Home > Rights > Your Rights Under the Human Rights Act 1998

Your Rights Under the Human Rights Act 1998

By: Jeff Durham - Updated: 4 Jul 2024 | comments*Discuss
 
Human Rights Act Exercising Human Rights

The Human Rights Act 1998 exists not simply to protect you in the more serious situations that involve matters such as torture and persecution. This Act incorporates your rights as an ordinary citizen going about your day to day business. This includes your freedom of speech, your religious beliefs and practising them, your rights to a fair trial should court action be taken against you, and other similar basic rights that you have in everyday life.

They are not absolute, however, and the government does have the necessary power to restrict and control certain elements contained within the Act where it is necessary to do so. This might include cases where, for example, in the interests of national security your freedom of speech might be limited, or your limits on privacy might be removed in situations where you might have your phone tapped if the government or the police felt you posed a threat to national security, or that you were using a phone as a means of communication for the purpose of committing a crime.

In addition to protecting your own human rights, the Human Rights Act 1998 also makes it mandatory for you to respect the rights of other people and to exercise your rights in a manner in which you would not be preventing others from exercising theirs.

Some of your basic human rights, as covered by the Act include:

  • The right to life and liberty
  • The right to a fair trial
  • The right to respect for family life and your own private life
  • The right to access education
  • The right to take part in free elections
  • Freedom of thought, expression, assembly and association
  • Freedom to practice legitimate religious beliefs

Exercising Your Human Rights

If you feel that you are being prevented from exercising any of these basic human rights or the others contained within the Act, you have the right to a solution by law, even if you feel your rights have been violated by a person or organisation in authority, such as the police. However, in the vast majority of cases, any fundamental disagreement you might have with regards to your ability to exercise your human rights can often be resolved quite amicably between the parties concerned or with the Help Of Mediation Services.

Nevertheless, in cases where no agreement or resolution can be reached, you are entitled to take your case further. This may be either to a court or to some kind of appropriate tribunal, whichever is the most appropriate. Before taking your case further and issuing any court proceedings, however, it is recommended that you seek legal advice. Your local Citizens Advice Bureau or Community Legal Advice centre can advise you on these matters and, in accordance with the Act, advice needs to be provided to citizens of the UK in their native language if they do not have a sufficient command of English.

It is important to remember, however, that in certain circumstances, there may be very legitimate reasons for denying some of the elements contained within the Act and to be sure of the legal implications in terms of how you have interpreted the law by Consulting With A Legal Expert first.

