security cameras and privacy etc. 24 January at 3:41PM in In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving 22 replies 768 views

worried123

Hi,  Can anybody tell me the legalities of security cameras please.  I have googled and i am still not 100% certain.

So neighbour from absolute insane hell.  One security camera facing the front to cover my car as she kept vandalising it.  More recently a security camera at the front by my front door to prevent her from coming to my door.  My front door is at the side of my bungalow.  Her front door is there too several metres away...not opposite rather at an angle.  The only way to position the camera to cover my front door step and the surrounding area means having it positioned in such a way that it may look as though it is almost pointing towards her front door.  There are no windows where our front doors are.......The camera captures my front door/doorstep, a side garden gate and inccidentally her front door and part of teh side/shared garden.....I have however blanked out her front door from the image.

it is a reolink wifi camera and i was taking it down to rehcarge it when she approached me saying something about the camera pointing towards her bungalow (i dont speak to her...this is really traumatic stuff and the police have strongly advised her not to come to my front door or indeed near me......utter neighbour from abusive insane hell and so that is aside........Although the camera appears to be pointly partly towards her home i cannot nor would want to see her front door......I did not speak to her but came inside and shut the door...i do not go near her or speak to her......so its not as though i have a sensible neighbour that i could show i have blanked out her front door......

its possible that when i put it back up she may make attempts to pull it down during the night (she is bonkers beyond belief) but am i acting illegally by having this camera up (in fact the police asked me if i could install cctv etc to capture some of the terrible and scary things she does...Many thanks for any insight



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diystarter7

Hi OP
i feel for you but dont play into its hands.
Contact your local safet cop and seek advice best way to act, keep/record evidence etc without you
getting on the wrong side of the law.
People like that can lie, wind you up and have a so-called "independent witness" at the ready
to recird your part.
So go to the cop shop and seek a meeting, urgent meet with the local commuity officers and aleast they too be aware of your plight.
If they live in rented property etc, if you wish, report to LL's.
But cops for advice first re what yo can firm, area covered - so at least you know where you stand

Thanks

worried123

Hi,  Its a she!  I had another google and i think that if your camera accidentally, by the way picks up any of the neighbouring property there is very little anybody an do about it.  I have jsut blanked out her door on the camera image.
Very long standing propblems here and it is what it is unfortunately.....I think that unless she personally takes any legal action nothing can be done about it and it is not illegal..

TELLIT01

There was a case a couple of years ago where a guys 'Ring' doorbell was filming his neighbour's front door.  He was taken to court and lost, so it's definitely worth getting advice from the police on this one.

Here's the article https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-58911296

diystarter7

OP
Your choice and even its a she, to me people like it make decent peoples lives miserable and often have nothing to lose.
Either way, your choice but IMHO, you can never beat people like that as they are resislant and often have similar types supporting them
Best to keep a low profile and let the cops deal with it.

Thnaks

SpudGunPaul

TELLIT01 said:

There was a case a couple of years ago where a guys 'Ring' doorbell was filming his neighbour's front door.  He was taken to court and lost, so it's definitely worth getting advice from the police on this one.

Here's the article https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-58911296

Unless the police know the technicalities of that case are they the best people to advise?

The OP is most likely to unintentionally breach data protection regulations if anything. 

Other than putting the cameras out of reach there is little they can do to prevent the neighbour damaging them. 

justwhat

Just make sure you enable privacy masks for windows etc. Rule of thumb It must be used to protect you or your property.

If its pulled down, its vandalism. Best to record onto a standalone recorder.

ThisIsWeird

Hi Worried.

As I understand it, if you have a legitimate reason to record part of a neighbouring or public space, then you can do so provided - you put CCTV signs up, keep the recordings secure and private except if required for evidence or a legal case, and you have to be prepared to provide any footage of other folk if they request it. On the latter point, if you delete your recordings on a regular basis - say every month - then you should be ok on this. (If they request footage, you have a certain time in which to comply, and you just ensure it's deleted before that time is up. If they make clearly unreasonable requests for footage, obviously designed to annoy, then you are also on safe ground in refusing.)

From what you describe, you are filtering out her front door? You are only covering what you need to in order to prevent a recurrence of previous criminal and anti-social activity? You should be fine. In any event, they'd have to begin a process against you, so you'll have time to address their concerns and demonstrate they are unfounded.

Since you have involved the police already, then I think it can be assumed you have just cause to have CCTV covering your property, and if this also partly covers an area of the neighbouring property which you feel is required for your security, then go ahead. (I have had to set up a CCTV camera covering the side of my house, and this does also cover part of my neighbour's window - as it was from there that the crime was previously committed.)

If you have further concerns, go on the ICO website and have a 'chat' with them; explain the circumstances, and follow their guidance. I did this, and I'm happy I'm complying other than I did not put up a sign - I have both spoken and written to them instead. If they complain - and I doubt they will - I'll happily put up a sign that will also explain the reasons for the CCTV - I doubt they will want a notice facing their window that describes exactly what he is...

Have you involved your local council as well? They should be taking anti-social behaviour seriously. Do NOT be intimidated or subdued by this person - hold your head up, meet their stare as much as you want (in fact you eyeball them first whenever you are passing), do not engage with them (unless you want to - your call), and go about your normal everyday business. Record everything unacceptable that they do, and report it.

Nail them down - hammer this home. Insist on the police and the LA becoming involved as soon as it's justified. Turn the tables

Alderbank

worried123 said:

More recently a security camera at the front by my front door to prevent her from coming to my door.  

How does that camera prevent her coming to your door?

worried123

Many thanks for all of your very helpful replies.  ThisIsWeird thank you so much for such a very helpful reply.  That was really helpful.  Sorry that you appear to have neighbour problems too.  

Thanks again and very best wishes.

born_again

Any way you can mount the camera under the eves & pointing down your drive?