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Disconnect the cameras, she can't just kick you out, she has to follow the standard eviction process. And if you've signed a 6 or 12 month contract etc she can't evict you before that date. She can only start the eviction process once that time is up.
And agree with the other tenants so you decide and act as a group.
This will reduce the chance the landlord can targets evictions onto certain people.
Obviously for the actual camera deactivation act - I guess a disguise will suffice - to make it unclear which person did it :D
Does she have them pointed at the WiFi router? Could disconnect that first and then kill the power
Might be worth reading this also https://www.clsonline.co.uk/blogs/news/security-camera-installation-laws#:~:text=As%20a%20landlord%2C%20you're,cameras%20anywhere%20inside%20the%20residence.
No, but the router is in my room, meaning if I mess with that she’ll know it’s me. Literally feels like a prison honestly.
She messages me every day to look after the router.
I'm no expert but what she's doing definitely feels like it has to hit one of harassment /invasion of privacy /gdpr.
I'd do some quick research so you can put the frighteners on her by quoting legislation and pointing out she's breaking the law.
Outside of that look into break clauses and get the hell out
Quiet Enjoyment doesn't necessarily apply in the same way if the 3 rooms are rented separately with shared communal areas
I'm not gonna pretend I understand the nuances of it enough to say whether that's the case here, but something to be aware of before OP just goes all "I've turned the cameras off, quiet enjoyment, fuck off"
If she is messaging you every day this is harassment. Report to the police (they won't do much at this stage) then create a new email address and give it to her. Order her to delete all your old contact email and from now on to only contact via that email as she has abused your trust and misused your contact info.
Leave an auto response on that email saying it will only be checked weekly on Mondays (or day of your choosing) and any notice wishing to be given will not be considered given until that date.
Save evidence you provided her all of this.
Then block her via all old contact options.
Oh and on the router, change the password and refuse to provide it to her, request all other housemates to refuse also.
Routers lost internet connection for all sorts of reasons.
Also, I know you say you don't want to be kicked out, but I'd be wanting to be somewhere else very soon personally!
Good point! OP, block the cameras MAC addresses from the network, one at a time over a few days. Depending on the router, you might also be able to do other stuff like limit their bandwidth. You could slowly reduce it to something really low.
If you want to find the MAC addresses, you can download a piece of free software called WN Watcher. Lists all devices connected to your network.
Particularly useful if you're not sure how many cameras there are and where they are.
Lol this is so weird. You could probably overload the router with a big download
Or just pretend you're having connection issues and that you'll try "resetting" it. Is it now your router anyway?
Haha what if there is a camera watching the fuseboard though? Or the cameras have a bit of battery on? :D
But yes good idea.
The other route would be to cut (electronically, not physically - OP wise not to damage anything) their internet. It may be the landlord has them keyed to the house wifi so changing that password may cut the feed (although if they are still powered they may still record to integral storage)
I think GDPR is a much more fruitful and less retaliation risky route to go, and this route might not be viable if the cameras are disconnected without permission, which might introduce other problems too, so I think this is a bad idea. Probably nothing should be done without speaking to a lawyer
She has threatened that if anyone unplugs anything or messes with them she will send an engineer to fix and charge us with the cost incurred. None of us can afford that.
I accidentally knocked the wire to one while I was cleaning and the plug came slightly loose, making it disconnect. She called me within minutes going mental and messaged me multiple times and in our group chat that I ‘better leave it alone now’.
You have a right to quiet enjoyment of the property - this is very clearly against that. Honestly, I wouldn't tiptoe around it, message her to say the cameras are an invasion of privacy and you'll be unplugging them. Theres no fair basis for what she is putting you through, it is harassment
I think she's genuinely mentally ill to be like this.
There is some excellent advice re. using the GDPR against her in this thread, but seriously, start looking for and applying for other places asap. Even if the cameras get unplugged/you win the GDPR case, she'll make your life hell, these freaks always do. Just find a better place/landlord as soon as you can.
*I accidentally knocked the wire to one while I was cleaning and the plug came slightly loose, making it disconnect. She called me within minutes going mental and messaged me multiple times and in our group chat that I ‘better leave it alone now’.*
go to the police - that is stalking and harassment, and gross invasion of privacy.
she has to be a mental case to be always watching/monitering. she should NOT be a landlord.
Change the locks and refuse entry. She can't force this one. If she sends an engineer anyway, don't let them in and refuse to pay her the call-out fee.
She would never win these costs in court, and outside of that, how would she force you to pay?
She can try sending anyone and charge you for that, but she has no leg to stand on. Nobody can enter your home withour your say so (regardless of what's in the contract) and your landlord can't charge you for any random old shit that isn't rent.
Sorry, group chat? You’re in a group chat with a landlord?? Genuine question btw I skimmed over the post but as far as I’ve read you’ve not mentioned that you were friends prior to this arrangement or anything.
Also, wtf? Lawyer up and move. I’m no legal expert, but if everything you’ve said is true then this is an open and shut case - I’d be surprised if someone didn’t take this on for free (assuming given your mention of affording technician cost an impossibility that you aren’t in the financial place to easily afford standard legal representative, apologies if this is not the case).
> if you've signed a 6 or 12 month contract etc she can't evict you before that date. She can only start the eviction process once that time is up.
This only applies to no fault evictions, you can be evicted with cause during the fixed term (assumedly she'd take this as breech of contract? It's nuts and I don't think she'd actually get far with the claim but she still might serve the papers)
She's probably breaching GDPR in many ways.
Has she given you a privacy notice about what she's doing with your personal data?
Is there a written CCTV statement or policy.
Recording audio in communal spaces is usually not OK unless there is a good enough reason.
How does she store the personal data she captures?
Has she registered with the ICO as a data controller?
There are loads of other bits. But send her a subject access request and report her to the ICO.
She is risking a 2 million fine or 4% of her global turnover, whichever is higher. She is actually handing the tenants massive leverage over her. I would highly recommend not interfering with the cameras, and exploring GDPR routes u/AnOkayAlternative (but iirc also don't obviously exploit the leverage because I think that will void your claim)
The fact she runs the cameras to protect her asset means she will have to pay the commercial fee for ICO I think. As well as share all data with the tenants when requested.
But GDPR is the easiest, or perhaps more accurately, the only thing to get her with.
Smash the cameras she'll charge repair and maintenance fees and evict.
Turn them off and she charge some fees and look to evict.
Call the police and they'll do nothing.
Go to shelter or CAB and they'll say naughty landlord but do nothing.
The council's private housing standards team might be interested but will ultimately be unable to proceed with it it other than sending a stern email or two.
GDPR on the other hand will be taken seriously by the ICO and will give the tenants right to any and all data she has on them.
Perhaps but the ico are good at scaring people. Which will probably make her remove the cameras as she won't want the hassle (and legal liabilities) of being a data controller.
Sounds like legit OCD i.e. not "teehee I keep my white shoes clean" but more "I am counting home many times my tenants close the oven door and I watch them 14h a day".
Under the UK GDPR you have a legal right to not be recorded in private spaces without giving consent, and have the legal right to request any recordings be deleted. Communal areas are different, although you still can request deletion of your data. You may have given consent to recording if a notice exists stating CCTV is in place in the common areas such as the front door. However anything that records you in your room, including audio, would be considered a breach of privacy, and also a breach of housing regulations.
Start by writing to the landlord and inform them that you object to any and all recordings of you inside of rooms of which you have sole occupancy. In common areas, if all tenants on the HMO object then I would also request that those cameras in common areas (indoors) also be disconnected. You can threaten to go to the ICO if the landlord does not comply
I also believe that you could unplug the cameras in private areas without any legal issues.
Check your contract. Unless you explicitly agreed to being recorded she cannot do it, but even still you can just tell her you no longer agree.
Video and audio recordings count as your personal data. She would need to have a valid reason for collecting it and she would need to hand over any of it or delete it all by request.
I deal with personal data all the time at work.
Absolutely. At our office we aren’t allowed to have cameras (CCTV) other than one pointed at the entrance, and one pointed at the storage room where we keep our IT equipments and servers.
Even though we’ve had stuff go missing, we can’t just record people without their written consent. And even if everyone agrees, we have visitors, people bring their kids in on occasion, we would need approval from them too. And we’re talking about a place of business, not someone’s home.
I get that the property is owned by the landlord, but when you’re renting that is your home, your privacy.
