Privacy is one of the most important things in life which is why it can be annoying top find out that your neighbor has security cameras which are facing towards your property. Obviously the first thing that comes into your mind is that your neighbor is video recording your every move but is that always the case? Below we discuss if your neighbor is allowed to record you on your property and also steps you can take to avoid this from happening.
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Can my neighbor video record me on my property?
The answer to this depends on the type of content that your neighbor is recording within your property and also how the content will be used. If your neighbor is recording you in plain view, either on your door, porch or driveway then yes your neighbor can video record you on your property. However, if you are in areas where privacy is expected for example the bathroom, washroom and bedroom then your neighbor is not allowed to video record you on your property. The reason why it is illegal for your neighbor to video record you on your property especially in areas where privacy is expected is because it’s a sign that the cameras were strategically positioned to capture such information. Therefore, if your neighbor is video recording you in areas where privacy is expected you should confront them or report the issue to the police.
Your neighbor’s right to install security cameras
Your neighbor can have security cameras installed on their yard even if they point directly to your yard. Whilst this might seem like an invasion of your privacy, your neighbor is within their rights to do so. This is because they have the right to protect themselves from danger and by installing security cameras, they will be upholding this right. Therefore, you should not be picking fights with your neighbor in regards to this issue but, instead you should talk to them if you feel uncomfortable about their cameras recording your property.
Your right to privacy
Whilst your neighbor is allowed to install security cameras that face towards your property for security reasons, you are also entitled to privacy. Therefore, if your neighbor is video recording you in areas where privacy is expected in your house you can actually report them to the police.
What to do if my neighbor video records me in my property.
Talk to your neighbor
NB: this is the best way of dealing with such scenarios since it doesn’t raise tensions between you and your neighbor.
Your neighbor should be someone who you feel comfortable to talk to so it’s best that you start by confronting them before taking any legal action. This will help to ensure that you air out any problems that you might have. Moreover, there is a chance that your neighbor will actually reposition their cameras to suit your needs. If your neighbor refuses to reposition their camera then ask politely to view their camera feeds. This is a great way of inspecting whether they are video recording any private information about you.
Ask your neighbor to put a privacy mask
If you are having a hard time convincing your neighbor to reposition their camera then try asking them to put a privacy mask. A number of cameras have this feature which enables users to black out certain portions of their security feeds. This means that your neighbors can put up a privacy mask feature to block the view of your house from their surveillance system.
Ask your neighbor to remove motion detection alerts from your property
A number of surveillance cameras are set to record any motion. So if your neighbor’s camera has the same settings it will always record your property each time you are outside. In order to curb this ask your neighbor to remove motion detection alerts so that their cameras can only record movement that is happening on their property.
Report to the police
NB: only report when you are certain that your neighbor is video recording you in areas where privacy is expected.
If your neighbor is video recording you on your property especially in areas where privacy is expected then you definitely need to report this issue to the police. The police will launch an investigation and there is a good chance that your neighbor will face serious charges for this. However, once you report a neighbor to the police there is a good chance that tensions will rise. Therefore, always use this option as a last resort.
Is it bad for my neighbor to video record my property?
A lot of people always assume that it is a bad thing for a neighbor to video record their property and they never see the advantages associated with this. Firstly, having neighbor that have surveillance cameras facing towards your house means free surveillance protection for you. This means that if there are any buglers trying to attack your house, your neighbor’s surveillance cameras will catch them in act. Therefore, it’s not always a bad thing for neighbors to video record you on your property.
Is it legal for my neighbors to spy on me?
It is illegal for your neighbor to spy on you, this is mainly because you have the right to privacy. If you are not sure whether your neighbor is spying on you then just check whether they know certain information about you which they shouldn’t know. You can also check to see if they know your daily routine. If they know all these things about you then there is a good chance they are spying on you and you should definitely report them to the police.
Conclusion
It is common to feel annoyed by neighbors who video record you on your property. However, it is also important to be cognizant of the fact that it is within your neighbors rights to record your property. Therefore, the best way to deal with such scenarios would be to ignore the whole situation unless you have ample evidence to prove that your neighbor is spying on you.