CCTV - Laws Regarding Neighbours Cam & My Property

[maggiemcgill]

Hello All, does anyone know the laws regarding a neighbours CCTV Cam overlooking my proper He has 2 cams, which are the ball kind over his door, the first of which is a small one which I 'think' does not overlook. But he has recently installed a 'very large' cam which obviously (to me) takes in all of my property. Are there any privacy laws or something to prohibit this kind of thing? Not that I'm up to anything, but I just don't like the idea of being almost permanently on camera, coming and going from my own home�surely we get enough of this on our high streets? p.s. Why would any one need 2 anyway, one above his door and one just before the roof, 3 stories up?

[MrBen5]

Hmmm, as far as i am aware, he only needs to put stickers up saying he has CCTV. Also, he isnt allowed to look directly into your windows with them.
Maybe he is a dealer and wants the extra surveilance.
Does he have cameras on the rear of his property too?
I have a camera just above my doorway. It hooks directly to my TV so if someone knocks, i can just switch to see who it is at the door.
Very handy...

[sweetpea...!]

maybe he thinks he is doing you a favour by covering your front door too - ask him if you could see the picture the high cam is picking up as you wouldn't want him to "catch you putting the rubbish out in your dressing gown" or some such excuse.

[ACtheTROLL]

you have to display a warning and there is something about not overlapping perimiters ... but as long as my neighbour was willing to share the information I'd be grateful of the free security.... as long as it only covered the outside of the building

the very large camera will almost certainly be a low light or infra red camera that works in near or total darkness (few burglers shine the torch on their own face)

you say "enough of this on our high streets" I'm interested as to why you seem uncomfortable with the knowledge that the police can be called - often in time to actually catch the offender (generally by tracking their progress along "our high streets")

hope not - but I wonder would you be quite so ag'in if it was you or one of your family saved in this way? Or if it wasyour ouse that was burgled.

there are precious few coppers on the streets - only rarely it seems do people have the guts to speak out (often with bad outcomes) I live in a fair sized city ... there aren't lots of cameras - but there should be more.

[Ethel]

The domestic user does not need to display warnings that CCTV is in operation, if there are no more than three cameras; the cameras cannot be swivelled remotely and the information is passed to nobody except the police.

A camera should not record outside the private boundary (this includes on to public highways) unless it is unavoidable.

He may be in breach of Human Rights legislation that gives you the right to privacy but even this is not straightforward. If the camera is not hooked up to a recording device and can see no more than he could ordinarily see as he goes about his everyday life, then it could be argued this is not breaching your right to privacy.

Maybe he wants the high up to keep an eye on his car if it is parked on the public highway or at the end of a long drive.

If you get on with your neighbour, ask him exactly what he can see of your property. It should not be impossible for him to put a shield up that stops it looking into your property.

That has got to be easier than getting solicitors or the police involved.

[maggiemcgill]

Firstly, thanks for the detailed replies everybody!!!

Secondly, maybe I should have explained a bit more but I didn�t want to waffle 'too much'...I actually do not have anything against CCTV in our town centres, but I live in a town centre, literally.
I live above the shop that I work in and the entrance is to the rear of the property making it the actual front entrance if you get my drift ;)

To answer most peoples question we don't actually get on with the guy next whose premises also has a flat above which entrance is at the front.
I'm trying to not hiding a thing, but would you like 2 cameras recording all your comings and goings and when a crime of some sort happens the guy who owns the recordings is unwilling to help? Not me by the way this was my next door but one neighbour.

All that a-side I really do feel it is an invasion of privacy & I don't understand why he needs 2 cams (as said, 1 massive one) to cover the same alley (neither small nor dark). Alright we can say...to protect his business, but he has no alarm system and there is always a least one of his guys at anyone point there�always.
The reference to dealing, I believe is not to far from the point and not just pure assumption! Also why protect a business in this way, when in the 18 or so months it has been 'trading' has never once lifted its shutters on the street of the main drag in town, to ply there elusive wares???

WHEW, Sorry Guys�WAFFLE�I told you ;)

[ACtheTROLL]

lol

Didn't want to waffle!!!!.... on AB?

waffling too much is compulsory - the submit button doesn't work with a wordcount less that 10 pages;-)

still think the big 'un is either and better quality and lower light or perhaps just tougher
even if there is always someone in ... the video evedence clinches the case .... and I think most (or at least many)shops have them (our local sandwich shop even)

and from what you say just as an entry cam it makes good sense (to him at least)

not sharing is inexcusable - we are quite secluded - don't have cams - but it will be a project for next year (if only to watch the foxes and badgers)

presumably they have freeview as well - I know which one I'd watch more of.

being watched doesn't particularly bother me (out and about anyway) - I think the other issues are of more concern.

but if you dislike - ethel said domestic - your guy doesn't sound domestic -
http://www.nfh.org.uk/resources/Articles/cctv/ index.php
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business /law/article1862457.ece