Walked down my pathway to the beach and saw my neighbours have put a wall mounted cctv camera on their house aimed down my pathway
It serves no purpose but to enable them to monitor me , and my tennant (s) walking to the beach.
The neighbour is in a landgrab build so up the drive from me, but the builder kept a 1mtr footpath for beach access , so i walk up my drive , turn left 90′ past the side of my garage, turn right 90′ and walk the 50mtr to the beach , Parallel to their property

There was an incident with the tennants son who is sufereing anxiety and depression , is on Lexapro iirc . He lobbed a bottle over the fence and it smashed . Hes in a bad way , lost his job in lockdown ( chef ) lost his fiancé , lost his flat in London . So back home with Dad and no mates around locally.

I am cutting him alot of slack as he is going through alot. I found him a great job, but he lost it by gettting hammered at work whilst off shift and causing a scene . Polce did a welfare check. Ambo been out a few times too. I dont want to push him over the edge. However , getting drunk whilst on anti depressants and smashing vodka bottles isnt on

I hate my neighbours , narcissistic liars the pair of them .

Might get a pole and a flag and mount it on my pathway if front of his camera so it sets off the motion detector constantly on a breezy day.
Think the GDPR laws banned people from filming you for going about your business on your own land ? without proper reason anyway.

Apologies for the blatent clickbait title

This might be useful:

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/oct/14/amazon-asks-ring-owners-to-respect-privacy-after-court-rules-usage-broke-law

As I understand it if they are filming anything gother than their own property then that just isn’t on. No need to register a domestic system with the ICO though if it isn’t pointing at anywhere the public might be.
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Although it could be useful evidence for you in the event a dispute with them, or a burglary at your house or whatever. Is it just the path it covers or can it see the garden too?

Yep, that recently case should cover it.

Ladder, tip it up skyways, they’ll soon get bored. And no they can’t have a private unregistered camera capturing public land.

Any way you can talk to them or will it just end with them being dicks?

This is a really elaborate humblebrag about living right by the beach. Nice work!

It’s not banned, but apparently you do need signage to inform people they are being recorded, and there are various GDPR provisions on retention/processing of personal data in terms of any images they take.

To play devil’s advocate, this lad might be worthy of a bit of slack-cutting, but if someone living next door was lobbing vodka bottles over my fence, with police and ambulance turning up regularly, I might have some legitimate security concerns. Do they know the context for his behaviour, or might they just think they potentially have a nightmare neighbour?

In other words, talk to them about it.

Is talking to them just going to go badly? Like martinhutch, I sympathize with your tenant’s son, but throwing bottles over the place isn’t cool either, but CCTV seems a bit OTT

1x bottle , once . Its not like its a daily occurance.
He’s suicidal , having hallucinations , weird mood swings , prone to staggingly bad decision making .
And no, Im not on speaking terms with them .
The angle re adjustment is probably the easiset way to go , it will be on a gimball most likely.

@grum

That’s a bit unfair

Neighbours pointing CCTV up my back passage – Surely want to watch your cumming and ‘goings’

I suspect tampering with the camera will only escalate the situation. And he’ll have footage of you doing it.

Is there a neutral neighbour/mate who could raise your concerns on your behalf and explain the tenants situation if needed?

Info on this situation here. Options given are speak to them, or involve the police if the camera is being used for harassment (as in that Oxfordshire case).

https://ico.org.uk/your-data-matters/domestic-cctv-systems-guidance-for-people-being-filmed/

Get an officer of the law to visit.. Go and show them them the offending camera, and make sure that the camera records that it’s being pointed at and discussed. They might get the message

but CCTV seems a bit OTT

not sure about that – if not on speaking terms with neighbour, maybe they think it’s deliberate and a sign of escalation. Not very nice to wake up to broken glass in the garden, esp. with kids/pets!

Doubt you can alter the angle, normally adjusted from the inside and then locked before mounting.

Is the path your property or shared access etc? Agree that an intermediary is probably the best approach.

Although it could be useful evidence for you in the event a dispute with them

“Hi, I’m about to enter into a dispute with you, could you provide me with the security footage which will incriminate you please?”

When I set up CCTV cameras at our yard (fairly basic system bought by the boss) it was very easy to add block out sections of the picture on the DVR, such as neighbors windows. You could ask to see the images if it does point at the passage and ask to block them.

So, you haven’t even spoken to them to explain why your tenants’ son is behaving erratically?

It might be easier for your tenants to cope with their son having a mental health crisis if the neighbours understood the situation and weren’t freaking out over it.

As their landlord, it’s something you can help them with.