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I have neighbour who has a camera pointed at our party fence - I know that they are recording that part if my garden too - what can I do, they are unapproachable?
BB - 4-Jul-24 @ 8:32 PM
I have an unpleasant neighbour living directly opposite me with a cctv camera fitted on the outside of her blinds which is looking directly into my living room and bedroom. She is unapproachable so what can I do to stop this intrusion of my home ?
Harvey - 6-Nov-23 @ 8:27 PM
I have lived in my house for 23 yrs.. it’s between two houses it’s 15ft wide by 33ft in length.. two yrs ago I acquired a new neighbour who ripped out the old analogue meters and replaced them with two (one for gas,one for electric) smets2 smart meters…. They are both situated at my front door one is back to back with my analogue meter and the other is on the exterior wall on the property boarder as our vestibules are back to back… i have suffered from day one.. insomnia,stress,anxiety,panic attacks,hair loss,tingling legs,unable to walk up and down my stairs.. it has interfered with my electrics like my television ,tablet and phone calls.. my entire house is buzzing… it is seriously effecting my health.. I have a titanium hip which is now swelling my left side surrounding tissue.. I have been to the doctors several times and they look at me like I am crazy… I have contacted the supplier twice and I have been fobbed off… I have contacted my local MP and been ignored… I have cried , pleaded, begged and offered to pay for the removal of the meters and my neighbour ignores me and tells me that she will no longer discuss the meters with me… she told me that my health issues from the meters are my own doing for believing in it… I have recently wrote a letter to her and hand posted it included pictures of my hip and she has ignored me… I have logged everything for the whole two years…my back and forth emails with her suppliers,recorded delivery letters and text messages between me and my neighbour.. I have discovered the neighbourly law which states thy shall not harm thy neighbour.. her acts of omission towards me are absolutely disgusting..she knows she is causing me serious ill health and lacks any sympathy what so ever… because I want the smart meters removed she then started to block my back gate easement and texted me to tell me that I am not allowed to use it.. I told her that I will continue to use it.. my issue is serious because it’s my health which has only started to decline from the day her meters where installed…her issues are petty little things even to the point where she pointed out to me that my verge cap was overhanging onto her property by 2inches!!.. I am seriously stuck here and do not know what to do.. It’s seriously effecting my mobility…
Evie - 17-Oct-23 @ 5:37 PM
I have lived in my house for 23 yrs.. it’s between two houses it’s 15ft wide by 33ft in length.. two yrs ago I acquired a new neighbour who ripped out the old analogue meters and replaced them with two (one for gas,one for electric) smets2 smart meters…. They are both situated at my front door one is back to back with my analogue meter and the other is on the exterior wall on the property boarder as our vestibules are back to back… i have suffered from day one.. insomnia,stress,anxiety,panic attacks,hair loss,tingling legs,unable to walk up and down my stairs.. it has interfered with my electrics like my television ,tablet and phone calls.. my entire house is buzzing… it is seriously effecting my health.. I have a titanium hip which is now swelling my left side surrounding tissue.. I have been to the doctors several times and they look at me like I am crazy… I have contacted the supplier twice and I have been fobbed off… I have contacted my local MP and been ignored… I have cried , pleaded, begged and offered to pay for the removal of the meters and my neighbour ignores me and tells me that she will no longer discuss the meters with me… she told me that my health issues from the meters are my own doing for believing in it… I have recently wrote a letter to her and hand posted it included pictures of my hip and she has ignored me… I have logged everything for the whole two years…my back and forth emails with her suppliers,recorded delivery letters and text messages between me and my neighbour.. I have discovered the neighbourly law which states thy shall not harm thy neighbour.. her acts of omission towards me are absolutely disgusting..she knows she is causing me serious ill health and lacks any sympathy what so ever… because I want the smart meters removed she then started to block my back gate easement and texted me to tell me that I am not allowed to use it.. I told her that I will continue to use it.. my issue is serious because it’s my health which has only started to decline from the day her meters where installed…her issues are petty little things even to the point where she pointed out to me that my verge cap was overhanging onto her property by 2inches!!.. I am seriously stuck here and do not know what to do.. It’s seriously effecting my mobility…
Evie - 17-Oct-23 @ 4:39 PM
