AIBU to feel uncomfortable about neighbour's camera facing our garden?

Original poster

Butterflytulip88 · 24/07/2026 09:05

I've done some research. ICO won't do anything, especially because these cameras aren't fixed CCTV type cameras.
My next option is the police.
Failing that, I'm going to play them at their own game and put cameras facing their garden too. See how they like it.

OP posts:

TeaBiscuitsNaptime · 22/07/2026 18:43

If there's 4 of them, I'd give the guards a ring to find out the laws surrounding this and to get advice. Especially since you have young children out there

TeaBiscuitsNaptime · 22/07/2026 18:41

SpinandSing · 22/07/2026 16:18

Careful with this. It might not be that they are crazy...maybe they are in a business that they feel means they are at risk. You can always tell who the drug dealers are around here by the extreme security measures and number of cameras they have. Might not be the case but just take it easy on this and keep an open mind.

True, not everyone follows the same hymn sheet!

Createausername1970 · 22/07/2026 16:50

Merida46 · 22/07/2026 13:20

Go speak to them and ask to see the view on the monitor/phone. Most security cameras these days enable "masking" which means that they can block out areas which include your property. There's not a lot you can do if they are trying to protect a shared area

Show quote history

We have CCTV cameras and DH has masked the neighbours' properties.

He went round to each of our neighbours (one either side) and showed them on his phone what we can see and where the masking was.

One of the neighbours (an elderly couple) requested that we removed the masking so that we did have a view of their gate in case it was ever needed.

I believe you are within your rights to ask to see what it covers and request that your property is masked.

orangehandles · 22/07/2026 16:23

Are the curtains closed all the time? Could be a cannabis farm.

SpinandSing · 22/07/2026 16:18

Careful with this. It might not be that they are crazy...maybe they are in a business that they feel means they are at risk. You can always tell who the drug dealers are around here by the extreme security measures and number of cameras they have. Might not be the case but just take it easy on this and keep an open mind.

purpleme12 · 22/07/2026 15:58

Nothing in your posts have indicated that the neighbours are not reasonable people or you've had problems with them. So why don't you have a word and be friendly and just say can I check it's not filming my property? I have cameras and when they installed it the person blocked out certain areas of next door so it's not recording it at all. If someone asked me if my camera was recording their property, I'd be happy to show them what it is recording.

Failing that then yes if you tell the police you think it's recording your property they should have a word with them

Original poster

Butterflytulip88 · 22/07/2026 15:48

Just a quick update everyone. There are now 4 cameras on their back garden alone! 3 pointing in the direction of my garden. I've come to the conclusion they are absolute psychopaths. I'm planning my next steps carefully and will likely contact the police.

OP posts:

Sharptonguedwoman · 22/07/2026 13:35

Butterflytulip88 · 19/07/2026 01:18

@wombat1a oh they definitely are trying to keep an eye on the shared path! But it's my gate and garden they are also capturing! They already have a ring door bell for their own garden. This camera is pointing specifically at mine.

Concave mirror positioned in front of it? Or a very large plant?

Womanofcustard · 22/07/2026 13:27

Could you position a really bright light aimed at the camera?

Merida46 · 22/07/2026 13:20

Butterflytulip88 · 18/07/2026 20:20

Next door have put a camera in their bedroom window pointing directly down into our garden and doorway. Is this allowed? I have young children. But I also don't want to get into a dispute. How would you feel about this?

Go speak to them and ask to see the view on the monitor/phone. Most security cameras these days enable "masking" which means that they can block out areas which include your property. There's not a lot you can do if they are trying to protect a shared area

Original poster

Butterflytulip88 · 19/07/2026 01:18

@wombat1a oh they definitely are trying to keep an eye on the shared path! But it's my gate and garden they are also capturing! They already have a ring door bell for their own garden. This camera is pointing specifically at mine.

OP posts:

gamerchick · 19/07/2026 00:57

Have you actually seen it? My camera looks like it's pointing somewhere but in reality it isn't.

I don't understand why people object anyway. If something happens and it happens to be caught in camera. People are the first ones to point police in the camera owners direction. Been there.

wombat1a · 19/07/2026 00:54

Could be they are keeping an eye on the shared gate/path? Also with these cameras you can put in digital blocks so it can cover an large area but they will only see a small subsection if that area.

Original poster

Butterflytulip88 · 19/07/2026 00:49

@TwoBagsOfCompost I don't think it's a ring doorbell type one or a proper security camera. It looks like a web cam. They have a doorbell camera as well, this is in addition.

OP posts:

Original poster

Butterflytulip88 · 19/07/2026 00:47

@TeaBiscuitsNaptime it's hard to block as it's right outside my door, gate and path so I need access. I like the umbrella idea though as I could move it!

OP posts:

user8695940 · 19/07/2026 00:45

When we renovated our house, the security system was installed before we moved in. One of the cameras on the side was positioned so it captured one of our side walls and part of the neighbours' garden. I asked our security company to move it, but that was the only place to position it for that part of the garden, so we left it, but blocked out their bit. It's still in place, but we only see up to our boundary and the rest is greyed out.

I'd just go and politely tell them that it's making you uncomfortable. As a PP said, they should be able to show you the camera capture on their phone or laptop. It's possible it's just aimed at the shared path and your garden is blocked out.

Original poster

Butterflytulip88 · 19/07/2026 00:43

@FlowerUser There's been a camera there since we moved in, so it's not because of anything I've done. But it's worse now and pointing completely at my garden

OP posts:

TwoBagsOfCompost · 19/07/2026 00:40

Just to say that they could have set up privacy zones and excluded your property from being recorded. We’ve done this with our Ring doorbell so we don’t capture our neighbour’s front door.

TeaBiscuitsNaptime · 19/07/2026 00:35

I wouldn't like that either

TeaBiscuitsNaptime · 19/07/2026 00:35

Could you block its view with something I wonder? A garden shed, a big sun umbrella or a leafy plant

KayFabe · 19/07/2026 00:26

The police probably won't care. My neighbour did similar to me (bedroom windows), and the police's response was "ooh, thats a bit of a grey area". Hopefully they would take your case more seriously, as you have children.

FlowerUser · 18/07/2026 23:49

There’s another thread about a woman terrified to go in her garden because her neighbours are really antagonistic to her and she’s been advised to put a camera in her garden. Maybe your neighbour is trying to film antisocial behaviour on your part?

LIZS · 18/07/2026 20:32

Without your permission they cannot record your property. However how can you be sure it is not excluding your area as many cameras can be adjusted to blank part of view out,

chillyputsomesockson · 18/07/2026 20:29

its likely to have a feed where they can view it from their mobile phone. Next time you see them just ask them to show you the view, you can then have a conversation about it.