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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think someone has just tried to sell me an illegal photo?

67 replies

Llamasally · 03/12/2021 15:29

Hands full on the drive getting the kids out of the car, a blue Citroen (?) pulled up and a guy gets out and starts showing me aerial photos of our house and garden, with some frames tucked in at the back. He got straight to showing me the images without introducing himself, professing what great quality they were.

I told him I couldn’t look now as I was busy with the children - trying to get very tired baby and toddler inside for a nap. He could see I had my hands full, my toddler started to cry but continued and was really quite pushy that I look at the pictures. I asked if he was here to sell them, while taking DS towards the house, he said yes. I told him not interested and like a bloody idiot to try to make him go away, asked if he had a business card in case my husband was interested. Strangely he had no business card, his explanation being ‘it’s just a little hobby, we don’t have offices or anything’. Very pushy for a hobby. I asked how do we contact you if we want one, could he just write down his number? No. But he would come again in the next week. I was being pretty short with him by this point and said we’re not likely to be in.

I was caught off guard and feel so annoyed at myself - for trying to be bloody polite and not just telling him to get off my drive. For not taking a photo of the car/reg plate and confronting him.

All that aside, the reason for my post is that I’m pretty sure you’re not allowed to take photos of someone’s private property including e.g. their garden without their permission?? Anyone who has any knowledge of this area /privacy law I’d really appreciate your advice as I’m sure he will be back. I’ve locked the doors now that we are inside, I’m home alone today and he’s made me feel uncomfortable.

OP posts:
MsAgnesDiPesto · 03/12/2021 16:05

@Llamasally

Hm ok, I might just look into it. I’d have thought photos of a private enclosed garden are not ok…
It is legal to take a photo of anything from publicly accessible land.

But drones have their own legislation, and it’s possible that it has been breached in this case - which is likely why he was so cagey.

Llamasally · 03/12/2021 16:06

@NoBetterthanSheShouldBe @MindatWork this was the kind of thing I was thinking of - thank you will take a read

OP posts:
NumberTheory · 03/12/2021 16:09

The photos themselves are not illegal but he may have broken the law to take them, especially if they were taken by drones. Also, people have a greater sense of entitlement to privacy nowadays and don’t appreciate others being able to take photos of their gardens, feels like spying, and data protection laws can apply (see: CAA drone code ).

This is probably why he wasn’t prepared to leave any contact details and may be why he approached a woman with children and not a man who might hit him.

NoBetterthanSheShouldBe · 03/12/2021 16:14

@icedcoffees, the first point in the link is “Do not fl6 above the legal limit of 120 ft” and it goes on to explain why this means the exclusions can be considered as cylinder-shaped.

muddyford · 03/12/2021 16:19

Thirty years ago I had someone do this. Again, lone woman, suspiciously pushy bloke, not willing to give any contact details. But the SPB had pulled into my drive and I got his registration number, which I gave to the police. Never heard any more. But this was long before Google and drones, so it must have been a low-flying aircraft.

PooWillyNameChange · 03/12/2021 16:20

We have about 6 of these around our house from the 70s (when previous owners bought the house) up until the 00s. It's quite cool as you can see extensions being added and the trees maturing into a copse and different bits being added to the gardens. It's quite a common thing but it is odd he wouldn't give a number Hmm

ProfessionalWeirdo · 03/12/2021 16:22

Don't beat yourself up over this, OP. Door-to-door salesmen often take full advantage of the fact that we're conditioned to be polite to people on our own premises.

On another matter, though, was it wise to tell a complete stranger - particularly one who refused to give you his contact details - that on a given day your house is likely to be empty?

anniegun · 03/12/2021 16:23

You can request that your street is turned into a no cold calling zone if you do not want strangers trying to sell to you. You have to get 66% of your neighbours to sign up but it does deter callers (and persistent ones can be arrested). Your local trading standards provide the forms

2bazookas · 03/12/2021 16:24

When/if he comes back , take his car reg number and make and contact police. DO NOT let him in the house. for any reason.

He might just be a guy with a drone trying to make extra money fro Xmas. But he could also be a potential thief gathering information for a Xmas break-in. The drone pics show vulnerable windows, fences lanes burglar alarms etc. And if he gets in the house he sees where you keep the TV, computers, silver, presents under the tree etc. Put the two together and he can sell that info.