In answer to the OP:

You don’t have a right not to be filmed or photographed except in specific circumstances, sorry. Ask any paparazzi photographer. You might have an argument if they were peeping through your curtains, but if you’re just walking past your house then not so much.

Playing devil’s advocate for a moment, I’m not entirely sure why you’d care. What do you think they’re doing with the footage, sat there going “look, there he goes again! Walking! With his legs and everything!”

Moving it isn’t going to do anything, they’ll just move it straight back again.

The Ring doorbell case wasn’t about recording, it was about excessive recording. It was picking up audio like half a block away.

1. Mount your own camera on a pole (selfie stick might work).
2. Take photo that is close to the view from the cctv.
3. Print photo on waterproof paper.
4. Mount photo on something to keep it flat.
5. Position photo in front of cctv.

or sausages/lawn while the cctv isn’t watching.

That’s a bit unfair

Was meant to be a joke!

Grum.
No worries, i knew you were just joking
Sausages and a hammer would be
e ace as they have 3 x uber gay fluffy yappy lap dogs, who contend with the 6ft crocodile, life sized pirate drinking from a tankard sitting on stolen beer casks at a table inhabited by model crows
A wooden pagoda with lamps supposed to resemble flaming torches plus the worst collection of homemade tat signage i have ever seen
My driveway and parking area has become his turning area because him and his family are rubbish drivers who cant reverse within 1mtr of a wall

I’m not in agreement with Cougar. You might not have and expectation of privacy from the paparazzi, etc. On the high street but on your own pathway is a different matter.

GDPR means that they must have a purpose for the processing of your data and a legal basis for the processing that outweighs your right for the data to not be processed. The processing must also not be excessive for the purpose. If their purpose is to monitor their property then a camera monitoring your property seems excessive and I doubt they have done a legitimate interest assessment of the installation.

Get on the ICO and CCTV commissioner’s website and download the various templates that they provide and ask to their their completed copies. A print out of the Daily Mail “ring doorbell 100k award” article might also focus their mind.

You could also put in a Subject Access Request for all your data, they’ll soon get bored. 😀

A YouTube channel called The Black Belt Barrister has recently released a video on this due the a case in the press. Might be worth a watch for some more info. He also provides links to the court ruling in full.

Just ask them nicely to remove it as it is impinging your privacy, you can always state that you could fit a camera to cover that area, if they aren’t covering the area that they own or is public then it’s a hard one to prove they aren’t breaching privacy rules, otherwise we could all just ram cameras up to spy on the neighbours.

I’m not in agreement with Cougar. You might not have and expectation of privacy from the paparazzi, etc. On the high street but on your own pathway is a different matter.

GDPR means that they must have a purpose for the processing of your data and a legal basis for the processing that outweighs your right for the data to not be processed.

Disagree all you like, the OP’s path is no different from the street from a legal point of view. There are places where it is unlawful to take photographs (railway platforms for instance) but generally you have no rights not to have your photo taken.

GDPR applies to businesses not individuals, it’s irrelevant here. Their neighbours aren’t data processors, they’re chavs with a security camera.

You could also put in a Subject Access Request for all your data, they’ll soon get bored.

More like, they’ll have a good laugh at their loony neighbour and then throw it in the bin.

GDPR Recital 18:

“This Regulation does not apply to the processing of personal data by a natural person in the course of a purely personal or household activity and thus with no connection to a professional or commercial activity.”

https://www.privacy-regulation.eu/en/recital-18-GDPR.htm

https://ico.org.uk/your-data-matters/domestic-cctv-systems-guidance-for-people-using-cctv/

Using CCTV at your home
There are many domestic CCTV systems on the market to help you protect your home. If you’re thinking of using one, you need to make sure you do so in a way that respects other people’s privacy.

If you set up your system so it captures only images within the boundary of your private domestic property (including your garden), then the data protection laws will not apply to you.

But what if your system captures images of people outside the boundary of your private domestic property – for example, in neighbours’ homes or gardens, shared spaces, or on a public footpath or a street?

Then the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA18) will apply to you, and you will need to ensure your use of CCTV complies with these laws. This guidance refers to them as the ‘data protection laws’.

Regardless of whether or not your use of CCTV falls within the data protection laws, the ICO recommends you use it responsibly to protect the privacy of others.

What does ‘private domestic property’ mean?
It means the boundary of the property (including the garden) where you live.

How can I use CCTV responsibly at my property?
You should ask yourself whether CCTV is actually the best way to improve your home security.