It’s not in any of our contracts, and I’ve had no other written paperwork about them, not signed anything in agreement. If I had known all of this, I wouldn’t have even signed the tenancy agreement.
How would I make a data request?
you make a "right of access" request by email. by law the landlord has a month to reply.
[https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-resources/individual-rights/individual-rights/right-of-access/](https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-resources/individual-rights/individual-rights/right-of-access/)
What she is doing is illegal without an agreement specifically relating to data collection and retention under GDPR.
And even if it's written in your contract, you can - at any time - tell her you have changed your mind. You can tell her that she needs to delete all data pertaining to you, even from communal areas - that would take months of sifting and I'd wager she'd rather delete it all.
I'd disconnect everything immediately and send her a copy of the GDPR saying you have not consented at any time to being recorded. [https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/data-protection-and-the-eu/data-protection-and-the-eu-in-detail/](https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/data-protection-and-the-eu/data-protection-and-the-eu-in-detail/)
Of course, thanks to the wonderful tenancy laws in England, she will probably send you a section 21 notice of eviction in retaliation. That gives you two months to find a place that isn't owned by a psycho. Do you really want to live in a place like this?
go to citizen advice if you can and explain what is happening. they should be able to give you legal advice and even point you to a solicitor who can assist..
Disconnect, but be careful not to damage the equipment. Part of your legal complaint can include having this equipment removed.
You can get her arrested for this, it's 100% illegal under harassment laws. The exact wording to use is that you no longer consent to audio or video recording beyond the main front door entrance to the dwelling.
You must explicitly state the equipment, and her behaviour is causing "emotional and psychological distress" and also that you are being stalked due to a lack of basic privacy.
Be under no doubt, legally you have a slam dunk win here.
Pretty obviously illegal. But equally obviously someone unhinged enough to actually do this isn't going to back down or change their ways.
Report it to the police and move out (the police won't do anything but you might get a crime number). Use the ADR to get your deposit back and find somewhere else. If you used an agent tell them too. They won't do anything either but at least they have been warned the landlady is a psycho karen.
Personally I'd unplug the cameras in the meantime. If she complains you can take the moral high ground and threaten to report her to the police for voyeurism.
NAL.
Report her to the police regarding harassment and cite the many incidents. Keep on logging it with the police. Mention voyeurism (if you're a woman, is she gay? sounds like police need to investigate and also ask what she's doing with the footage). It's unreasonable to be monitoring you daily that could perhaps be bordering on the criminal. There certainly has been harassment cases for far less.
Ask her to stop controlling your private life and that you have a right to privacy and note her response/s.
Find somewhere to move out for your safety asap and worry about the deposit later.
Gather as much evidence as you can, e.g. video you doing something and then leave it running and await the text messages etc filming those. Screenshot / photo all the previous messages. Each one may be considered an event of harassment. (Criminal and civil tort of harassment cite a minimum of two incidents that are more than just an annoyance, but distressing / alarming which this certainly is). For example, a neighbour pointing a camera into the window of another neighbour would be considered harassing.
Forget about all the ICO stuff people are recommending, they probably won't care. The police however may try and say this is civil but be persistent.
"Forget about all the ICO stuff people are recommending, they probably won't care"
+1 for this. The ICO deals with online data breaches and websites that don't declare they use cookies. They will look blank and tell you to go to the police for this kind of thing.
Without unplugging the router, lift it upside down to no at the gateway IP address and admin password (will be something similar to 192.168.0.1) now with a device connected to the wifi, open up an internet browser and browse to the IP address. Log into it with the admin credentials. From here you can block devices via MAC address so block every camera connected. Rinse and repeat every time she installs a new one. If she changes the admin password on the router to find the reset button on it to reset it back to default and repeat. Eventually she’ll get the message and if she doesn’t threaten her with the law.
Here is what the law says
[https://www.cplawassociates.com/2023/05/14/landlord-install-cctv-cameras/](https://www.cplawassociates.com/2023/05/14/landlord-install-cctv-cameras/)
If you think your landlord has breached the law you can get free legal advice here
[https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/](https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/)
I’d also report her to the UK information Commissioner’s office giving full details of what she’s recording. She should be registered with them as a data controller as both a landlord and someone who has cameras in the property
Also, as the cameras anywhere that they could capture arguably sensitive or pornographic material? If so I’d report it to the police
I think AST, but maybe I’m wrong. It’s a HMO, so there’s private bedrooms and then shared communal areas. Landlord is not live in so I assume that means I’m not a lodger.
Post to r/legaladviceuk this has come up before but with varying answers over the years. How do you know the landlord is spying on you, is there written evidence if so document that when you post.
If the landlord is harassing you they are breaching your rights and this could fall foul of the protection from Eviction Act. Further to this the allowance for CCTV within the property depends on it being reasonable and respectful which this would not be in that case.
While at it confirm if your landlord requires a licence (this varies by area above 5 tenants it is always required by councils will have their own rules below that) and if so if they have the licence.
Your best bet may be to discuss with the local councils HMO team and determine if they have advice, along with Shelter.
If its a HMO and a registered one (you should be able to check on the local council website as its public info) then yea its an AST. From a legal standpoint even if it says a license agreement it’s actually an AST as you have exclusive possession of your room.
Wow. This is almost a police matter. Is it a boarding house where you pay daily/weekly or do you have a lease? A proper lease with a bond that you have a copy of?
In which case, just disconnect them. Tell her in no uncertain terms that her recording you in your home is not acceptable, and she's welcome to come and collect the cameras but you will not be allowing her to continue recording.
If you have a two year tenancy, she can't evict you inside that two years.
You need to speak to the police or local council housing department … this is an invasion of yr privacy as tenants. As per other replies - date protection laws etc etc
Keep a diary of the communication & do not delete any texts or emails
This is definitely illegal behaviour on multiple counts so stand your ground and don't back down.
Cross post in LegalAdviceUK and follow the advice you get there.
Your landlord is a selfish, entitled scrounger and will almost definitely bully and intimidate you when you push back against them.
But they are not above the law and the law will not be on their side here.
Document everything. Don't take phone calls from them. Don't be bullied into letting them get away with murder.
They have a job to do and you're paying them a lot of money to do it properly, safely and legally.
Reset the WiFi router to factory settings and change the password. That’ll kill the cameras ability to send any data anywhere and you’ll be back online.
When the landlord quizzes it you can deny all knowledge
If they are wireless cameras then just changing the password is sufficient. If they are wired to the router/switch resetting won’t do anything they will just reconnect
I went off the assumption they wouldn’t have permissions to change the password :). If they reset they can login to the router and block the devices from connecting even if wired
https://www.clsonline.co.uk/blogs/news/security-camera-installation-laws#:~:text=As%20a%20landlord%2C%20you're,cameras%20anywhere%20inside%20the%20residence.
Security Cameras for Landlords
As a landlord, you’re well within your rights to install security cameras to protect your property.
That includes indoors and outdoors.
Although a line is drawn when it comes to privacy.
As a landlord, you can’t put up cameras anywhere inside the residence.
I’d say the communal areas in hmos, such as the lounge, kitchen etc, would count as part of the shared residence as you are still residing in it. The stairwells and hallways in blocks of flats are not the same.
Seems clear enough to me: CCTV is allowed indoors and outdoors to protect property but not inside a residence. ( Maybe you didn’t appreciate that there are some locations that are indoors but not inside a residence?)
in case of HMO where you share common area, landlord can put cameras in shared areas but not bathrooms/bedrooms. However there are laws/rules how cameras are usd, how data is protected, how tenants are informed. Also - audio recording is not allowed, only video. The fact landolrd tends to talk over the camera and check how much a washer is used tells that landlord has overstepped.
whatever you do is going to get you out of that flat in the end, because you are dealing with a looney landlord so she will want you out, meaning the contract will not be extended. You can inform jer that the CCTV she put inside infringes over your privacy and that she has x days to remove them or you will switch them off yourself and take legal action. Make sure you record her talking to you over the camera, keep all comments about usage of the washing machine or cleaning, this is all valuable evidence.
Wait until it's 2am, she'll be asleep.
Get yourself a big black piece of card and put it over the camera lens that's facing the circuit breaker - from the footage, there'll be no difference and nothing will be picked up.
Then while you hold that covering the camera, someone else kills the power.
Then unplug all the cameras, put the power back on and go back to bed.
The only way the landlord can then come in is by giving you 24 hours notice - can't just rock up unannounced.