Llamasally · 03/12/2021 16:26

@ProfessionalWeirdo

Don't beat yourself up over this, OP. Door-to-door salesmen often take full advantage of the fact that we're conditioned to be polite to people on our own premises.

On another matter, though, was it wise to tell a complete stranger - particularly one who refused to give you his contact details - that on a given day your house is likely to be empty?

No it wasn’t, I thought about that after the event too! 🤦‍♀️ It won’t be empty which is one saving grace I suppose
OP posts:
CSJobseeker · 03/12/2021 16:27

I’m pretty sure you’re not allowed to take photos of someone’s private property including e.g. their garden without their permission??

Yeah, sure.

Where on earth did you get this idea from?

CSJobseeker · 03/12/2021 16:28

Sounds like he was an arse though. I hate people who are pushy like that.

CSJobseeker · 03/12/2021 16:28

But he could also be a potential thief gathering information for a Xmas break-in.

Do burglars usually advertise themselves by showing their intended victims the drone photos that they've taken? This sounds very unlikely.

TonTonMacoute · 03/12/2021 16:33

This used to be a 'thing'. We bought some about 20 years ago, but I didn't know anyone bothered any more, now we have google earth.

It's not illegal, just forget about it. He just sounds like a crap salesman!

CheesyWeez · 03/12/2021 16:45

I hate these kind of salesman. I got so cross with some guy wanting to clean my roof (which was not "pretty" according to him) I asked him for his address so I could come round and tell his wife how scruffy their house is. The cheek.
If I want work doing I will ask someone to come and do it.

When you're wrestling a baby and toddler why do they think you want to be bothered with them, to give them money for something you didn't ask for? Angry
I sometimes pretend to be the nanny. Sad Then they quickly drop the pressure as they are wasting their time.

alreadytaken · 03/12/2021 16:48

Post on your local Facebook page, other people might appreciate a warning and someone probably will get their car reg and report them.

You can get good photos from above the legal limit with modern cameras, time the laws were tightened up in my view.

SirensofTitan · 03/12/2021 16:51

@2bazookas

When/if he comes back , take his car reg number and make and contact police. DO NOT let him in the house. for any reason.

He might just be a guy with a drone trying to make extra money fro Xmas. But he could also be a potential thief gathering information for a Xmas break-in. The drone pics show vulnerable windows, fences lanes burglar alarms etc. And if he gets in the house he sees where you keep the TV, computers, silver, presents under the tree etc. Put the two together and he can sell that info.

This can't be serious, theft is either opportunistic crack heads or organised gangs targetting the super rich. I can't believe that there are any criminals planning raids on Christmas presents and if there were surely they'd just look through your windows why would they set up a whole drone charade Grin
ProfessionalWeirdo · 03/12/2021 16:53

It won’t be empty which is one saving grace I suppose

Phew! But if he does come back, forget about trying to be polite - just make it clear that you aren't interested and ask him to leave. If he persists after that, he's trespassing.

CaptainMyCaptain · 03/12/2021 16:53

This was a thing about 30 years ago. I quite liked the photos but couldn't afford it.

SoupDragon · 03/12/2021 16:55

People bringing up Street View and Google Earth do realise that 1) StreetView doesn't take photos of your rear garden and 2) Google Earth isn't photo quality.

SoupDragon · 03/12/2021 16:56

(I mean, I've no idea about the legalities of flying a drone over private property but comparing it to Street View and Google Earth is a bit odd)

actiongirl1978 · 03/12/2021 16:57

A man camr up my very rural Driveway once and tried to sell me some plants - last of his stock, just passing on his way home...

I told him I had a vomiting bug but would he like to hand over his business card? Funnily enough he left!

MargaretThursday · 03/12/2021 17:04

We got one of the old house about 20 years ago. Lovely chap explained he had a light aircraft and sometimes when they were up they took photos. He was selling A4 prints, in a frame for £5 so not making a major profit.
Only think dh has ever bought from a door to door sales man. he normally sends them away with a flea in their ear.

GetTheFlockOutOfHere · 03/12/2021 17:04

Not sure if it's illegal or not, but like fuck would I be paying! I could just pull up google maps, press 'prt sc' (printscreen,) and get a copy myself. Then print it off and get a frame for less than a fiver in Wilkos! Can't believe anyone still does this tbh, and expects people to PAY for them. Confused

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