Invasion Of Privacy?

[jesmond]

right place for this I hope, but a neighbour has a camera on front of his house which points at 2 vehicles parked on his drive, not a problem with anyone doing this except that it points at the neighbours drive opposite him, so is this classed as an invasion of privacy and who would you contact regarding it. some may say the extra security would be good for the opposite neighbour but would still like to know.

[sunny-dave]

Nope - if the camera is within someone's property they can point it anywhere they like - neighbours have no right to complain even if it is capable of looking through windows, let alone onto gardens or drives.

There would be a cause for complaint if you could prove that someone was recording you on cctv and using this for 'inappropriate purposes' (no, I have no idea what that could mean) but otherwise you just have to pull the curtains - or so I was told when my pudding of a neighbour installed security lighting and cctv that could overlook the upstairs of the rear of my house.

[saxy_jag]

I think the onus would be on the neighbour opposite to prove that neighbour A was placing the camera with the intention of spying on them. If the two are on good terms, or don't even know each other, then it would be polite to inform the people opposite that the camera also picks up a view of their property.

[sunny-dave]

'pudding' :+)

- love the swearyword filter

[jesmond]

I know that the person has a monitor screen in his home and he watches the opposite neighbour coming and going in his car but don't know if he is recording any of this, but thanx all

[Peter Pedant]

The ICO is a useful site: its advice changes with time: I am pretty sure there was a time when they recommended there should be NO overlooking, BUT here is to-days advice and SUnny D has got it right.....

Q: Can I, or my neighbour, use CCTV?

If the cameras are installed on residential property and are for personal domestic use, they are unlikely to breach the Data Protection Act. This is because the use of CCTV cameras for domestic purposes, for example, protecting a home from burglary, is exempt from the data protection principles, even if the camera overlooks the street or other areas near the house. If you are concerned about the use of domestic CCTV, it may be worth contacting your local police. However, if you or your neighbour are using CCTV for business purposes, you'll need to comply with the Act. Read about a business' obligations with CCTV.

[Peter Pedant]

as a general rule asking the Police what the civil law is on anything is by an large a waste of time - their law courses are by and large criminal only.

and even then it can be selective - phone hacking was known about for 5 y and they just shrugged their shoulders (until Milly)

[jesmond]

will have a look and as i have 2 police officers living next door to me I should maybe ask them