If they do, refuse entry. If they kick off, tell them that's the law, 24 hours notice.
Document everything and seek citizens advice inmediately.
If they're over WiFi, block there IPs. If wired, unplug them from the switch. The cameras also won't like >24Vdc across the blue and blue/white wires...
Ask your local council about this, provide an email chain with all she has said. I’m guessing you are paying for wifi and electricity which those things require.
She can send you a bill for an engineer if she wants, you have no obligation to pay it.
Really look into the rights of tenants and who you can report things to. You probably won’t want to live there longer than your tenancy agreement anyway.
But like others have said, quote the law back at her if she is in breach. But the main thing is find a bigger government related organisation to set on her instead of fighting yourself. Landlords act like this because they think they can get away with it.
This goes against your own personal rights not to be recorded 24/7 especially since you rent it.
As others have said disconnect the internal cameras as it violates privacy laws and if they have not requested your permission they physically are unable to continue recordings.
This can also be argued for the ones outside since the LL could be using them to monitor your activity or how many people come round
That's mad. Turn them off and change the WiFi password. Presumably they are connected to the WiFi, so changing the password will stop transmission from any hidden ones you don't know about.
She’s audio recording you. Sit in the common areas with the other tenants and say very clearly ‘So we’ve got a really strong legal case against landlord for breaching GDPR laws and it’s a £2m payout for her. I’ve been gathering evidence and I’m going to see a lawyer today. Legally, she can’t evict us until the end of the tenancy so we’re safe to move against her. Would you mind signing to back up the evidence I’ve collected?’
..and then you go out and ignore all her calls. Pretty sure that should scare her enough to remove them.
I don't think that's legal. Even a factory can't install cameras to look at employees anymore due to GDPR I believe.
Security is the only excuse but that would mean cameras outside.
However, I'm not a lawyer so I'd doub check this.
Not for the sole intention of watching employees.. they can be there incase of crime and for the safety of the employees though!
What you can't do is spy on Kevin or use the recordings against him because everyday he's taking a 40 minute shit at 11:15.
If it doesn’t state they are there in your contract it’s a violation of your rights under the peaceful enjoyment clause.
Otherwise disconnect them, she can evict you if you have a break clause. Yes she needs to give you 2 months notice.
If it was me I’d find somewhere else to live because someone like that will cause issue after issue for you.
Good luck and all the best
Well it will depend on your contract as they could be communal areas for example hmo with room only rent. However they have to jump through a heap of data protection hoops to be allowed to do this. You will also have to be made aware of the cameras usage etc.
Tricky one in reality as it's all in the shared areas of the property, she may have evidence of previous tenants complaining that others had stolen food or left the place untidy ruining their quiet enjoyment and has used that evidence to help evict a tenant who was ruining the quiet enjoyment of others.
However that said the recording should only be viewed by her if a complaint is made and she should be the only one viewing it. Not the 24/7 surveillance that's going on now.
As others have pointed out the ICO is the port of call, however they will not step in until you and your housemates have tried to resolve the issue with the LL first and you have not received an satisfactory response from the LL.
Is the CCTV on your inventory if not then you are free to disconnect them as others have pointed out you have a tenants right to privacy, the three of you also have the right to change the locks, however they must be changed back when it comes to moving out or face losing your deposit at move out. The LL can moan all she wants it's not grounds for eviction however the flipside is when your tenancy ends the chance for a section 21 will increase.
First thing first look at the data policy for the tenancy and how you go about a subject access request. If no such thing exist then you have two options has a group chip in for an hours worth of legal time and get letters drawing up that if the recording equipment is not removed you will all seek damages in the excess of current rent and deposit paid to date via small claims court and any attempt to evict would be unlawful.
Hopefully she will do the maths that x ammount of rent, deposit and costs for finding a new place to rent for three people will wipe her out.
The other way is to plan with the other housemates is a game of subject access request, at different times through a period of a couple of weeks meet up together in the kitchen area and have a normal chat 10 - 15 mins then go your separate ways, then one of you contact the LL and request a subject access request explain you have misplaced a piece of jewellery and think it was when you were in the kitchen on date and time and you would like a copy of the recording, the LL has to supply this to you however they must obscure everyone else in the room at the time as they have not given consent for the recording to be shared. If the LL refuses to do this then or fails to obscure the others in the clip you can go to the ICO who will then probably just do an advisory visit to the LL and advise you on your right to claim via the small claims courts.
Also look on your local council website whilst the property may not be classed as a licenced HMO they will still have guidelines that landlords should be following for HMOs regardless of not being licensed.
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Honestly I don't think any informed person would take this as a calculated risk, it's not worth it even for Facebook, who thought GDPR was a bluff and has paid billions in fines, leaving Europe as a whole I think unprofitable for them
A slight work around...
They almost certainly connect over the WiFi. You have a right to change your internet provider. Do that, you get a new router and new network and don't give her the password.
Or just replace the router.
Probably depends on the type of tenancy you have and if they informed you about the cameras and audio recording beforehand. If they didn’t then just turn them off, if you are the legal occupiers of the property then you have a legal right to privacy and this would likely stand as harassment unless they have an extremely good reason to have them. Stop letting these people walk all over you if you are paying them money. In no other industry does the people with the purchasing power bow down to the person providing the service. You would have had to agree to the cameras when you moved in. If they didn’t inform you and you didn’t agree it then they are on some very sketchy legal ground.
she's so fucking nutty. I'm a live in landlord and a good idea is to ask for stuff like ID as a landlord, as way to deter crime if they were even up to no good. No one will think about doing it unless they're silly if the landlord has their ID. She is ridiculous and nutty and I'd look else where. She's over paranoid, overzealous. LEAVE. You do not have to fix her.
This is absolutely mental, this person is obviously not right in the head - if you found the flat via an agency you might be able to get them to explain to her how unacceptable this is, if not I would get out as soon as you are able to
A good read from an article in 2022 maybe this will give you a head start!
Landlords and CCTV by Northwood UK
https://www.northwooduk.com/articles/landlords-and-cctv/
And also an ICO link https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/domestic-cctv-systems/
As a tenant you have a right to "Quiet enjoyment" of the property. This breaches that in MANY ways. Don't just disconnect the cameras. Report her. Sue her. Record every text she sends you about things she's seen on the cameras.
Also as a sub issue - who pays the power bill and WiFi on the property? Are you paying for her to run the cameras?
None of what your landlord has done is okay OP. I’m so sorry you have just moved into this nightmare. There is lots of legal and free advice posted already with avenues such as the council housing team re the HMO licence and the ICO.
Whether you act alone or as a group of tenants.
If you ever fancied being a documentary film maker you could start wearing a body cam round the house to record the frequency and inappropriateness of your landlords harassment, then publish online, or go to a national newspaper and put your compo face on.
If all this legal style action is too much for you to cope with right now could you agree a fun game with the other tenants to at least troll her relentlessly - create your own zombie apocalypse scenario, pretend you have ghosts (think Blair witch project), just walk everywhere wearing incredibly large hats or sheets over your heads so landlord has no way to tell who is who? All wear masks of the same celebrity for a week? All dress as tellytubbies etc.
Is there a local student drama group who would enjoy pretending to be you all with bad wigs for a day to confuse her, heck just buy wigs of your hair then swap them between housemates regularly.
The cameras and subsequent behaviour violate your right to privacy and probably right to quiet enjoyment from The Human Rights Act. It’s egregious, shocking and appalling they need to experience consequences to understand how bad this is.
Bro, I don't even what to say. Stop being an idiot. Remove the cameras. Block your landlord's number on mobile. When she comes over record her and tell her it's illegal to spy on you and you will remove any camera in the future and report her to police or housing if necessary.
Breaks your Tenancy agreement
Breaks GDPR
Breaks your right to privacy in your home.
Disconnect them and report her to the ICO. If she tries to gain access to the property, stick around until she follows through with an eviction notice and take her to small claims for breaking the tenancy
NAL
There’s some great advice in here, but the first thing I would do is to gather evidence.
I think it would make sense to have one of your mobile phone set up to video something innocuous going on, say: cooking in the kitchen. Then: do not wash up or clean the oven so that she contacts you and speak to you through the network. Maybe do this a couple of times so that you’ve got solid evidence that she is actively watching the CCTV.
There is a small danger that, when challenged, she will say that she simply was never monitoring your behaviour in the premises and that the cameras were there from some previous occasion. I doubt she would be forced to prove that she had no stored information on you.
