.  You can point it at your own garden, or into the street, only.

Under what law?

https://ico.org.uk/your-data-matters/domestic-cctv-systems-guidance-for-people-using-cctv/

Bendy_House

It's difficult to see what category this fits in to.

I guess it could be 'harassment', if it's designed or intended to harass, but the usual examples of 'harassment' don't seem to include something like this. 

It might even fall into the category of being a 'statutory nuisance', since the definition would seem to fit actions that "unreasonably and substantially interferes with the use or enjoyment of a home or other premises". Again, tho', the examples offered don't include the deliberate use of CCTV to cause a nuisance.

So that leaves privacy laws, and I think the legal example linked to earlier was likely based on this?

If a camera is aimed to cover a neighbouring garden for no justifiable reason, then I'm pretty sure that's a breach and ICO should be contacted for clarification and advice. Also, from what I understand, the signage should include the purpose of the surveillance, and it would seem pretty obvious that in this case it isn't so that the neighbour can check the condition of the OP's teeth.

If bignumber's neighbour has a camera trained towards their garden for no good reason, then they can challenge this. In the first instance (assuming that asking the neighbour ain't an option), they should contact the ICO - they have a 'chat' feature which is easy to access.

Anyone else suspect there's more to this issue than a CCTV camera?

twopenny

I'd just put up some sort of temporary structure, trellis, canes whatever to block it 
Quicker, cheaper and easier.