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CCTV Neighbour dispute - help
11 Answers
My opposite neighbour is making our life hell.
He has 5, yes 5 cctv cameras at the back of his house and 2 at the front.
We moved into this house just over a year ago. The day we moved in, my Boyfriend's Dad had a van to help us move. When he was leaving, the opposite neighbour with all the cameras was winching a Jeep that he planned to do up across the street and completely blocking the road. He backed up a little bit and clipped the Jeep and put a tiny dent in the fibreglass shell. He apologised and offered to repair it as he had done that sort of work before.
Nothing more was said about it until my Boyfriend's Dad got a letter from a Solicitor saying he wanted �1,500 compensation for this 'shell of a Jeep'!!
We obviously thought he was taking the ****.
Now, my Mum lives next door to this idiot and I park my car on the back of her house on the driveway. He has blocked us in several times so we have this dispute also. The next thing was a visit from the Police to say that my boyfriend was being accused of harassment - one of his many cameras had picked my boyfriend sticking a v sign up to his cameras on the way round to the shop.
We have been sat in our house and seen a flash through the front window. When we looked out, this opposite neighbour is taking pictures of the front of our house.....
He has also took a picture of my boyfrien stood at the front door talking to his friend.
Of his 5 cameras at the rear - more or less directly opposite the front of our house, he has one at the top left, top right, one central on the outside of his bedroom window, one on a tripod inside his bedroom window and one overlooking his back gate towards his works van...
There is no way that these cameras are only covering his land - they cover every angle of the street and are aimed way too high to be just pointing at his property.
Could anyone tell me the laws in where these cameras are pointing and if we can do
He has 5, yes 5 cctv cameras at the back of his house and 2 at the front.
We moved into this house just over a year ago. The day we moved in, my Boyfriend's Dad had a van to help us move. When he was leaving, the opposite neighbour with all the cameras was winching a Jeep that he planned to do up across the street and completely blocking the road. He backed up a little bit and clipped the Jeep and put a tiny dent in the fibreglass shell. He apologised and offered to repair it as he had done that sort of work before.
Nothing more was said about it until my Boyfriend's Dad got a letter from a Solicitor saying he wanted �1,500 compensation for this 'shell of a Jeep'!!
We obviously thought he was taking the ****.
Now, my Mum lives next door to this idiot and I park my car on the back of her house on the driveway. He has blocked us in several times so we have this dispute also. The next thing was a visit from the Police to say that my boyfriend was being accused of harassment - one of his many cameras had picked my boyfriend sticking a v sign up to his cameras on the way round to the shop.
We have been sat in our house and seen a flash through the front window. When we looked out, this opposite neighbour is taking pictures of the front of our house.....
He has also took a picture of my boyfrien stood at the front door talking to his friend.
Of his 5 cameras at the rear - more or less directly opposite the front of our house, he has one at the top left, top right, one central on the outside of his bedroom window, one on a tripod inside his bedroom window and one overlooking his back gate towards his works van...
There is no way that these cameras are only covering his land - they cover every angle of the street and are aimed way too high to be just pointing at his property.
Could anyone tell me the laws in where these cameras are pointing and if we can do
Answers
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The Data Protection Act (which covers the use of CCTV cameras in commercial situations) doesn't apply to domestic use, so the only laws which apply are those which normally relate to still and video photography:
With very limited exceptions (which are covered by legislation as diverse as the Official Secrets Act and the Sexual Offenders Act) anyone who is on the public highway, on their own property, or on property where they have permission to take photographs, can photograph who or what they like, irrespective of the location of the person, object or activity being photographed.
I've taken hundreds of thousands of photographs, both for press use and for personal use. Many of these have been taken when people might not have liked it (e.g. from a public footpath, through a window of their house) but they've all been perfectly legal.
There's nothing you can do about your nosey neighbour except, of course, point a load of cameras at his house ;-)
Chris
With very limited exceptions (which are covered by legislation as diverse as the Official Secrets Act and the Sexual Offenders Act) anyone who is on the public highway, on their own property, or on property where they have permission to take photographs, can photograph who or what they like, irrespective of the location of the person, object or activity being photographed.
I've taken hundreds of thousands of photographs, both for press use and for personal use. Many of these have been taken when people might not have liked it (e.g. from a public footpath, through a window of their house) but they've all been perfectly legal.
There's nothing you can do about your nosey neighbour except, of course, point a load of cameras at his house ;-)
Chris
The direct effects of European human rights legislation relate only to actions by governments and official bodies. They don't directly relate to actions by individuals. It's up to governments and official bodies to implement legislation and rules which then affect the actions of individuals or organizations.
At one time, the view of the Data Protection Registrar (as he was then called) was that all CCTV security systems came under the provisions of the Data Protection Act. However, following a test case, the Information Commissioner (as he is now known) seems to be of the opinion that domestic CCTV systems are not covered by the Act. You could, however, try seeking information as to whether your neighbour is required to register under the Act (and then abide by its provisions). Start here:
http://www.ico.gov.uk/Home/what_we_cover/data_ protection.aspx
Chris
At one time, the view of the Data Protection Registrar (as he was then called) was that all CCTV security systems came under the provisions of the Data Protection Act. However, following a test case, the Information Commissioner (as he is now known) seems to be of the opinion that domestic CCTV systems are not covered by the Act. You could, however, try seeking information as to whether your neighbour is required to register under the Act (and then abide by its provisions). Start here:
http://www.ico.gov.uk/Home/what_we_cover/data_ protection.aspx
Chris
Hi Neigbours. I'm going to play devil's advocate here so please don't get annoyed...
