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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Neighbours CCTV weirding me out - AIBU

33 replies

SouthernTulip7 · 08/04/2021 18:49

At some point during 2020 some neighbors (not next door) decided to put up 3 CCTV cameras on the front of their house. I thought this was a bit overkill considering we live in a very quiet area & they don’t own any valuable vehicles etc. But each to their own. I’ve just noticed they’ve put up a camera doorbell, a webcam pointing out their master room window and an additional one at the side of the house. This means there’s 6 cameras in total - I have no idea how many they have round the back. AIBU to think this a bit weird? My parents know them quite well & they don’t have valuables (to my knowledge). Can understand wanting a cctv camera pointing into your garden but this is weird IMO. You can easily tell they’re not just pointed in their driveway, but pointing out into different areas of the street.

OP posts:
Pawsin · 08/04/2021 18:51

Do they have dogs OP? We've installed cctv as there was a lot of local dog thefts recently, just as a bit of peace of mind. Couldn't care less about other valuables in the house, they're replaceable, but the dogs aren't

EvilPea · 08/04/2021 18:51

We have cameras. But we don’t really have any valuables. They have proved useful and pick up all sorts of bizarre behaviour.
I will admit Some of it makes you more paranoid. But overall it’s reassuring.

I think they are pretty common place now, where you would only have them if you had “stuff” now a lot of people just have them. You can even pick up decent sets in aldi.

ooooolala · 08/04/2021 18:52

Maybe they are bored, or gone down one of those conspiracy rabbit holes. It is very strange. It would freak me out so no YANBU

MereDintofPandiculation · 08/04/2021 18:54

I believe there are rules surrounding security cameras if their field of view includes public areas or property that isn't their own. It may go no further than having to put up warning notices, but worth looking in to.

Original poster
SouthernTulip7 · 08/04/2021 19:01

@Pawsin

Do they have dogs OP? We've installed cctv as there was a lot of local dog thefts recently, just as a bit of peace of mind. Couldn't care less about other valuables in the house, they're replaceable, but the dogs aren't
Nope, no pets at all. We have quite a few dogs so can understand the worry around dog theft though.

I didn’t think anything of it when they installed the cameras, but it just seems to be getting more and more. It does feel a little bit creepy especially since they’re not exactly pointing them at their own property/driveway.

OP posts:
1Morewineplease · 08/04/2021 19:05

We've just installed CCTV to protect our dog.
There have been a number of dog thefts around my area and , attempts were made in our cul de sac.
Watching the footage has been an absolute eye opener... stolen specialist bins, planting at 2 am, filling other people's bins.
It's another world!

stablefeet · 08/04/2021 19:06

Maybe they have security issues you know nothing about? If they are monitoring you then it's different. They might have something in their past that makes this a good idea.

Icecreamsoda99 · 08/04/2021 19:07

A friend of a friend installed cameras after threats were made against her life by a family member. Perhaps it's something like that.

emilyfrost · 08/04/2021 19:08

I don’t think it’s weird and I’d actually quite like it; it keeps everyone safe.

If you’re not doing anything wrong, what’s your issue with it?

Insomnia5 · 08/04/2021 19:10

Wouldn’t think it was a bad thing tbh, may come in handy if anything happened to you or your property

Original poster
SouthernTulip7 · 08/04/2021 19:13

I’m not bothered about CCTV in general & think it’s a good idea, but the webcam looks as though it is pointed directly at the master bedroom windows opposite (including my home).

OP posts:
Ivy455 · 08/04/2021 19:16

I'd be fine with it. We recently had our property vandalized in the middle of the night (gloss paint thrown all over the front of our house - probably just kids) and one of the first things the police asked was "Do any of your neighbours have CCTV?". My next door neighbours actually do but it only points into their garden. I've been pretty paranoid and have honestly felt quite violated knowing complete strangers went out of their way to come onto our property (we do have a fence and gate) to do this while we were sleeping so I don't blame people for wanting extra security. The cameras can often deter criminals so consider it a good thing.

