A HOMEOPER fed up with his nosy neighbors peeping into his garden has told how they installed a two-metre privacy fence to solve the problem.
However, his neighbor took matters into his own hands by building his own fence – and she had an unwanted addition.
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Taking to Reddit the upset person wrote: “I built a 7 foot privacy fence.
“The neighbor raised his two feet and placed a camera facing my yard.
“I’ve been having problems with this neighbor since they moved in years ago.”
They shared how their neighbor originally built a two-foot fence on their property in 2020.
Angered by the loss of the garden, the Reddit user paid for a boundary survey and a lawyer so they could “correct their mistake”.
They continued: “We decided to build a privacy fence and put an end to them once and for all last November.
“A month later, they increase the height of the fence and it appears (front to back).”
The last straw came when they installed a CCTV camera on top of the fence, pointing towards the Reddit user’s garden.
They added: “The police won’t do anything and I can’t afford civil action.”
People were quick to express their shock at their neighbor’s actions, with one saying: “It’s like having a spy from 2023. It’s not okay.”
One shared: “I would put a big umbrella outside. Offset type.
“Put it right in front of his camera. If he moves the camera, move your umbrella. Good luck.”
Another added: “You know birds I love seeds. Just place a bird feeder in front of it. And maybe those birds will fertilize that camera too… Perfectly cool to enjoy nature!”
One of them contributed: “I say you create a Nic Cage type of advent calendar.
“Choose a different photo of Nic Cage to block the camera from time to time. Everyone wins!”
ARE CAMERAS LEGAL?
Legal experts say that if a neighbor’s CCTV records on your property, the position will be regulated by the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act.
You may be familiar with this when it comes to websites that store your data or companies that send you emails.
But Joanne Ellis, a partner at the Warrington-based solicitor Stephensonssaid that if the captured CCTV is outside the boundaries of the owner’s property, the person capturing the CCTV becomes a data controller.
This creates a set of responsibilities for the CCTV owner.
The person caught has the right to be informed that a CCTV system is being used and what information is being recorded.
The top five reasons for fights between neighbors
A study by Compare the Market revealed the main reason why the British neighbor argues
- Broken Fences – At the top of the board were broken fences and whose responsibility it was to fix them
- Parking: a major driver of disputes between neighbors, with 54.1 percent of people having problems with people parking in front of their house, parking space or driveway
- Trees – complaints about a neighbour’s tree breaking their garden path were also common, with almost half of participants finding it frustrating
- Trash Wars – Outdoor Trash Etiquette Continues to Spark the Furiest Debates Between Neighbors
- Nosy neighbors – some people have eyes and ears ready to take a peek, causing trouble for others
Ellis said a subject access request can be made if a neighbor refuses to do so.
She said: “You can ask for footage captured of you to be deleted – but it can be refused if there is a legitimate reason to keep it, such as if it was captured by a thief.
“Any third parties to whom CCTV is disclosed, such as police and insurers, are also required to process the footage in accordance with the rules.”
Ellis said a neighbor could request that it not be captured on CCTV, but this may not be granted if the footage complies with regulations.
The owner of the CCTV must also process the data lawfully and transparently and only for specified and legitimate purposes.
Ellis said: “In a domestic context, this is often to prevent or record burglaries or thefts.
“If the CCTV footage, for example, covers a potential entrance or exit and is not too intrusive to the neighbor, the use is likely to be considered legitimate.”
The data processed must also be adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary in relation to the purposes for which they are processed.
Ellis added: “The importance here is limitation – so if the coverage clearly captures much more than would be necessary to identify an offender, it would breach the regulations.
“Data should also only be stored for an appropriate period of time – so after a reasonable period of time, it is appropriate to delete the footage if it is not needed as evidence.
“There may also be a claim of harassment or nuisance, depending on the extent of the filming and the circumstances of the case.”
As always with disputes, Ellis said, the best thing to do is talk to your neighbor, express your concerns and try to reach an agreement.
If this fails, it may be worth seeking legal advice, but it can be expensive.
The Information Commissioner’s Office it also has a guide on what a CCTV owner needs to do and the rights of neighbors.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