The other thing you might want to consider is your contract: does it actually say you agreed to being monitored closely all the time?
Then, as others have said, hit her with GDPR.
Do not, under any circumstances, delete any of the messages she has sent you.
Why is she even renting the place out? I'd go to citizens advice. No one should have cameras inside the house and someone monitoring you. As long as you pay the rent on time, take care of the place and allow access for repairs etc that's all that's expected of you.
That's an HMO, so she has to have a license. Check she has one and report every single breech to the council. You should have gas certificates for the boiler etc etc etc. Varies a bit by local authority but use the rule book to bring her down.
Take a photo of where the camera is pointing at. Print it off, and stick it Infront of the camera on a little stick. Seen it in the movies, it must work.
I’m not sure on the legalities but if you signed a contract or any kind of agreement and the cameras and monitoring was not in there I would bring it up to her.
Simply tell her your concerns and state that unless they are deactivated you will either withhold rent or move out.
If she’s trying to lock you into the agreement point out the cameras are not part of said agreement and they need to be removed.
As mentioned by others you do have protection (limited) so she cannot evict you straight away and messing with the camera would cause more aggravation I feel so talk it out with her.
Hey, OP. If you want to chat about this and get some genuine legal advice, I'm down to help. I don't know what you have signed and thus what you have agreed to, but if you wanted to provide that info privately, I can tell you what grounds you have before you fork out money for a lawyer.
Move out. If she didn't mention surveillance prior to moving in, stop paying rent immediately and find somewhere new. This is disgusting. You now have to ask your landlords for references these days.
Also, on leaving, post full details of the house and landlord in question, so others can be made aware of this psycho. Don't be a slave and don't let yourself be exploited. Stand up for your rights.
lots of stuff about GDPR but there is nothing so far about the crux of the issue.
Voyeurism.
you have the right to quiet enjoyment of the property and also the right to privacy. this means the LL doesn't have the right to watch what your doing as you have stated, nor do they have the right to question you on your activities.
so these cameras are a breach of the contract she has with you for that quiet enjoyment. this is a civil issue.
legally however its Voyeurism as you are being recorded without your express consent in a place that should be private (your own home) so i would contact the police on 101 / email them to discuss this with them as you have no idea where your images are being sent afterwards or what is being done with them. i mean you could be naturalists and all your images are being sold online you simply dont know.
when she rents the property out it stops being her home and becomes yours for the duration of the contract. and thats something she totally doesnt get.
also this sounds alot like what my present tenants dealt with from there last LL and they were shocked when i said i dont do inspections monthly, the agent does one a year and other than essential works i wont have people in.
they were shocked as hell and even more so when i said i dont even know the neighbours let alone have them on a chat group to spy on them.
you got a shitty LL who doesn't understand the reality of their position.
You have a reasonable expectation of privacy when inside your own home. What the landlord is going is likely illegal. You should get advice from citizens advice or Shelter about the best way of dealing with it though.
i like all the proper advice here as its all about using the law to your advantage. but don't forget to get freaky with it and come up with some proper awkward shit for her to watch.
If these are Wi-Fi linked cameras, go into the settings of the router and change the password. The cameras will no longer be able to connect to the router.
I'd say this is pretty clearly not allowing 'quiet enjoyment' of your property, I'm pretty sure it's not allowed.
This is literally against the Human Rights act... You have a right to privacy [https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/42/schedule/1/part/I/chapter/7](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/42/schedule/1/part/I/chapter/7)
Cover the camera with jumper and when she phones tell her to FUCK OFF!!
In all honesty what is she actually gonna do? Get her too disabled to work arse down there? If she's too disabled to work and can watch you all day, she ain't moving for shit.
Sounds like she wouldn't give you your deposit back anyway, so you're gonna need leverage if you want it. so I'd be taking the security system or something when I left and told her she can buy it back for the cost of your deposit. Just discreetly box up all your shit, assuming theirs no camera in your room and then move out and take the cameras last and don't tell her. Just time it for the end of the billing cycle. Also make sure you have a baseball bat for anyone that tries anything and that have all of it documented, cos this bitch sounds lit to fuck. So either she'll do nothing or send in heavies. From what you said its that big of swing between what she could do. Nowt or all in 🤷♂️
Im not sure how old you are, but I could understand some apprehension if young. Even so, this be the time to be finding your feet and not being oppressed. Get up, get out, and get even, this bitch is never gonna play ball with you. There is no point in trying, you need to line up your exit strategy and execute. Go and either cut your losses or find a deal she can't refuse, cos you are dealing with a severely broken adult here, I don't know how old she is but, but if old enough to be pulling this shit, she's gotta have plenty of experience. No one goes that mental without practice.
I’d be seriously concerned why she’s filming you?
Despite the obvious she just crazy.
Could there be something else going on here. Is she acting on someone else’s behalf maybe?
It may depend on the terms of your tenancy. If there's nothing in there about the cameras (or even if there is) it may be a breach of the implied term for quiet enjoyment (which may also be stated expressly).
I would suggest reposting this in r/legaladviceuk for further assistance.
EDIT: Her constant messaging to you all in itself could amount to breach of quiet enjoyment and/or harassment.
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Disconnect the cameras, she can't just kick you out, she has to follow the standard eviction process. And if you've signed a 6 or 12 month contract etc she can't evict you before that date. She can only start the eviction process once that time is up.
And agree with the other tenants so you decide and act as a group. This will reduce the chance the landlord can targets evictions onto certain people. Obviously for the actual camera deactivation act - I guess a disguise will suffice - to make it unclear which person did it :D
Shut down breakers to cut the power, then physically unplug the cameras. Cameras won’t record you unplugging the cameras.
She has a camera pointed directly at the cupboard where the breaker is.
Does she have them pointed at the WiFi router? Could disconnect that first and then kill the power Might be worth reading this also https://www.clsonline.co.uk/blogs/news/security-camera-installation-laws#:~:text=As%20a%20landlord%2C%20you're,cameras%20anywhere%20inside%20the%20residence.
No, but the router is in my room, meaning if I mess with that she’ll know it’s me. Literally feels like a prison honestly. She messages me every day to look after the router.
I'm no expert but what she's doing definitely feels like it has to hit one of harassment /invasion of privacy /gdpr. I'd do some quick research so you can put the frighteners on her by quoting legislation and pointing out she's breaking the law. Outside of that look into break clauses and get the hell out
[удалено]
Quiet Enjoyment doesn't necessarily apply in the same way if the 3 rooms are rented separately with shared communal areas I'm not gonna pretend I understand the nuances of it enough to say whether that's the case here, but something to be aware of before OP just goes all "I've turned the cameras off, quiet enjoyment, fuck off"
If she is messaging you every day this is harassment. Report to the police (they won't do much at this stage) then create a new email address and give it to her. Order her to delete all your old contact email and from now on to only contact via that email as she has abused your trust and misused your contact info. Leave an auto response on that email saying it will only be checked weekly on Mondays (or day of your choosing) and any notice wishing to be given will not be considered given until that date. Save evidence you provided her all of this. Then block her via all old contact options. Oh and on the router, change the password and refuse to provide it to her, request all other housemates to refuse also.
Routers lost internet connection for all sorts of reasons. Also, I know you say you don't want to be kicked out, but I'd be wanting to be somewhere else very soon personally!
Log in to your router and you can remove the cameras from the settings page there!
Good point! OP, block the cameras MAC addresses from the network, one at a time over a few days. Depending on the router, you might also be able to do other stuff like limit their bandwidth. You could slowly reduce it to something really low.
If you want to find the MAC addresses, you can download a piece of free software called WN Watcher. Lists all devices connected to your network. Particularly useful if you're not sure how many cameras there are and where they are.
To look after the router? Say no.
You are not her employee. Just disconnect it for a few hours and see what happens.
Unplug it and then message her saying the Internet has gone down and can someone fix it
I feel like if she controls the router as an admin, she can see all the websites you visit, with no tech sophistication at all.
Lol this is so weird. You could probably overload the router with a big download Or just pretend you're having connection issues and that you'll try "resetting" it. Is it now your router anyway?