Firstly it was unfortunate that the car donk happened on your first day in the house and it certainly didn't get your relationship with your neighbour off on the right footing. You say that your dad's boyfriend apologised and offered to repair it but then say nothing more was said until a solictors letter was received. Look at it from your neighbours point of view - damage was done to his car (and I believe fibreglass is expensive by the way) - and you didn't go round and talk to him about sorting it out. Wasn't that your responsibility? If it was me, and for the sake of good neighbourly relations, I would be bending over backwards to sort it out for him. So he got the hump and went legal. Some people don't like confrontation.
Blocking you in is unacceptable though. For example what if there was an accident and you get to the hospital quickly?
Re the harrassment, again from his point of view, a couple move in, donk his car, do nothing about it and then stick their fingers up when they walk past. If you want things to calm down, certainly don't do this again. My mum and dad have cameras all over their property, its just good sense in most cases and it doesn't mean he's watching you all day. Maybe he has cameras pointed on the street (and as been said this is not illegal) as he suspicious of you now and sees you as a bit of a dubious lot?
You're better off going round there with a bottle of wine and talking it through like adults. Show you are a decent young couple who just want to get on with their neighbours. You don't want it to escalate, believe me.
Firstly it was unfortunate that the car donk happened on your first day in the house and it certainly didn't get your relationship with your neighbour off on the right footing. You say that your dad's boyfriend apologised and offered to repair it but then say nothing more was said until a solictors letter was received. Look at it from your neighbours point of view - damage was done to his car (and I believe fibreglass is expensive by the way) - and you didn't go round and talk to him about sorting it out. Wasn't that your responsibility? If it was me, and for the sake of good neighbourly relations, I would be bending over backwards to sort it out for him. So he got the hump and went legal. Some people don't like confrontation.
Blocking you in is unacceptable though. For example what if there was an accident and you get to the hospital quickly?
Re the harrassment, again from his point of view, a couple move in, donk his car, do nothing about it and then stick their fingers up when they walk past. If you want things to calm down, certainly don't do this again. My mum and dad have cameras all over their property, its just good sense in most cases and it doesn't mean he's watching you all day. Maybe he has cameras pointed on the street (and as been said this is not illegal) as he suspicious of you now and sees you as a bit of a dubious lot?
You're better off going round there with a bottle of wine and talking it through like adults. Show you are a decent young couple who just want to get on with their neighbours. You don't want it to escalate, believe me.
Why doesn't your boyfriend's dad just pass the claim for damage to the vehicle to his insurance company? That's the normal thing to do. Let the insurance company deal with it. If he had damaged my car I certainly wouldn't take him up on his offer of repairing it.
I don't think making V signs at him will help matters.
Chris - why on earth were you taking photographs of people through the windows of their houses? I would have thought that was invasion of privacy? Taking pictures of people in public places would be fine, but through their windows seems a little strange?
I don't think making V signs at him will help matters.
Chris - why on earth were you taking photographs of people through the windows of their houses? I would have thought that was invasion of privacy? Taking pictures of people in public places would be fine, but through their windows seems a little strange?
Hi Meglet,
When his Dad offered to repair it, he was having none of it and just went down the insurance route but tried to make out that more damage had been done than this tiny scuff...
It is in the hands of the insurance company as we speak. Also, his Dad has tried to call round to speak to him like adults but he just shrugs and grunts.
I know its hard for you to understand unless you live where I live, but there is just no reasoning with this bloke.
In fact the dispute started with the parking of his works van.
He had three vehicles at the back of his townhouse. His own car, this Jeep that was being repaired and a transit van. He was actually blocking the whole of the kerb at one point.
He parks in a certain way that means he will never be blocked in, but takes up land to either side of him on the driveways. He has no regard for others.
With regards to the cameras though, I cant beleive that someone could point them more or less directly into your bedroom window and theres nothing you can do.... Madness
When his Dad offered to repair it, he was having none of it and just went down the insurance route but tried to make out that more damage had been done than this tiny scuff...
It is in the hands of the insurance company as we speak. Also, his Dad has tried to call round to speak to him like adults but he just shrugs and grunts.
I know its hard for you to understand unless you live where I live, but there is just no reasoning with this bloke.
In fact the dispute started with the parking of his works van.
He had three vehicles at the back of his townhouse. His own car, this Jeep that was being repaired and a transit van. He was actually blocking the whole of the kerb at one point.
He parks in a certain way that means he will never be blocked in, but takes up land to either side of him on the driveways. He has no regard for others.
With regards to the cameras though, I cant beleive that someone could point them more or less directly into your bedroom window and theres nothing you can do.... Madness
if you know someone who is handy with an air rifle,get them round to sort out his cameras....probably illegal but when the law of the land dosen't protect you from snoopers/nosey neighbours then either you put up with it or take action...he'll get sick of replacing them before you get sick of shooting them!
Hello,
I'm not sure whether you are still checking this post any more or whether the situation is still ongoing but I'd really like to get in touch with you to talk about this further. I am a documentary filmmaker and I am looking to speak to people who have been on the receiving end of their neighbour's overzealous security systems for a documentary I am researching. I'd be really grateful if you would be able to drop me a line at: [email protected]
Best wishes,
Jamie
I'm not sure whether you are still checking this post any more or whether the situation is still ongoing but I'd really like to get in touch with you to talk about this further. I am a documentary filmmaker and I am looking to speak to people who have been on the receiving end of their neighbour's overzealous security systems for a documentary I am researching. I'd be really grateful if you would be able to drop me a line at: [email protected]
Best wishes,
Jamie
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