Nosey neighbour and the CCTV situation

[Wanttobenameless]

Posting here for traffic.

I found this out by accident...I don't think I was ever meant to know.

Anyway, I knew my neighbour had CCTV installed, and recently found out that it covers all of my driveway, and a lot of my garden.
I've even heard / seen the camera swivel when I was in the hot tub!
Pretty sure that's not allowed.

But I've more recently found out, that their CCTV also records sound, even the teeniest noise is picked up.

On a rare day off, I've had what I thought were private conversations with friends in the top corner of my garden, when everyone else was at work.
As it turns out, every single word will have been recorded.
I feel violated.

He particular, is a bit of a nerd, and is obsessed with knowing everything about everyone on the estate.
He gives me the creeps.

I can't even speak freely on my drive or in my garden as I know it is all being caught on CCTV.

I could report it, but he could easily say he's disabled the noise recorder, and I would never know if he has or not.

I'm pretty sure it's not legal to record noise, and also have their CCTV literally covering so much of my property.

I have no privacy at all and it's really starting to get to me.
I avoid areas in my garden I know he can see and I don't say very much when I'm outside or have the windows / doors open.
He has his nose in to everything around here and I've really had enough.

I don't know what I can do tbh.
Like I said, I could report it, but that won't stop him re-enabling it.

I just wish he'd piss off and move house, but I'm not that lucky!

I’d put screening up, and plant trees, so he can’t see. Get a gazebo.

I put a gazebo up but he can't still see other areas.
There's no room for trees.
Screening won't stop him recording every word I say.
I'm fuming.

Do you know for certain he can catch your voices at the top of your garden? This seems unlikely unless it's close to the cameras.
Definitely look to get screening plants or fences. And you could possibly use a white noise machine while you are in the garden. Position it as close to the recording device as possible to distort the sounds of your voices.

Put up a high fence so he can't see you.

How did you find out about it recording sound?

You are guessing OP
Just get on with you like!!

Are you Secret Service or something like that, and that is the reason you are paranoid??

Information Commissioners Officer will be helpful.
He is violating Data Protection maybe?

See this:

https://icosearch.ico.org.uk/s/search.html?query=Cctv&collection=ico-meta&profile=_default

If you are concerned that it will escalate then I'd go in all nicey nicey and just say "hey neighbour, I see you put up cctv. We were wondering about putting some up too but really worried about GDPR and data protection. How have you dealt with that?"

And see what he says! But basically he can't just record you on your private property without any reason. So you are in your rights to object but maybe take a sideways approach

Get a hot tub for conversations, I have it on good authority that the are the loudest things on earth 😉. Throw in some really clingy wind chimes for fun 🤣

Lots of wind chimes as close to the CCTV as possible and then it will struggle to pick up any other sound over that! Definitely some sort of screening too.

OP this piece on the case of Fairhurst v Woodard might be useful https://www.brettwilson.co.uk/blog/neighbour-cctv-harassment-and-data-protection-claim-succeeds/.

The law usually gives people a domestic exemption for using CCTV/surveillance tech on their own property but they have to comply with data protection law in full (just like any business would) if they film/record their neighbour's property.

Also "any video or audio recording capabilities should have a range not greatly exceeding the boundaries of an individual’s property."

It depends on the specific facts but sometimes a neighbour's use of CCTV can amount to harassment.

Just ask the police to go round and check he isn't recording or perving on you. Cctv isn't allowed to encroche your property or privacy..

I’d also play white noise close to where his camera is to make it hard for the camera to record your conversations. I’d really not be happy with this. It’s so intrusive.

You can't record people in their own environment! I'd be seeking some free lawyer advice as to what your rights are! Good luck

Go to the top of your garden and tell a friend something vague about someone you know who has reported their neighbour to the police for recording them. Then turn and give the CCTV camera a wink.

@DistinguishedSocialCommentator 🙄🤣

I'm not guessing.
How do you know that? Ridiculous comments.
Expected nothing less from MN tbh.

He brought a recording over for me to see, when his kids broke something of mine.
Forgetting he therefore disclosed he records sound.
As he's quite techie, that sounds can be recorded from quite a long way away and he got every tiny bit of talking on.

I'm not bloody paranoid.
I have a right to privacy on my own land and in my own home ffs.

Jeez.

Thank you. I'll look in to this.

I'll do this, thank you.

Love it!
I'm thinking up ways to really wind him up 🤣

Thanks for this info.
I'll definitely be looking in to this.

Get windchimes for your garden.

Definitely doing this!

This is a form of stalking. Contact Paladin, they'll help you.

Laser pointer up his lense if it turns onto your property tinkly windchimes

Thanks for some great advice.
99% off you!

I can't put up a higher fence, it's his fence and it's already at the maximum height.
I can't say too much on that without it being outing.
No room to plant trees either.

I'll definitely be taking the great advice given on here, thanks so much.
I'll call the police for advice too.

And putting something in place to distort the noise at the back of the house in the meantime.
But there's not much I can put at the sides or on the front to stop him hearing every word we or any guests say.

If he was your average guy it wouldn't bother me so much, but he's a lech and gives me the creeps.