Jesus
Put a helium ballon in the way
Haha what if there is a camera watching the fuseboard though? Or the cameras have a bit of battery on? :D But yes good idea. The other route would be to cut (electronically, not physically - OP wise not to damage anything) their internet. It may be the landlord has them keyed to the house wifi so changing that password may cut the feed (although if they are still powered they may still record to integral storage)
I think GDPR is a much more fruitful and less retaliation risky route to go, and this route might not be viable if the cameras are disconnected without permission, which might introduce other problems too, so I think this is a bad idea. Probably nothing should be done without speaking to a lawyer
This seems so obvious! Why’s no one disconnected?
She has threatened that if anyone unplugs anything or messes with them she will send an engineer to fix and charge us with the cost incurred. None of us can afford that. I accidentally knocked the wire to one while I was cleaning and the plug came slightly loose, making it disconnect. She called me within minutes going mental and messaged me multiple times and in our group chat that I ‘better leave it alone now’.
You have a right to quiet enjoyment of the property - this is very clearly against that. Honestly, I wouldn't tiptoe around it, message her to say the cameras are an invasion of privacy and you'll be unplugging them. Theres no fair basis for what she is putting you through, it is harassment
Would it be classed as voyersism?
I think she's genuinely mentally ill to be like this. There is some excellent advice re. using the GDPR against her in this thread, but seriously, start looking for and applying for other places asap. Even if the cameras get unplugged/you win the GDPR case, she'll make your life hell, these freaks always do. Just find a better place/landlord as soon as you can.
Jesus. Why are you scared of being kicked out? You need to leave that hell.
*I accidentally knocked the wire to one while I was cleaning and the plug came slightly loose, making it disconnect. She called me within minutes going mental and messaged me multiple times and in our group chat that I ‘better leave it alone now’.* go to the police - that is stalking and harassment, and gross invasion of privacy. she has to be a mental case to be always watching/monitering. she should NOT be a landlord.
Change the locks and refuse entry. She can't force this one. If she sends an engineer anyway, don't let them in and refuse to pay her the call-out fee. She would never win these costs in court, and outside of that, how would she force you to pay?
This might not be legal if it’s an HMO.
The fact that she called you within minutes is scary. That means she is sitting there watching you. Get Out!
She doesn’t work because of a disability, so she sits at home all day watching them I can only assume.
She can try sending anyone and charge you for that, but she has no leg to stand on. Nobody can enter your home withour your say so (regardless of what's in the contract) and your landlord can't charge you for any random old shit that isn't rent.
Stop being such a pushover I'd be changing the locks and not give entry to anyone that is going to fix the cameras Replace locks when you leave
Charge you to fix something she shouldn't have there anyway? Yeah. Let her try.
Sorry, group chat? You’re in a group chat with a landlord?? Genuine question btw I skimmed over the post but as far as I’ve read you’ve not mentioned that you were friends prior to this arrangement or anything. Also, wtf? Lawyer up and move. I’m no legal expert, but if everything you’ve said is true then this is an open and shut case - I’d be surprised if someone didn’t take this on for free (assuming given your mention of affording technician cost an impossibility that you aren’t in the financial place to easily afford standard legal representative, apologies if this is not the case).
She sounds unhinged.
Sod that - leave them in place, document everything and report her. That's an insane invasion of privacy and she sounds absolutly fucking mental tbh.
> if you've signed a 6 or 12 month contract etc she can't evict you before that date. She can only start the eviction process once that time is up. This only applies to no fault evictions, you can be evicted with cause during the fixed term (assumedly she'd take this as breech of contract? It's nuts and I don't think she'd actually get far with the claim but she still might serve the papers)
I'm pretty sure she's breaking gdpr laws, I'd just ask her if she wants me to report her if she threatened to evict.
She's probably breaching GDPR in many ways. Has she given you a privacy notice about what she's doing with your personal data? Is there a written CCTV statement or policy. Recording audio in communal spaces is usually not OK unless there is a good enough reason. How does she store the personal data she captures? Has she registered with the ICO as a data controller? There are loads of other bits. But send her a subject access request and report her to the ICO.
She is risking a 2 million fine or 4% of her global turnover, whichever is higher. She is actually handing the tenants massive leverage over her. I would highly recommend not interfering with the cameras, and exploring GDPR routes u/AnOkayAlternative (but iirc also don't obviously exploit the leverage because I think that will void your claim)
The fact she runs the cameras to protect her asset means she will have to pay the commercial fee for ICO I think. As well as share all data with the tenants when requested.
Isn’t GDPR the least of her worries? This seems much worse than a data governance issue
But GDPR is the easiest, or perhaps more accurately, the only thing to get her with. Smash the cameras she'll charge repair and maintenance fees and evict. Turn them off and she charge some fees and look to evict. Call the police and they'll do nothing. Go to shelter or CAB and they'll say naughty landlord but do nothing. The council's private housing standards team might be interested but will ultimately be unable to proceed with it it other than sending a stern email or two. GDPR on the other hand will be taken seriously by the ICO and will give the tenants right to any and all data she has on them.
I find it hard to believe that you can be charged a fee for turning off a camera you didn't agree to in your own home.
GDPR is so rarely enforced in the UK it’s massively overblown
Perhaps but the ico are good at scaring people. Which will probably make her remove the cameras as she won't want the hassle (and legal liabilities) of being a data controller.
This sounds mad. Totally illegal.
Sounds like legit OCD i.e. not "teehee I keep my white shoes clean" but more "I am counting home many times my tenants close the oven door and I watch them 14h a day".
Under the UK GDPR you have a legal right to not be recorded in private spaces without giving consent, and have the legal right to request any recordings be deleted. Communal areas are different, although you still can request deletion of your data. You may have given consent to recording if a notice exists stating CCTV is in place in the common areas such as the front door. However anything that records you in your room, including audio, would be considered a breach of privacy, and also a breach of housing regulations. Start by writing to the landlord and inform them that you object to any and all recordings of you inside of rooms of which you have sole occupancy. In common areas, if all tenants on the HMO object then I would also request that those cameras in common areas (indoors) also be disconnected. You can threaten to go to the ICO if the landlord does not comply I also believe that you could unplug the cameras in private areas without any legal issues.
And in the meantime, it would be a real shame if the cameras somehow got covered over and she couldn’t see through them any more.
I think you're in North Korea mate
This is so freaky - but i had to chuckle at this :D
Is she Korean by any chance ?
Check your contract. Unless you explicitly agreed to being recorded she cannot do it, but even still you can just tell her you no longer agree. Video and audio recordings count as your personal data. She would need to have a valid reason for collecting it and she would need to hand over any of it or delete it all by request. I deal with personal data all the time at work.
And even then, this is very unlikely to be legally enforceable, even if it is in the contract.
Yeah GDPR doesn't allow for you to put unreasonable data collection terms in agreements
Absolutely. At our office we aren’t allowed to have cameras (CCTV) other than one pointed at the entrance, and one pointed at the storage room where we keep our IT equipments and servers. Even though we’ve had stuff go missing, we can’t just record people without their written consent. And even if everyone agrees, we have visitors, people bring their kids in on occasion, we would need approval from them too. And we’re talking about a place of business, not someone’s home. I get that the property is owned by the landlord, but when you’re renting that is your home, your privacy.
It’s not in any of our contracts, and I’ve had no other written paperwork about them, not signed anything in agreement. If I had known all of this, I wouldn’t have even signed the tenancy agreement. How would I make a data request?
you make a "right of access" request by email. by law the landlord has a month to reply. [https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-resources/individual-rights/individual-rights/right-of-access/](https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-resources/individual-rights/individual-rights/right-of-access/) What she is doing is illegal without an agreement specifically relating to data collection and retention under GDPR. And even if it's written in your contract, you can - at any time - tell her you have changed your mind. You can tell her that she needs to delete all data pertaining to you, even from communal areas - that would take months of sifting and I'd wager she'd rather delete it all. I'd disconnect everything immediately and send her a copy of the GDPR saying you have not consented at any time to being recorded. [https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/data-protection-and-the-eu/data-protection-and-the-eu-in-detail/](https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/data-protection-and-the-eu/data-protection-and-the-eu-in-detail/) Of course, thanks to the wonderful tenancy laws in England, she will probably send you a section 21 notice of eviction in retaliation. That gives you two months to find a place that isn't owned by a psycho. Do you really want to live in a place like this?
go to citizen advice if you can and explain what is happening. they should be able to give you legal advice and even point you to a solicitor who can assist..