Think about the following questions:

Do I really need CCTV?
Are there other things I could use to protect my home, such as better lighting?
What is the most privacy-friendly way to set up the system?
What areas do I want the cameras to capture?
Can I position the cameras to avoid intruding on my neighbours’ property or any shared or public spaces?
Do I need to record the images, or is a live feed enough?
Has my CCTV system got an audio-recording facility? Audio recording is very privacy-intrusive. So in most cases where householders use CCTV, they should disable audio recording.
Think about the problem you are trying to tackle. It will usually be to safeguard you and your property against crime. Check your local police advice about crime prevention. Better locks, security lighting or an alarm system may be more effective and less expensive ways of securing your property.

If you decide to use CCTV, think about what areas need to be covered, and whether your cameras need to capture images beyond the boundary of your property. Remember, if your cameras don’t capture images beyond your boundary, the data protection laws won’t apply to you.

What is the law if my CCTV captures images of people outside my own home and garden?
If your CCTV captures images beyond your property boundary, such as your neighbours’ property or public streets and footpaths, then your use of the system is subject to the data protection laws.

This does not mean you are breaking the law. But it does mean that, as the CCTV user, you are a data controller. So you will need to comply with your legal obligations under the data protection laws.

You can still capture images, but you need to show you are doing it in ways that comply with the data protection laws and uphold the rights of the people whose images you are capturing.

What must I do if I capture images of people outside my own home and garden?
If you are capturing images beyond your property boundary, you should have a clear and justifiable reason for doing so. In particular, you will need to think why you need these images. If asked by an individual or the ICO, you will need to be able to explain your reasons, so you should write them down now. You should also write down why you think capturing the images is more important than invading the privacy of your neighbours and passers-by.

You will also need to:

Let people know you are using CCTV by putting up signs saying that recording is taking place, and why.
Ensure you don’t capture more footage than you need to achieve your purpose in using the system.
Ensure the security of the footage you capture – in other words, holding it securely and making sure nobody can watch it without good reason.
Only keep the footage for as long as you need it – delete it regularly, and when it is no longer needed.
Ensure the CCTV system is only operated in ways you intend and can’t be misused for other reasons. Anyone you share your property with, such as family members who could use the equipment, needs to know the importance of not misusing it.

You also need to make sure you respect the data protection rights of the people whose images you capture. This includes the following things:

Responding to subject access requests (SARs), if you receive any. Individuals have a right to access the personal data you hold about them, including identifiable images. They can ask you verbally or in writing. You must respond within one month and give them a copy of the data.

uber gay fluffy yappy lap dogs

How do you know the sexual orientation of their dogs? Maybe it’s woke, but I think we’ve moved on from using ‘gay’ like this.

Hum.

That’s self-contradictory. I need to do some digging.

It will be because your neighbour’s CCTV is so open to abuse and could be considered surveillance versus the “difficulty” your neighbour might have abusing your privacy rights if they were just badly processing your contact details.

The recent 100k doorbell one is interesting as its been so badly reported by the press. The 100k is iirc a theoretical maximum fine as as someone mentioned above it was the excessive number of cameras to achieve the stated purpose and the fact they recorded the neighbour’s property. I think the fact the bloke was also an arsehole about it when confronted didn’t help his cause.

The OP should definitely take it up with his neighbour to get the camera shifted at the very least.

Maybe write a polite and courteous letter to the neighbour. Explain the situation, express your concerns over being filmed going to the beach? Ask if they have security concerns, explain without being too personal about the young chap ( not sure the neighbour needs to know what meds the lads is on?) be a good neighbour and look for a mutual solution.

As I said earlier simply ask them to set up privacy zones where the camera looks at your property. It’s not a big ask. If its not an option, ask them to rotate it slightly.

Are you sure it’s not a dummy camera?

It only looks at my property . The angle is such it cannot see the ground / path thats on his side of the fence . Its aimed down the path to record faces / top half of persons using that path.
Maybe its additional security should anyone be tempted to steal the skeleton dressed as a pirate or the Crocodile .

In that case ask for it to be moved.
In all honesty I hate that kind of thing and if talking doesn’t solve it would block it’s field of view if possible.
GDPR or not, you’re not supposed to point CCTV outside your boundary, into others property as stated above. It was a big no when I worked in the trade many many years ago. Hence the privacy zones

The Register have a few more details about that recent cctv case
https://www.theregister.com/2021/10/13/amazon_ring_audio_recording_data_protection/

Hum.

That’s self-contradictory. I need to do some digging.

Its not contradictory as far as I can tell the ICO are quite clear, which part are you viewing as self contradictory?