Overview

• Capturing a neighbour’s private property such as gardens, doors or windows can classify the homeowner as a data controller with GDPR obligations.
• Tech expert James Clarke of Cacti PCs says fines up to £1,000 are possible, with opponents’ legal fees posing the larger financial risk.
• Most modern doorbells offer Privacy Zone or Block Out tools that obscure neighbours’ areas, with fixes reported to work on roughly 99% of devices.
• Guidance suggests adjusting the view so no more than 25% of the frame includes neighbouring or shared spaces, often by tilting the camera downward.
• Audio recording can create a separate breach, so users are advised to lower microphone sensitivity or restrict the pickup range.