‘What the hell are you doing?’ homeowner rages after seeing neighbour’s ‘intimidating’ garden item that invades privacy
A HOMEOWNER was left fuming after his neighbour erected an “intimidating” object in his garden which overlooked his own outdoor space.
The man uploaded a photo showing how his next door neighbour had installed a security camera that invaded his privacy.
Taking to Reddit, he shared his saga and asked for advice.
He wrote: “So, we were in our backyard hanging out when I noticed the neighbour mounting a camera to the top of his shed.
“I’m like what the hell are you doing? His reply was watching the fence!
“Now mind you, he did this Friday afternoon around 4:00 p.m. so this piece of work thinks it’s okay to invade people’s privacy in their own backyard.
“Everybody is entitled to privacy in their own home and backyard without being intimidated.”
The man, who is based in Michigan in the US, claimed the state has “strict” voyeur laws, and he planned to use them for his benefit.
He added: “I will have to contact the lawyer now, and the police department to file a complaint against this person.”
Many people were quick to comment on the man’s garden drama and say he should seek “revenge” in a creative way.
One suggested: “It’s time for the wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man.”
Another added: “Traffic Mirror on your side.”
A third offered up: “I hear if you point a laser pointer at it can cause issues.”
People asked if he had had issues with his neighbour before and he replied: “Unfortunately yes and documented.”
Legal experts say that if a neighbour’s CCTV records onto your property the position is regulated under the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act.
You may be familiar with this when it comes to websites storing your data or companies sending you emails.
But Joanne Ellis, a partner at Warrington-based solicitor Stephensons, said if CCTV being captured falls outside of a homeowner’s property boundaries, the person capturing the CCTV becomes a data controller.
This creates a set of responsibilities for the CCTV owner.
The person captured has a right to be told a CCTV system is being used and what information is being recorded.
Ellis said a subject access request can be made if a neighbour refuses to do this.
Law on CCTV
The Information Commissioners Officer states that the use of recording equipment, such as CCTV or smart door bells, to capture video or sound recordings outside the user’s property boundary is not a breach of data protection law.
People should try to point their CCTV cameras away from their neighbours’ homes and gardens, shared spaces or public streets.
She said: “You can ask for the footage captured of you to be deleted – but it can be refused if there is a legitimate reason to keep it such as it captures a burglar.
“Any third parties that the CCTV is disclosed to, such as police and insurers, are also obliged to process the footage in accordance with the rules.”
Ellis said that a neighbour can request they are not captured on CCTV, but this might not be granted if the filming complies with regulations.
The CCTV owner must also process data in a lawful and transparent manner and only for specified and legitimate purposes.
Ellis said: “In a domestic context, this is usually to deter or record burglaries or theft.
“If the CCTV footage for example covers a potential entrance or exit and is not too intrusive for the neighbour the use is likely to be considered legitimate.”
The Top Five Reasons Neighbours Squabble
One study by Compare the Market revealed the top reason British neighbour's argue
- Broken fences – top of the board was broken fences and whose responsibility it was to fix it
- Parking: one of the leading drivers of neighbour disputes, with 54.1 per cent of people having issues with people parking in front of their house, parking bay or driveway
- Trees – complaints about a neighbour’s tree cracking your garden path was also common with nearly half of participants finding it frustrating
- Bin wars – outdoor bin etiquette continues to ignite the most furious debates between neighbours
- Nosy Neighbours – some people have their eyes and ears at the ready to have a peek causing problems for others