my backyard neighbor has a camera that can record my backyard (HOA, home security)

[Brom]

My backyard neighbor installed a camera bur it's high enough that it can also see my entire backyard. I don't like it and I feel it's invading my privacy. Can I complain about this? Where do I complain, our HOA

[Sugarlandbubba]

I would ask them in a nice manner not to aim the cameras and record your backyard. If that doesn't work, I would plant some large fast growing trees (pine or maple) right next to the fence line. My HOA requires homeowners to submit an application and designate locations of the cameras but I don't think anyone does it. So if your HOA has never enforced the installations of home security cameras, then it may not enforce the camera installation only of your backyard neighbor.

Generally, I think there is a right to video and record in public and it is difficult to claim an invasion of privacy unless it is their intent to record your yard specifically and not for the nature of their home security. It is possible that they could just fly a drone over your backyard and record if they wanted to.

[Waffleton]

Originally Posted by Sugarlandbubba

I would ask them in a nice manner not to aim the cameras and record your backyard. If that doesn't work, I would plant some large fast growing trees (pine or maple) right next to the fence line. My HOA requires homeowners to submit an application and designate locations of the cameras but I don't think anyone does it. So if your HOA has never enforced the installations of home security cameras, then it may not enforce the camera installation only of your backyard neighbor.

Generally, I think there is a right to video and record in public and it is difficult to claim an invasion of privacy unless it is their intent to record your yard specifically and not for the nature of their home security. It is possible that they could just fly a drone over your backyard and record if they wanted to.

Leyland cypress would be a good choice.


Grow so fast they generally die after 20 years though.

[astrohip]

Originally Posted by Sugarlandbubba

I would plant some large fast growing trees (pine or maple) right next to the fence line.

Really wanna have fun? Make a bed up against the fence. Put some cheap steel plating about 3' deep, in front of the bed (stick with me here). Then plant running bamboo in the bed. It will spread like crazy, and the steel will keep it from coming into your yard. It will grow under the fence, and they will never be able to stop it. Once it gets high enough, you have a privacy fence.

Obviously I'm kidding. Just talk to them, and see what's up.

[Ghost Town]

Originally Posted by astrohip

Really wanna have fun? Make a bed up against the fence. Put some cheap steel plating about 3' deep, in front of the bed (stick with me here). Then plant running bamboo in the bed. It will spread like crazy, and the steel will keep it from coming into your yard. It will grow under the fence, and they will never be able to stop it. Once it gets high enough, you have a privacy fence.

Obviously I'm kidding. Just talk to them, and see what's up.

Kidding because it's not that fast. Bamboo has to establish roots first and that's the slowest step (more than a year). Pine trees and cypress are not going to be faster though..

[North Beach Person]

Take a look through this. I didn't but it is a compilation of Texas recording law.

https://guides.sll.texas.gov/recording-laws

[doolish1]

I had a neighbor install flood lights in their backyard that blinded the neighbors back yards into their windows.

I just went to talk to them but could not catch them home, I think they went on vacation and left the lights on some timer, so I wrote a friendly note. When they got home they aimed the lights at the ground instead of out to the neighbors which solved the problems.

Most people do not want wars with the neighbors. I would try to tell them you are not comfortable with the new camera if it can see your yard and they probably will just re-aim them.

This neighbor is most likely interested in either safety or possibly recording wildlife coming through the yard, not watching you mow the lawn on their camera.

[Ghost Town]

I think HOA is the best way to handle this, especially if the neighbors are hard to reach.
And knocking at their front door will be too disturbing.
Better let the property management company from HOA do it.

The fastest growing plants will be grapes.
But it requires maintenance. You need install trellis to grow grapes.
And usually you plant grapes sometime in March.

[Diana Holbrook]

I wonder how you know what the camera actually sees. Have you seen the video? It's possible, unless your yards are VERY small, that it's not as big a concern as you think. Having watched plenty of home security and wildlife cameras, they have a fairly limited range of useful picture. Perhaps ask to see what he gets with it, pretend you're interested in something that you heard/saw recently on your porch.

[doolish1]

Calling the HOA or police on the neighbor without even talking to them is a recipe for, at best, a neighbor who hates you, or, at worst, a neighbor looking for revenge.