Cctv On My Neighbours House.

[sapelesam]

My neighbour, a serving police officer, has installed CCTV on his home. One camera is pointing straight at my front door. Nobody can visit my home without being filmed. I consider this an invasion of my privacy. Before I speak to him, he's not the most gracious person, I need to know where I stand in asking him to angle the camera away from my home.

[baza]

Tell him to change the camera angle or you will report him to his senior officer. It is an invasion of your privacy.

[sapelesam]

Thanks Baza, but do I have a legal right. He doesn't respect laws that apply to us ordinary mortals.

[cupid04]

I hope you get things sorted amicably.

[Buenchico]

As long as they steer clear of the laws on voyeurism (which has to involve a sexual element), on indecent photography of children and the Official Secrets Act, any private individual (rather than, say, a business) is free to photograph (using either still or moving images) anything they like when they (or their camera) are located in or on:
(a) their own property;
(b) a public place ; or
(c) a place where the owner of the property they're on has given permission for photography to take place.

So, for example, anyone is permitted to stand on the public footpath outside your house and film what you're doing in your garden or
(through the windows of your house) in your living room. Even if they walk into your garden to film you they're still not committing any criminal offence; the matter would be an entirely civil one.

When the Data Protection Act (which controls the use of CCTV by businesses and public bodies) was brought into law, the Data Protection Registrar (DPR) held the opinion that the restrictions it imposed also applied to CCTV used by private householders. However, following a test case brought before the courts, the Information Commissioner (who has now succeeded the DPR) states that the Act does not apply to the use of CCTV by private householders.

So your neighbour's actions are entirely lawful and he is not obliged to move his camera.

[sapelesam]

Thanks Buenchico and everyone else who replied. I will have to live with it.

[sunny-dave]

A small led spotlight - placed above your front door and trained very tightly on the offending camera will effectively blind it - even in daylight.

He's not breaking the law - but nor would you be.

[piggynose]

Nice one sunny

[TWR]

You have FREE Security Sap, look at it that way, It may work in your favour.

[Gizmonster]

//// Nobody can visit my home without being filmed. ////

To be honest, I can't see what the problem is. Say you go to a friend's/relative's house, knowing that you're being filmed on a CCTV system, why would it bother you ..... unless you're up to no good ??
It's not like he's gong to be doing anything with the footage ..... he may not even watch it. We have a CCTV system and it overlooks a few neighbour's properties. I hardly ever watch it .... apart from the odd time I want to know what time I stumbled home from the local boozer, in the early hours of the morning :P

[ducksie]

I don't know the laws in UK but looking at some of the things ye can get away with is brilliant, we can't have fireworks for example - without a Garda permit and proof of proper supervision, that aside, this is a C&P paragraph on the law on domestic CCTV and if it is directed at the neighbours property

Domestic use of CCTV systems.

The processing of personal data kept by an individual and concerned solely with the management of his/her personal, family or household affairs or kept by an individual for recreational purposes is exempt from the provisions of the Acts. This exemption would generally apply to the use of CCTVs in a domestic environment. However, the exemption may not apply if the occupant works from home. [ Where the exemption does apply, a person who objects to the use of a CCTV system - for example, a neighbour who objects to images of her/his property being recorded - may be able to take a civil legal action based on the Constitutional and Common Law right to privacy.] It should be noted that recording of a public space, even partially, or when recording is directed outwards from the private setting, it may not be regarded as a ‘personal or household’ activity for the purposes of the Data Protection Acts, and this may have immediate and particular interest to drone operators and data controllers.

Reference: ECJ Ruling on household exemption C-212/13 - Ryneš

[ducksie]

I see it mentions drones on that paragraph too, I was so surprised the other day when my sister in the UK told me there was a drone flying over her back garden on one of the hottest days - not allowed here

[Peter Pedant]

// However, following a test case brought before the courts, the Information Commissioner (who has now succeeded the DPR) states that the Act does not apply to the use of CCTV by private householders. //

hi Chris do you have a ref for this ?
either the case name or the ref on the site

I am a CCTV user and am registered under the Act
and I have to say I thought the neighbour would be
( because it is not for the purpose of preventing crime as it points to someone else's front door) -and if it used for another purpose it has to be registered.

I am astounded the ICO doesnt care about 80% of the CCTV in this country. I also thought he had given advice about what the neighbour is doing should NOT be done.

[Peter Pedant]

oh a helpline
Call us on 0303 123 1113
call the ICO direct - you wont be the first one to contact them on this

[I dont think they can say - o nothing to do wiv us (London accent geddit?) its not criminal yeah?)

and lease tell us what they say

[Peter Pedant]

yeah start here
https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/cctv/

'most used os CCTV is covered by the act' a cheering start....
but there may be baaaad news later on

[Trawlerman]

The internal screen for viewing should have the area of your front door blacked out. Also warning signs should be visible.

[Iggle Piggle]

He needs your permission for his camera to overlap on your property. If he has a decent setup the software would allow him to blank off part of the camera image, but I doubt it, that's high end stuff.
The other way is to use sticky tape to physically block a part of the camera lens but if the camera is facing directly, this won't be an option. You need to go and see him and explain you don't like the position of the camera and to shift it.

[hc4361]

ducksie, in the UK drones can't be flown within 150 metres of a congested area and 50 metres of a person, vessel, vehicle or structure not under the control of the pilot.
So it should not be flown over a garden without the landowner's permission

[trt]

When I bought my CCTV for my home, it said in the leaflet, that it was against the law, to show other close property's, without their permission.

I also have a door bell alert, so when someone rings, the camera comes on, with speaker, so I can see who is calling close up, and can chose if I want to answer the door or not.

Wouldn't be without them now, feel very safe.

[hc4361]

I've got the same sort of doorbell - I can use it to talk to callers without going to the door.
When I installed my CCTV neighbours asked me to cover their properties, too.

[trt]

##
I've got the same sort of doorbell - I can use it to talk to callers without going to the door.
When I installed my CCTV neighbours asked me to cover their properties, too. ##

We have similar doorbells then HC, it can also be fun, when you ask them what they want etc, and they look shocked, when a voice talks to them.
I also have 2 small talk/sound gadgets, about £7 on Amazon, which gives out all-sorts of messages, from horror to funny rude, & the usual eff off out of here :-).

I live in a small cul-de-sac, so my CCTV covers nearly all the 7 property's.