Intrusive Cctv Camera

[Ringlet]

My neighbour across the road has installed a CCTV camera that points directly at my living room window. I wondered, is this legal? I now constantly keep my blinds turned around as I don't feel I have any privacy with this thing pointing at my window day and night.

[Bobbisox1]

Why would it be pointed at your property ringlet?
Has there been any altercation between you(s) even so it seems very intrusive for them to be doing this

[Buenchico]

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

[237SJ]

I was just talking the other day to a friend who has a few CCTV cameras on her property and she said there are a few rules and guildlines that have to be followed https://ico.org.uk/your-data-matters/domestic-cctv-systems-guidance-for-people-using-cctv/

[bookbinder]

Tell your neighbour what you have told us. There may be a perfectly reasonable explanation.

[gingejbee]

It may LOOK as if it's pointing at your property, but perhaps it's actually covering the front area of their property?

[hc4361]

One of my cameras looks as if it is pointing at my neighbour's. I invited him round to see what my camera sees and he is quite happy that it isn't focused anywhere on his property. In fact he asked that it cover his drive in his car is stolen or house broken in to but I refused to do that.

[TonyV]

Have not read the links but my understanding is that CCTV should only record whats happening on your own property. My neighbour has CCTV, he told me it is also showing some of my property and would have it adjusted if it was a problem which it isn't.

[ToraToraTora]

yeah I suspect it's pointing in your direction but not intended to actually look at you. Eg 2 of my front cameras do overlook neighbours but only because they are in the line of sight not because I looking at them. No one buys a camera to not point at their own property. I suggest a quiet word and they'll probably let you see what it sees as per HC above.

[Mamyalynne]

If you are worried why not make a jokey comment about what might be visible, I agree with others it's probably not angled as you think it is - see if they'll show you.

[bhg481]

I think the other thing to note is that these cameras have such a wide-angle lens that seeing any detail in a house across the road is unlikely. As others have said, tell your neighbour about your worries and ask if they will let you see the output from the camera pointing at your house.

[237SJ]

^ They have to let you see the data - under a subject access request.

[TonyV]

237SJ your suggestion is a good way to fall out with your neighbour.

[THECORBYLOON]

TV, if you read the link, you'll see a neighbour is allowed to make the request and it may or may not confirm RINGLET's concerns.

[237SJ]

I suppose it depends how pally you are with the neighbours. If you are friendly they will be more than happy to explain things and if you are not that pally then they shouldn't be pointing a cctv in your direction without coming to explain that it is not pointing at your property

[Ringlet]

The reason it is pointed at my window is that the householder has fallen out with a neighbour a few doors down and wants to make sure that this neighbour will think twice about entering the householder's front garden. That is the householder's business, and not mine. If she wants surveillance on her garden she should be able to have it. But the camera should be mounted high up on the outside wall and trained downward onto the front garden, but instead it is positioned on the inside of the window, at a low level, and looks across the front garden straight at my living room window.

[Ringlet]

Many thanks for your replies. I think I will ask my nephew to have a word with the householder. He's good at being tactful - much better than I am - and hopefully it can be resolved. I wondered what the legal situation is, and I see that I would have a right to ask the householder for reassurance of privacy, so I think that is what I will do. I certainly don't want a fall-out of any sort, I just feel uncomfortable that I am being recorded every time I enter or leave my front porch, switch on the light in my bedroom at the front of the house, or sit in my living room with the light on. I will ask my nephew to explain all this to the householder. Hopefully she will understand.

[sunny-dave]

I had a neighbour who trained a camera straight into one of my bedrooms - I had a polite word and was told that it had to be there to cover his back garden and he wasn't going to be moving it any time soon, as there was no other convenient location.

I then got a (very) powerful spotlight and pointed it directly at the camera - day and night - this rendered the camera effectively useless and (surprise surprise) he found a less controversial position pretty much immediately.

My understanding of the law (from the time of this event) is that you can record pretty much anything which could be seen with the naked (ahem) eye from your property - it only becomes an offence if you use any of the recordings for illegal/immoral purposes.