Caught neighbours using my garden

[Weird21]

I have a block of flats next to my house and I thought for a while things have been moved in my garden and it seemed a bit weird. I’ve got a lock on the gate and it’s always locked. So over the weekend I’ve installed a small out door camera under my guttering which records the whole back garden.

So I’ve come home tonight after work (I work the late shift) and found two cigarette butts on the path by my seating area. So I checked the camera and the neighbors have climbed my wall and been sitting in my garden from 2pm until 8pm using my seating and table. To say I’m annoyed is an understatement but how to I confront them as they aren’t the friendliest of people at the best of times. So I guess they’ve been doing this since the nice weather began.

Unfortunately it’s not difficult to see i’m out as I have to drive to work and so once my cars not there they obviously know I’m out.

I just don’t know how to approach this as I’m a single woman and just concerned it’ll escalate but I can’t allow this what would you all do? I thought maybe a note through their door asking them to not use it anymore. They haven’t seen the camera but now I wonder how long it’s been going on.

Wonderful update, OP. Just sit tight now and don't get yourself involved in anything to do with them. You're in the home stretch!

HUrrah! What a good update, @Weird21!

Fingers crossed your troubles will soon be over.
I would still consider taking some of the precautionary measures that have been suggested here - not the ones that cause actual harm, because yes, people could sue you - but certainly things like a trellis on top of your fence with a spiky rose, maybe some of the spiky bushes underneath etc. Then, whoever comes into the HA property, you won't have a repeat of the situation (Not that you necessarily would - not all HA tenants are like that, of course!)

Oh dear.

@crowsfeet57 exactly.

Also don’t hold your breath for them leaving.

An ASB case has to be built. Witness statements gathered. A chronology of events put together. A fairness assessment. They have to show all attempts to intervene and support tenants.

Then they serve notice and have to go before a judge for a decision. Even if judge awards it then it’s still a process for the bailiff to execute the warrant and the locks to be changed.

If anyone reported them for a data breach they could be fined many millions of pounds

Not in the UK.

@ProfessorSlocombe

If anyone reported them for a data breach they could be fined many millions of pounds

Not in the UK.

What do you mean? Are you taking issue with the potential amount of the fine or the concept of the fine full stop? The GDPR was incorporated into U.K. law post Brexit.

If anyone reported them for a data breach they could be fined many millions of pounds

Not in the UK

I beg to differ.

The UK GDPR and DPA 2018 set a maximum fine of £17.5 million or 4% of annual global turnover – whichever is greater – for infringements. Th EU GDPR sets a maximum fine of €20 million (about £18 million) or 4% of annual global turnover – whichever is greater – for infringements.

@crowsfeet57

If anyone reported them for a data breach they could be fined many millions of pounds

Not in the UK

I beg to differ.

The UK GDPR and DPA 2018 set a maximum fine of £17.5 million or 4% of annual global turnover – whichever is greater – for infringements. Th EU GDPR sets a maximum fine of €20 million (about £18 million) or 4% of annual global turnover – whichever is greater – for infringements.

You forgot (quite easily done) to cite any case where that's been applied to a breach such as the OP described.

The reason it's easily done, is because it's never happened.

Great result OP! Sounds like it’s being dealt with so fingers crossed.

glad to see your update Op.
I hope the HA are better in your area, as where I live- they are useless!!

I hope your vile neighbours leave asap

On a side note, can't stand people who don't pick up their fag butts, it's gross

Interesting update. I hope they are gone soon.

@ProfessorSlocombe

You forgot (quite easily done) to cite any case where that's been applied to a breach such as the OP described.

The reason it's easily done, is because it's never happened.

Until there is a case that definitively states that such a fine could never be applied to a similar breach, you can’t possibly say that it will never happen, based simply on the fact that it hasn’t happened to date in the few years since the GDPR came into force. That’s not how the law works.

That said, I do think that it is evident that the poster who said that the fine could be “many millions of pounds” was probably influenced by data protection training which tends to give extreme examples in order to scare the shit out of employees so that they take it really seriously. The multi million pound fines are more likely to be levied in large-scale data breaches committed by private sector companies (eg the BA breach which resulted in a 20 million quid fine- though that was discounted from 183 million when they said that they had no profits due to Covid).

Nonetheless, it is overly simplistic to say definitively that an HA which routinely told random neighbours the private business of its tenants could never be fined millions.

@crowsfeet57 Repeat after me:
I am a robot. I am a robot. I am a robot.

FFS

Good update op. Hope it is sorted soon. In the meantime I am hoping your locality has sharp downpours during the working day followed by sunny spells when you are at home. It could become known as the ‘weird21’ climate zone.

Great update, it must be a relief to know this is being taken seriously by the HA. I hope the legal process happens reasonably quickly so you and your neighbourhood can be relieved of these scumbags.

madroid

@crowsfeet57
Repeat after me:
I am a robot. I am a robot. I am a robot
FFS

Hahaha, my thoughts exactly

@Weird21 - Thanks for the update, It sounds like things are moving in the right direction. Having your friend stay is good too.

Did you notice that this thread featured on BBC2 and in the Daily Mirror, I doubt that the neighbours would have recognised themselves, to be honest.

Glad its resolved though