I have lived in my house for 23 yrs.. it’s between two houses it’s 15ft wide by 33ft in length.. two yrs ago I acquired a new neighbour who ripped out the old analogue meters and replaced them with two (one for gas,one for electric) smets2 smart meters…. They are both situated at my front door one is back to back with my analogue meter and the other is on the exterior wall on the property boarder as our vestibules are back to back… i have suffered from day one.. insomnia,stress,anxiety,panic attacks,hair loss,tingling legs,unable to walk up and down my stairs.. it has interfered with my electrics like my television ,tablet and phone calls.. my entire house is buzzing… it is seriously effecting my health.. I have a titanium hip which is now swelling my left side surrounding tissue.. I have been to the doctors several times and they look at me like I am crazy… I have contacted the supplier twice and I have been fobbed off… I have contacted my local MP and been ignored… I have cried , pleaded, begged and offered to pay for the removal of the meters and my neighbour ignores me and tells me that she will no longer discuss the meters with me… she told me that my health issues from the meters are my own doing for believing in it… I have recently wrote a letter to her and hand posted it included pictures of my hip and she has ignored me… I have logged everything for the whole two years…my back and forth emails with her suppliers,recorded delivery letters and text messages between me and my neighbour.. I have discovered the neighbourly law which states thy shall not harm thy neighbour.. her acts of omission towards me are absolutely disgusting..she knows she is causing me serious ill health and lacks any sympathy what so ever… because I want the smart meters removed she then started to block my back gate easement and texted me to tell me that I am not allowed to use it.. I told her that I will continue to use it.. my issue is serious because it’s my health which has only started to decline from the day her meters where installed…her issues are petty little things even to the point where she pointed out to me that my verge cap was overhanging onto her property by 2inches!!.. I am seriously stuck here and do not know what to do.. It’s seriously effecting my mobility…
Evie - 1-Oct-23 @ 2:01 PM
I have lived in my house for 23 yrs.. it’s between two houses it’s 15ft wide by 33ft in length.. two yrs ago I acquired a new neighbour who ripped out the old analogue meters and replaced them with two (one for gas,one for electric) smets2 smart meters…. They are both situated at my front door one is back to back with my analogue meter and the other is on the exterior wall on the property boarder as our vestibules are back to back… i have suffered from day one.. insomnia,stress,anxiety,panic attacks,hair loss,tingling legs,unable to walk up and down my stairs.. it has interfered with my electrics like my television ,tablet and phone calls.. my entire house is buzzing… it is seriously effecting my health.. I have a titanium hip which is now swelling my left side surrounding tissue.. I have been to the doctors several times and they look at me like I am crazy… I have contacted the supplier twice and I have been fobbed off… I have contacted my local MP and been ignored… I have cried , pleaded, begged and offered to pay for the removal of the meters and my neighbour ignores me and tells me that she will no longer discuss the meters with me… she told me that my health issues from the meters are my own doing for believing in it… I have recently wrote a letter to her and hand posted it included pictures of my hip and she has ignored me… I have logged everything for the whole two years…my back and forth emails with her suppliers,recorded delivery letters and text messages between me and my neighbour.. I have discovered the neighbourly law which states thy shall not harm thy neighbour.. her acts of omission towards me are absolutely disgusting..she knows she is causing me serious ill health and lacks any sympathy what so ever… because I want the smart meters removed she then started to block my back gate easement and texted me to tell me that I am not allowed to use it.. I told her that I will continue to use it.. my issue is serious because it’s my health which has only started to decline from the day her meters where installed…her issues are petty little things even to the point where she pointed out to me that my verge cap was overhanging onto her property by 2inches!!.. I am seriously stuck here and do not know what to do.. It’s seriously effecting my mobility…
Evie - 1-Oct-23 @ 7:53 AM
I have lived in my house for 23 yrs.. it’s between two houses it’s 15ft wide by 33ft in length.. two yrs ago I acquired a new neighbour who ripped out the old analogue meters and replaced them with two (one for gas,one for electric) smets2 smart meters…. They are both situated at my front door one is back to back with my analogue meter and the other is on the exterior wall on the property boarder as our vestibules are back to back… i have suffered from day one.. insomnia,stress,anxiety,panic attacks,hair loss,tingling legs,unable to walk up and down my stairs.. it has interfered with my electrics like my television ,tablet and phone calls.. my entire house is buzzing… it is seriously effecting my health.. I have a titanium hip which is now swelling my left side surrounding tissue.. I have been to the doctors several times and they look at me like I am crazy… I have contacted the supplier twice and I have been fobbed off… I have contacted my local MP and been ignored… I have cried , pleaded, begged and offered to pay for the removal of the meters and my neighbour ignores me and tells me that she will no longer discuss the meters with me… she told me that my health issues from the meters are my own doing for believing in it… I have recently wrote a letter to her and hand posted it included pictures of my hip and she has ignored me… I have logged everything for the whole two years…my back and forth emails with her suppliers,recorded delivery letters and text messages between me and my neighbour.. I have discovered the neighbourly law which states thy shall not harm thy neighbour.. her acts of omission towards me are absolutely disgusting..she knows she is causing me serious ill health and lacks any sympathy what so ever… because I want the smart meters removed she then started to block my back gate easement and texted me to tell me that I am not allowed to use it.. I told her that I will continue to use it.. my issue is serious because it’s my health which has only started to decline from the day her meters where installed…her issues are petty little things even to the point where she pointed out to me that my verge cap was overhanging onto her property by 2inches!!.. I am seriously stuck here and do not know what to do.. It’s seriously effecting my mobility…