SweetAsANutt · 08/04/2021 19:18

Could be many reasons why they have it and not just to protect valuables but if it is pointing or in the direction or having full view of someone else's window that's just weird.

tortoiselover100 · 08/04/2021 19:18

I installed cameras when I was worried someone would harass me. Nothing to do with valuables, just trying to catch bad behaviour or making sure it never happens in the first place.

Original poster
SouthernTulip7 · 08/04/2021 19:21

Really not trying to drip feed just don’t want to out myself - but the man who lives there has made random declarations of love to women in the street & made inappropriate comments despite living with his wife. I suppose everyone is right regarding it being their right to have some security but I guess I’ll just be more vigalent in closing the curtains in case I’m being surveilled...

OP posts:
VettiyaIruken · 08/04/2021 19:22

They shouldn't have CCTV that's recording other people's property. I've got CCTV and if it captures anyone outside your property you have to comply with legislation.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/domestic-cctv-using-cctv-systems-on-your-property/domestic-cctv-using-cctv-systems-on-your-property#:~:text=If%20your%20CCTV%20system%20captures,CCTV%20complies%20with%20these%20laws.

littlepattilou · 08/04/2021 19:25

@SouthernTulip7

I believe you DO have a right to complain about this, and demand they don't film you, and if they do they must erase it when you ask. They are also not allowed to keep the footage after a certain amount of time (30 days I think.)

There's lots of info here. Parts 3.3 and 3.4 are quite informative.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/domestic-cctv-using-cctv-systems-on-your-property/domestic-cctv-using-cctv-systems-on-your-property

If it were me, I wouldn't like it either. I 'get' that some people want cctv, but it really should only be looking over their property and land, and not peering right over to the people opposite, or down the bloody road. And why do they need 5 or 6 cameras FFS?

littlepattilou · 08/04/2021 19:25

Oooops, cross-posted with @VettiyaIruken !!!

mineofuselessinformation · 08/04/2021 19:28

I have cctv cameras - to stop the lazy bastards who were letting their dogs shit in my front garden and on the path outside.
I have the appropriate signage in place.
It's no coincidence that since I put them up, I've had no more incidents.

Namechange1991x · 08/04/2021 19:30

I'd be unnerved by this

Frogartist · 08/04/2021 19:32

@emilyfrost

I don’t think it’s weird and I’d actually quite like it; it keeps everyone safe.

If you’re not doing anything wrong, what’s your issue with it?

It's a bit dangerous to assume cctv keeps us safe. It can make it easier to solve a crime after it has been committed.

There are many issues with it. Do you want your every movement recorded and observed? Perhaps posted on the internet or to friends or sold on or faked? I don't a world where everything is recorded sounds particularly nice.

HollowTalk · 08/04/2021 19:36

I think there are rules concerning it. My neighbour has it on his front door but he said he wouldn't be allowed to point it to view on anyone coming to my front door. This guy sounds like a creep, tbh.

HollowTalk · 08/04/2021 19:37

It's here.

ColourfulElmerElephant · 08/04/2021 19:42

I don’t see the issue and in a very quiet area, it’s probably just as important. What’s not valuable to you, might be to somebody else.

Why wouldn’t you close your curtains anyway if you felt you would be viewed inappropriately? To assume the man is acting inappropriately towards you because he has (or has been rumoured to have) said something to another woman is a huge leap. Surely if he was interested in you, he would have said so.

Zakana · 08/04/2021 19:54

@1Morewineplease

We've just installed CCTV to protect our dog. There have been a number of dog thefts around my area and , attempts were made in our cul de sac. Watching the footage has been an absolute eye opener... stolen specialist bins, planting at 2 am, filling other people's bins. It's another world!
Do you live next door to my DSis? I’m sure your cctv is picking up her strange insomniac behaviour i.e. putting washing out on line around 2 am, always having shopping deliveries at 6am or midnight, potting herbs at 4am, I can imagine some of her behaviour looks strange to others (not me, I have far worse weirdness going on, also a chronic insomniac).