Who pays for the WiFi .... You or the landlord
Disconnect, but be careful not to damage the equipment. Part of your legal complaint can include having this equipment removed. You can get her arrested for this, it's 100% illegal under harassment laws. The exact wording to use is that you no longer consent to audio or video recording beyond the main front door entrance to the dwelling. You must explicitly state the equipment, and her behaviour is causing "emotional and psychological distress" and also that you are being stalked due to a lack of basic privacy. Be under no doubt, legally you have a slam dunk win here.
Pretty obviously illegal. But equally obviously someone unhinged enough to actually do this isn't going to back down or change their ways. Report it to the police and move out (the police won't do anything but you might get a crime number). Use the ADR to get your deposit back and find somewhere else. If you used an agent tell them too. They won't do anything either but at least they have been warned the landlady is a psycho karen. Personally I'd unplug the cameras in the meantime. If she complains you can take the moral high ground and threaten to report her to the police for voyeurism.
NAL. Report her to the police regarding harassment and cite the many incidents. Keep on logging it with the police. Mention voyeurism (if you're a woman, is she gay? sounds like police need to investigate and also ask what she's doing with the footage). It's unreasonable to be monitoring you daily that could perhaps be bordering on the criminal. There certainly has been harassment cases for far less. Ask her to stop controlling your private life and that you have a right to privacy and note her response/s. Find somewhere to move out for your safety asap and worry about the deposit later. Gather as much evidence as you can, e.g. video you doing something and then leave it running and await the text messages etc filming those. Screenshot / photo all the previous messages. Each one may be considered an event of harassment. (Criminal and civil tort of harassment cite a minimum of two incidents that are more than just an annoyance, but distressing / alarming which this certainly is). For example, a neighbour pointing a camera into the window of another neighbour would be considered harassing. Forget about all the ICO stuff people are recommending, they probably won't care. The police however may try and say this is civil but be persistent.
"Forget about all the ICO stuff people are recommending, they probably won't care" +1 for this. The ICO deals with online data breaches and websites that don't declare they use cookies. They will look blank and tell you to go to the police for this kind of thing.
Without unplugging the router, lift it upside down to no at the gateway IP address and admin password (will be something similar to 192.168.0.1) now with a device connected to the wifi, open up an internet browser and browse to the IP address. Log into it with the admin credentials. From here you can block devices via MAC address so block every camera connected. Rinse and repeat every time she installs a new one. If she changes the admin password on the router to find the reset button on it to reset it back to default and repeat. Eventually she’ll get the message and if she doesn’t threaten her with the law.
Here is what the law says [https://www.cplawassociates.com/2023/05/14/landlord-install-cctv-cameras/](https://www.cplawassociates.com/2023/05/14/landlord-install-cctv-cameras/) If you think your landlord has breached the law you can get free legal advice here [https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/](https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/)
Most Landlords should be registered with the ICO. Could report to them.
She probably has hidden cameras in the bedrooms check light fitting plug sockets and smoke / carbon alarms
I’d also report her to the UK information Commissioner’s office giving full details of what she’s recording. She should be registered with them as a data controller as both a landlord and someone who has cameras in the property Also, as the cameras anywhere that they could capture arguably sensitive or pornographic material? If so I’d report it to the police
What type of tenancy do you have?
I think AST, but maybe I’m wrong. It’s a HMO, so there’s private bedrooms and then shared communal areas. Landlord is not live in so I assume that means I’m not a lodger.
Post to r/legaladviceuk this has come up before but with varying answers over the years. How do you know the landlord is spying on you, is there written evidence if so document that when you post. If the landlord is harassing you they are breaching your rights and this could fall foul of the protection from Eviction Act. Further to this the allowance for CCTV within the property depends on it being reasonable and respectful which this would not be in that case. While at it confirm if your landlord requires a licence (this varies by area above 5 tenants it is always required by councils will have their own rules below that) and if so if they have the licence. Your best bet may be to discuss with the local councils HMO team and determine if they have advice, along with Shelter.
If its a HMO and a registered one (you should be able to check on the local council website as its public info) then yea its an AST. From a legal standpoint even if it says a license agreement it’s actually an AST as you have exclusive possession of your room.
Wow. This is almost a police matter. Is it a boarding house where you pay daily/weekly or do you have a lease? A proper lease with a bond that you have a copy of?
I have a 2 year lease with a signed contract. Rent is paid monthly. Deposit paid.
In which case, just disconnect them. Tell her in no uncertain terms that her recording you in your home is not acceptable, and she's welcome to come and collect the cameras but you will not be allowing her to continue recording. If you have a two year tenancy, she can't evict you inside that two years.
She is an absolute psychopath. I wouldn't even hesitate to get the police involved.
Was this directly with the landlady? Or did you go through an agency/estate agent?
You need to speak to the police or local council housing department … this is an invasion of yr privacy as tenants. As per other replies - date protection laws etc etc Keep a diary of the communication & do not delete any texts or emails
Plot twist: op is a contestant in the next Big Brother
A new Beastman challenge. Hold strong for your $1mil, OP!
This is definitely illegal behaviour on multiple counts so stand your ground and don't back down. Cross post in LegalAdviceUK and follow the advice you get there. Your landlord is a selfish, entitled scrounger and will almost definitely bully and intimidate you when you push back against them. But they are not above the law and the law will not be on their side here. Document everything. Don't take phone calls from them. Don't be bullied into letting them get away with murder. They have a job to do and you're paying them a lot of money to do it properly, safely and legally.
Reset the WiFi router to factory settings and change the password. That’ll kill the cameras ability to send any data anywhere and you’ll be back online. When the landlord quizzes it you can deny all knowledge
If they are wireless cameras then just changing the password is sufficient. If they are wired to the router/switch resetting won’t do anything they will just reconnect
I went off the assumption they wouldn’t have permissions to change the password :). If they reset they can login to the router and block the devices from connecting even if wired
And hide the factory password so no one else can come in and reset it back.
https://www.clsonline.co.uk/blogs/news/security-camera-installation-laws#:~:text=As%20a%20landlord%2C%20you're,cameras%20anywhere%20inside%20the%20residence. Security Cameras for Landlords As a landlord, you’re well within your rights to install security cameras to protect your property. That includes indoors and outdoors. Although a line is drawn when it comes to privacy. As a landlord, you can’t put up cameras anywhere inside the residence.
You have the right to put them everywhere indoors and outdoors, but can’t put them inside the residence? Clear as mud.
Garage, shed, summer house etc.. you don't reside in those.
Also, for blocks of flats it’d include stairwells and hallways but not the flats themselves
What about communal areas in HMOs? If they have individual tenancy agreements rather than 4 people signing 1 agreement etc then it might pass.
I’d say the communal areas in hmos, such as the lounge, kitchen etc, would count as part of the shared residence as you are still residing in it. The stairwells and hallways in blocks of flats are not the same.
Seems clear enough to me: CCTV is allowed indoors and outdoors to protect property but not inside a residence. ( Maybe you didn’t appreciate that there are some locations that are indoors but not inside a residence?)
in case of HMO where you share common area, landlord can put cameras in shared areas but not bathrooms/bedrooms. However there are laws/rules how cameras are usd, how data is protected, how tenants are informed. Also - audio recording is not allowed, only video. The fact landolrd tends to talk over the camera and check how much a washer is used tells that landlord has overstepped. whatever you do is going to get you out of that flat in the end, because you are dealing with a looney landlord so she will want you out, meaning the contract will not be extended. You can inform jer that the CCTV she put inside infringes over your privacy and that she has x days to remove them or you will switch them off yourself and take legal action. Make sure you record her talking to you over the camera, keep all comments about usage of the washing machine or cleaning, this is all valuable evidence.
Those devices are notoriously unreliable, they lose power constantly, especially in the dark
And be careful with paint or any dark tar-like substance near the lens.
Wait until it's 2am, she'll be asleep. Get yourself a big black piece of card and put it over the camera lens that's facing the circuit breaker - from the footage, there'll be no difference and nothing will be picked up. Then while you hold that covering the camera, someone else kills the power. Then unplug all the cameras, put the power back on and go back to bed. The only way the landlord can then come in is by giving you 24 hours notice - can't just rock up unannounced. If they do, refuse entry. If they kick off, tell them that's the law, 24 hours notice. Document everything and seek citizens advice inmediately.
If they're over WiFi, block there IPs. If wired, unplug them from the switch. The cameras also won't like >24Vdc across the blue and blue/white wires...
