Neighbours new CCTV....

[Pearldo]

Our neighbours have installed CCTV. This is the view from our bed.... Feel very uncomfortable about this as pretty sure it can see us from that angle.

Ask them what the camera can see, if it does see into your bedroom ask if they can block that area out. On our cameras we have blocked off my neighbours driveway (at his request)

Thats not legal, and the images are subject to the data protection act.

Crossed with billybagpuss.
The ICO used to charge £35 a year for registration. That's what we have been paying, but this is likely to change under GDPR.

Oohhhhhh dear.

GDPR from May 28th - I'd be passing your neighbour some 'helpful' information on that and innocently asking if he's got an email address you can send your formal request for data compliance to and all the other bumf (because there will be quite a lot of it) or would it be easier for them to just move the camera? :)

ico.org.uk/for-the-public/cctv

blog.infinigate.co.uk/everything-you-need-to-know-about-cctv-gdpr

From the latter:

3. Justifying use of CCTV is paramount for GDPR compliance

By now, most of us are aware that the GDPR requires the processing of personal data to be lawful, fair and transparent. As CCTV collects personal data in the form of image, it is in no way immune. In almost all cases, business owners can rely on legitimate interests or the need to comply with another legal requirement for the legality of operating CCTV. However, they will be required to justify this against the area of coverage. Data subject's rights and freedoms cannot be overridden, especially in the case of legitimate interests. Even inside a work premises, employees have a right to privacy.

Ask your neighbour how they plan to justify their range of coverage outside of their own property - is there a fair and justifiable reason that they need to film in areas which may be deemed private? They don't? Oh right then maybe we can simply focus on your subject access request- you'll be requiring the footage to prove it doesn't come into your bedroom. No, they can't refuse. Oh and data encryption! Have they registered themselves with the ICO yet? Would they like you to contact them and give them a heads up? :)

Hassle them. They need to move that camera pronto.

I would want to go round and be shown exactly what th field of view is. And to find out if they can control the movement of the camera or if it is fixed.

When we had our cameras put up the ex police man that did them said the front of a house is classed as public, the back however is private. If any of the neighbours property or garden was in view then the angle had to be changed or that bit of their house/garden had to be blacked out.

You are absolutely not allowed to have cameras pointing into peoples houses.

This is the link for CCTV on private property, that the OP's neighbour must observe.
ico.org.uk/for-the-public/cctv-on-your-property/

Surely the actual camera will be facing outwards, towards the boundary? That's where ours face, which is the whole point of them...

I wouldn't like that at all. How do you know the camera is facing the way it's supposed to be facing, or does it have another secret camera in the back. Voyeurs come in all forms.

OP Where is the boundary between your property and your neighbours' ? Is that a party wall that we can see?

If so the camera and the dish are overhanging your property which isn't permissible unless you have agreed.

Hmmm, not sure if it's entirely legal; its legal to stand on public land and film anything you can see, but this is film from private land onto private land, so that's different.

See if he starts looking sheepish.

Is it only a man in the neighbours house then??

@gladallover

I've just paid £35 so still the same :)

My renewal notice in January said that charges under GDPR would not be the standard fixed ones but more related to what you were registering.

They look similar to ours and on the back part (but facing your room it's plastic so no view at all). They also do pretty good fakes when we had ours out in we have 8 cameras but only 6 are real. Ask them to show you the view that way you can find out if it's real or not and the angle of it is real. It actually won't be legal if it does view anything into your window I can't remember the specifics but cctv can only cover something like 20% outside your boundary I'll check with DH when he is home and come back and confirm for you.

This has been bothering me, the thing appears to be pointing into your bedroom, Is it worth calling the local police for advise.

No it's not worth phoning the police ffs. Just speak to the neighbours first.

Thanks all. Yes really not on at all, I can't even sit in bed reading without a camera on me.... DP is going round to talk to the guy this evening.

How did the chat go OP.

DH used to sell (high quality) CCTV etc. He says it is possible it could be pointed into your bedroom! It is likely it is being used to watch the outside of the house for security purposes though.

As far as he can tell from the picture it is a small dome camera (he installed similar at his current workplace recently) and the camera inside is fixed in place, it can only be rotated if someone goes into the casing and moves it. It can not be rotated using a remote control, so if it is facing away from your window your neighbour can't rotate it from inside his house to see you. (The CCTV you see on television that rotates etc. are bigger units and generally cost 300 times more than a £50 Maplins jobby. The ones DH used to sell were about 700 times the price of the Maplins jobbies!)

You are not allowed to deliberately angle a camera into someone else's garden either, you are only allowed to gets bits at the edges of your picture where you can't just suddenly stop looking at the edge of your own boundary. The main focus can not be someone else's garden, it has to be your property or public spaces.

DH has concerns with your NDNs camera. It all depends on the angle of the lens and which direction the camera is pointing. As long as it is pointing away from your house and garden and it has a suitable angled lens it is fine, if not then you will want to do something about it. He also has concerns about it being on the 'side' wall rather than it facing outwards, the positioning doesn't make sense if you want as wide a view as possible of the exterior of your house.

I would recommend finding out from your neighbour what they can see. If it is a dummy camera\pointed at a bird's nest\looking away from your property that is fine. If it is pointing into your garden\house it is illegal. You have a legal right to know if that camera is pointing into your property, if it is it is a breech of privacy.

If you are not happy with where the camera is pointing or your NDN doesn't show you evidence of where it is pointing you can go to your council (not sure which department, probably environmental health), there might be a representative of the local crime reduction partnership working with the council also. If they don't sort it you can also contact your local police station, they will be able to help.

Sorry this is so long, wanted to give as much info as possible.

I wouldn't be having that! Even if they aren't looking into your bedroom doesn't mean they can't.