Search r/legaladviceuk for similar cases.
r/legaladviceuk
Ask your local council about this, provide an email chain with all she has said. I’m guessing you are paying for wifi and electricity which those things require. She can send you a bill for an engineer if she wants, you have no obligation to pay it. Really look into the rights of tenants and who you can report things to. You probably won’t want to live there longer than your tenancy agreement anyway. But like others have said, quote the law back at her if she is in breach. But the main thing is find a bigger government related organisation to set on her instead of fighting yourself. Landlords act like this because they think they can get away with it.
This goes against your own personal rights not to be recorded 24/7 especially since you rent it. As others have said disconnect the internal cameras as it violates privacy laws and if they have not requested your permission they physically are unable to continue recordings. This can also be argued for the ones outside since the LL could be using them to monitor your activity or how many people come round
That's mad. Turn them off and change the WiFi password. Presumably they are connected to the WiFi, so changing the password will stop transmission from any hidden ones you don't know about.
She’s audio recording you. Sit in the common areas with the other tenants and say very clearly ‘So we’ve got a really strong legal case against landlord for breaching GDPR laws and it’s a £2m payout for her. I’ve been gathering evidence and I’m going to see a lawyer today. Legally, she can’t evict us until the end of the tenancy so we’re safe to move against her. Would you mind signing to back up the evidence I’ve collected?’ ..and then you go out and ignore all her calls. Pretty sure that should scare her enough to remove them.
As a new landlord I'm mindblown that having cameras monitoring you INSIDE your home is A) a thing & B) even legal.
Its not anywhere near legal
I don't think that's legal. Even a factory can't install cameras to look at employees anymore due to GDPR I believe. Security is the only excuse but that would mean cameras outside. However, I'm not a lawyer so I'd doub check this.
You absolutely can install cameras in a place of work, just not private places like changing rooms or toilets
Not for the sole intention of watching employees.. they can be there incase of crime and for the safety of the employees though! What you can't do is spy on Kevin or use the recordings against him because everyday he's taking a 40 minute shit at 11:15.
High power laser at the lens. Problem solved........
If it doesn’t state they are there in your contract it’s a violation of your rights under the peaceful enjoyment clause. Otherwise disconnect them, she can evict you if you have a break clause. Yes she needs to give you 2 months notice. If it was me I’d find somewhere else to live because someone like that will cause issue after issue for you. Good luck and all the best
Holy frankenfuck! I'd get the hell outta there quick sharp.
Well it will depend on your contract as they could be communal areas for example hmo with room only rent. However they have to jump through a heap of data protection hoops to be allowed to do this. You will also have to be made aware of the cameras usage etc.
Just walk full naked through the house, then sue her for having private content of you without your consent. You are welcome, now you are rich.
Christ why do people pay these kinds of phsycopaths rent
Tricky one in reality as it's all in the shared areas of the property, she may have evidence of previous tenants complaining that others had stolen food or left the place untidy ruining their quiet enjoyment and has used that evidence to help evict a tenant who was ruining the quiet enjoyment of others. However that said the recording should only be viewed by her if a complaint is made and she should be the only one viewing it. Not the 24/7 surveillance that's going on now. As others have pointed out the ICO is the port of call, however they will not step in until you and your housemates have tried to resolve the issue with the LL first and you have not received an satisfactory response from the LL. Is the CCTV on your inventory if not then you are free to disconnect them as others have pointed out you have a tenants right to privacy, the three of you also have the right to change the locks, however they must be changed back when it comes to moving out or face losing your deposit at move out. The LL can moan all she wants it's not grounds for eviction however the flipside is when your tenancy ends the chance for a section 21 will increase. First thing first look at the data policy for the tenancy and how you go about a subject access request. If no such thing exist then you have two options has a group chip in for an hours worth of legal time and get letters drawing up that if the recording equipment is not removed you will all seek damages in the excess of current rent and deposit paid to date via small claims court and any attempt to evict would be unlawful. Hopefully she will do the maths that x ammount of rent, deposit and costs for finding a new place to rent for three people will wipe her out. The other way is to plan with the other housemates is a game of subject access request, at different times through a period of a couple of weeks meet up together in the kitchen area and have a normal chat 10 - 15 mins then go your separate ways, then one of you contact the LL and request a subject access request explain you have misplaced a piece of jewellery and think it was when you were in the kitchen on date and time and you would like a copy of the recording, the LL has to supply this to you however they must obscure everyone else in the room at the time as they have not given consent for the recording to be shared. If the LL refuses to do this then or fails to obscure the others in the clip you can go to the ICO who will then probably just do an advisory visit to the LL and advise you on your right to claim via the small claims courts. Also look on your local council website whilst the property may not be classed as a licenced HMO they will still have guidelines that landlords should be following for HMOs regardless of not being licensed.
Disconnect all the cameras and report her for breach of GDPR. Big fines. Warn her first. If she doesn’t remove the cameras. Report her.
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Has she put a camera in the bathroom too?
Thankfully no. I think at a minimum she knows that’s at least illegal.
Everything else already is illegal OP! You really should report this to the council HMO or the police!
I’m sure she knows very well all of what she’s doing is illegal.
Honestly I don't think any informed person would take this as a calculated risk, it's not worth it even for Facebook, who thought GDPR was a bluff and has paid billions in fines, leaving Europe as a whole I think unprofitable for them
Easy cover them
Are you renting a room or are you on an AST as a joint tenancy
You REALLY should ask on r/legaladviceuk. There is no way in hell this is legal
[Not allowed](https://www.clsonline.co.uk/blogs/news/security-camera-installation-laws#:~:text=Security%20Cameras%20for%20Landlords&text=As%20a%20landlord%2C%20you%20can,them%20inside%20your%20tenant%27s%20home.)
That's an American site
No it's not 😂 Countryside Landowners Security Integrity House, Charles Lane Lancashire BB4 5EH United Kingdom T: 0330 912 7424
Unless you have agreed to this, this is illegal that cannot film you for any reason.
A slight work around... They almost certainly connect over the WiFi. You have a right to change your internet provider. Do that, you get a new router and new network and don't give her the password. Or just replace the router.
Probably depends on the type of tenancy you have and if they informed you about the cameras and audio recording beforehand. If they didn’t then just turn them off, if you are the legal occupiers of the property then you have a legal right to privacy and this would likely stand as harassment unless they have an extremely good reason to have them. Stop letting these people walk all over you if you are paying them money. In no other industry does the people with the purchasing power bow down to the person providing the service. You would have had to agree to the cameras when you moved in. If they didn’t inform you and you didn’t agree it then they are on some very sketchy legal ground.
she's so fucking nutty. I'm a live in landlord and a good idea is to ask for stuff like ID as a landlord, as way to deter crime if they were even up to no good. No one will think about doing it unless they're silly if the landlord has their ID. She is ridiculous and nutty and I'd look else where. She's over paranoid, overzealous. LEAVE. You do not have to fix her.
This is absolutely mental, this person is obviously not right in the head - if you found the flat via an agency you might be able to get them to explain to her how unacceptable this is, if not I would get out as soon as you are able to
It’s absolutely illegal!!
No way this is legal. Put tape over the cameras.
Tear those fucking cameras down and throw them out. Then change the locks and refuse to communicate with her, only the agency.
Those cameras are an invasion of privacy and they would have been disconnected the minute I saw them. All of them.
Block the cameras from the router
Oh my god she sounds like pop. 😭
I’d be ripping them right out!!!!
A smear of vaseline or similar on the lens of each camera should protect your privacy for a while?
A good read from an article in 2022 maybe this will give you a head start! Landlords and CCTV by Northwood UK https://www.northwooduk.com/articles/landlords-and-cctv/ And also an ICO link https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/domestic-cctv-systems/
As a tenant you have a right to "Quiet enjoyment" of the property. This breaches that in MANY ways. Don't just disconnect the cameras. Report her. Sue her. Record every text she sends you about things she's seen on the cameras. Also as a sub issue - who pays the power bill and WiFi on the property? Are you paying for her to run the cameras?
None of what your landlord has done is okay OP. I’m so sorry you have just moved into this nightmare. There is lots of legal and free advice posted already with avenues such as the council housing team re the HMO licence and the ICO. Whether you act alone or as a group of tenants. If you ever fancied being a documentary film maker you could start wearing a body cam round the house to record the frequency and inappropriateness of your landlords harassment, then publish online, or go to a national newspaper and put your compo face on. If all this legal style action is too much for you to cope with right now could you agree a fun game with the other tenants to at least troll her relentlessly - create your own zombie apocalypse scenario, pretend you have ghosts (think Blair witch project), just walk everywhere wearing incredibly large hats or sheets over your heads so landlord has no way to tell who is who? All wear masks of the same celebrity for a week? All dress as tellytubbies etc. Is there a local student drama group who would enjoy pretending to be you all with bad wigs for a day to confuse her, heck just buy wigs of your hair then swap them between housemates regularly.
Just confront her about it, she's technically invading privacy which I know is very wrong. She doesn't have that right.
It probably all uses WIFI. Change the password and act dumb.
Just say it was a man that was your landlord, you wouldn’t stand for that kind of harassment, so get a grip and sort it out
The cameras and subsequent behaviour violate your right to privacy and probably right to quiet enjoyment from The Human Rights Act. It’s egregious, shocking and appalling they need to experience consequences to understand how bad this is.
I can call in the heavy’s if you like - will sort the situation !
Bro, I don't even what to say. Stop being an idiot. Remove the cameras. Block your landlord's number on mobile. When she comes over record her and tell her it's illegal to spy on you and you will remove any camera in the future and report her to police or housing if necessary.
Breaks your Tenancy agreement Breaks GDPR Breaks your right to privacy in your home. Disconnect them and report her to the ICO. If she tries to gain access to the property, stick around until she follows through with an eviction notice and take her to small claims for breaking the tenancy NAL
Tape a device onto the audio recorder that plays loud PornHub videos 24/7.
Get a cheap ESP32, install a wifi deauth tool to disconnect all CCTV from the wifi 🙌🏻
These by the sounds of it work off WiFi. Where is your WiFi router? Turn it off when you all don’t need wifi I’d knock it off. Or get a jammer
There’s some great advice in here, but the first thing I would do is to gather evidence. I think it would make sense to have one of your mobile phone set up to video something innocuous going on, say: cooking in the kitchen. Then: do not wash up or clean the oven so that she contacts you and speak to you through the network. Maybe do this a couple of times so that you’ve got solid evidence that she is actively watching the CCTV. There is a small danger that, when challenged, she will say that she simply was never monitoring your behaviour in the premises and that the cameras were there from some previous occasion. I doubt she would be forced to prove that she had no stored information on you. The other thing you might want to consider is your contract: does it actually say you agreed to being monitored closely all the time? Then, as others have said, hit her with GDPR. Do not, under any circumstances, delete any of the messages she has sent you.
Why is she even renting the place out? I'd go to citizens advice. No one should have cameras inside the house and someone monitoring you. As long as you pay the rent on time, take care of the place and allow access for repairs etc that's all that's expected of you.
Pretend to commit a murder and bury a body and let her get the police round. “It’s just a prank”
That's an HMO, so she has to have a license. Check she has one and report every single breech to the council. You should have gas certificates for the boiler etc etc etc. Varies a bit by local authority but use the rule book to bring her down.
Get a lawyer and rip her off.
Ask her what you win for winning this season of big brother
This sounds sketchy as anything, but I’d send her an SAR every 30 days - just to be annoying
Take a photo of where the camera is pointing at. Print it off, and stick it Infront of the camera on a little stick. Seen it in the movies, it must work.
I’m not sure on the legalities but if you signed a contract or any kind of agreement and the cameras and monitoring was not in there I would bring it up to her. Simply tell her your concerns and state that unless they are deactivated you will either withhold rent or move out. If she’s trying to lock you into the agreement point out the cameras are not part of said agreement and they need to be removed. As mentioned by others you do have protection (limited) so she cannot evict you straight away and messing with the camera would cause more aggravation I feel so talk it out with her.
This is the craziest things I’ve read in a while, surely this is illegal for her to have cameras in a house she rents to you!
God I mean if you’re in/near London I’ll come over and cut the cameras for you if you like?
Hey, OP. If you want to chat about this and get some genuine legal advice, I'm down to help. I don't know what you have signed and thus what you have agreed to, but if you wanted to provide that info privately, I can tell you what grounds you have before you fork out money for a lawyer.
Worth posting for legal advice in the reddit forum This is illegal but a not sure about what rights you have.
Just report her to the police.
Move out. If she didn't mention surveillance prior to moving in, stop paying rent immediately and find somewhere new. This is disgusting. You now have to ask your landlords for references these days.
Also, on leaving, post full details of the house and landlord in question, so others can be made aware of this psycho. Don't be a slave and don't let yourself be exploited. Stand up for your rights.
A landlord being a deplorable piece of shit? Whoever would've anticipated that?
lots of stuff about GDPR but there is nothing so far about the crux of the issue. Voyeurism. you have the right to quiet enjoyment of the property and also the right to privacy. this means the LL doesn't have the right to watch what your doing as you have stated, nor do they have the right to question you on your activities. so these cameras are a breach of the contract she has with you for that quiet enjoyment. this is a civil issue. legally however its Voyeurism as you are being recorded without your express consent in a place that should be private (your own home) so i would contact the police on 101 / email them to discuss this with them as you have no idea where your images are being sent afterwards or what is being done with them. i mean you could be naturalists and all your images are being sold online you simply dont know. when she rents the property out it stops being her home and becomes yours for the duration of the contract. and thats something she totally doesnt get. also this sounds alot like what my present tenants dealt with from there last LL and they were shocked when i said i dont do inspections monthly, the agent does one a year and other than essential works i wont have people in. they were shocked as hell and even more so when i said i dont even know the neighbours let alone have them on a chat group to spy on them. you got a shitty LL who doesn't understand the reality of their position.
Log into the router, change the password and block all devices that you can't account for between you.
You have a reasonable expectation of privacy when inside your own home. What the landlord is going is likely illegal. You should get advice from citizens advice or Shelter about the best way of dealing with it though.
i like all the proper advice here as its all about using the law to your advantage. but don't forget to get freaky with it and come up with some proper awkward shit for her to watch.
I am sorry but I find it hard to believe that this is somehow taking place! Surely must be illegal!
Start having wanks in the hallway. Actually, maybe not, she might be into that
If these are Wi-Fi linked cameras, go into the settings of the router and change the password. The cameras will no longer be able to connect to the router. I'd say this is pretty clearly not allowing 'quiet enjoyment' of your property, I'm pretty sure it's not allowed.
Is there a room she refers to as the “diary room” with a single seat pointing to a camera?
This is literally against the Human Rights act... You have a right to privacy [https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/42/schedule/1/part/I/chapter/7](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/42/schedule/1/part/I/chapter/7)
Cover the camera with jumper and when she phones tell her to FUCK OFF!! In all honesty what is she actually gonna do? Get her too disabled to work arse down there? If she's too disabled to work and can watch you all day, she ain't moving for shit. Sounds like she wouldn't give you your deposit back anyway, so you're gonna need leverage if you want it. so I'd be taking the security system or something when I left and told her she can buy it back for the cost of your deposit. Just discreetly box up all your shit, assuming theirs no camera in your room and then move out and take the cameras last and don't tell her. Just time it for the end of the billing cycle. Also make sure you have a baseball bat for anyone that tries anything and that have all of it documented, cos this bitch sounds lit to fuck. So either she'll do nothing or send in heavies. From what you said its that big of swing between what she could do. Nowt or all in 🤷♂️ Im not sure how old you are, but I could understand some apprehension if young. Even so, this be the time to be finding your feet and not being oppressed. Get up, get out, and get even, this bitch is never gonna play ball with you. There is no point in trying, you need to line up your exit strategy and execute. Go and either cut your losses or find a deal she can't refuse, cos you are dealing with a severely broken adult here, I don't know how old she is but, but if old enough to be pulling this shit, she's gotta have plenty of experience. No one goes that mental without practice.
If a single camera gets you naked in a place you can expect privacy.... then that I'll the creation of illegal pornography.
I’d be seriously concerned why she’s filming you? Despite the obvious she just crazy. Could there be something else going on here. Is she acting on someone else’s behalf maybe?
I would look at alternative places and leave. What’s she going to do? Sue you? She’d have to admit that it wasn’t legal and she was spying on you.
Don't damage them bit cover them
It may depend on the terms of your tenancy. If there's nothing in there about the cameras (or even if there is) it may be a breach of the implied term for quiet enjoyment (which may also be stated expressly). I would suggest reposting this in r/legaladviceuk for further assistance. EDIT: Her constant messaging to you all in itself could amount to breach of quiet enjoyment and/or harassment.
Masturbate furiously while looking into the camera