Evie - 1-Oct-23 @ 7:19 AM
I have lived in my house for 23 yrs.. it’s between two houses it’s 15ft wide by 33ft in length.. two yrs ago I acquired a new neighbour who ripped out the old analogue meters and replaced them with two (one for gas,one for electric) smets2 smart meters…. They are both situated at my front door one is back to back with my analogue meter and the other is on the exterior wall on the property boarder as our vestibules are back to back… i have suffered from day one.. insomnia,stress,anxiety,panic attacks,hair loss,tingling legs,unable to walk up and down my stairs.. it has interfered with my electrics like my television ,tablet and phone calls.. my entire house is buzzing… it is seriously effecting my health.. I have a titanium hip which is now swelling my left side surrounding tissue.. I have been to the doctors several times and they look at me like I am crazy… I have contacted the supplier twice and I have been fobbed off… I have contacted my local MP and been ignored… I have cried , pleaded, begged and offered to pay for the removal of the meters and my neighbour ignores me and tells me that she will no longer discuss the meters with me… she told me that my health issues from the meters are my own doing for believing in it… I have recently wrote a letter to her and hand posted it included pictures of my hip and she has ignored me… I have logged everything for the whole two years…my back and forth emails with her suppliers,recorded delivery letters and text messages between me and my neighbour.. I have discovered the neighbourly law which states thy shall not harm thy neighbour.. her acts of omission towards me are absolutely disgusting..she knows she is causing me serious ill health and lacks any sympathy what so ever… because I want the smart meters removed she then started to block my back gate easement and texted me to tell me that I am not allowed to use it.. I told her that I will continue to use it.. my issue is serious because it’s my health which has only started to decline from the day her meters where installed…her issues are petty little things even to the point where she pointed out to me that my verge cap was overhanging onto her property by 2inches!!.. I am seriously stuck here and do not know what to do.. It’s seriously effecting my mobility…
Evie - 30-Sep-23 @ 3:46 PM
Sorry to add but I forgot to mention the emails from her supplier stating that the two meters radiate EMF to over 40ft and communicate via RF sending data every 20 minutes… the neighbour also informed me that she had turned the meters into dumb mode.. (a lie) as for this to happen an engineer has to visit the premises to do this.. and the smets2’s do not support this function as it was removed.. only the old smets1’s have this function…
Evie - 29-Sep-23 @ 7:13 AM
I have lived in my house for 23 yrs.. it’s between two houses it’s 15ft wide by 33ft in length.. two yrs ago I acquired a new neighbour who ripped out the old analogue meters and replaced them with two (one for gas,one for electric) smets2 smart meters…. They are both situated at my front door one is back to back with my analogue meter and the other is on the exterior wall on the property boarder as our vestibules are back to back… i have suffered from day one.. insomnia,stress,anxiety,panic attacks,hair loss,tingling legs,unable to walk up and down my stairs.. it has interfered with my electrics like my television ,tablet and phone calls.. my entire house is buzzing… it is seriously effecting my health.. I have a titanium hip which is now swelling my left side surrounding tissue.. I have been to the doctors several times and they look at me like I am crazy… I have contacted the supplier twice and I have been fobbed off… I have contacted my local MP and been ignored… I have cried , pleaded, begged and offered to pay for the removal of the meters and my neighbour ignores me and tells me that she will no longer discuss the meters with me… she told me that my health issues from the meters are my own doing for believing in it… I have recently wrote a letter to her and hand posted it included pictures of my hip and she has ignored me… I have logged everything for the whole two years…my back and forth emails with her suppliers,recorded delivery letters and text messages between me and my neighbour.. I have discovered the neighbourly law which states thy shall not harm thy neighbour.. her acts of omission towards me are absolutely disgusting..she knows she is causing me serious ill health and lacks any sympathy what so ever… because I want the smart meters removed she then started to block my back gate easement and texted me to tell me that I am not allowed to use it.. I told her that I will continue to use it.. my issue is serious because it’s my health which has only started to decline from the day her meters where installed…her issues are petty little things even to the point where she pointed out to me that my verge cap was overhanging onto her property by 2inches!!.. I am seriously stuck here and do not know what to do.. It’s seriously effecting my mobility…
Evie - 29-Sep-23 @ 7:02 AM
My son has been having trouble with his neighbour since he moved into his flat. The beighbour even moved my sons car with a fork lift truck and the police didnt do anything even though my son said he wanted to press charges. Now yesterday the police came to see my son and explained the neighbour's CCTV camera is pointing directly into my sons bedroom and kitchen window and has been recording him. The police told my son that they have told the neighbour they have 1 week to delete the recording of my son. The cctv camera is still in the same position which has left my son uneasy. Surely this is illegal? What can my son do about this with immediate effect. Advice needed asap
Liz69 - 6-Jul-23 @ 8:02 AM
My neighbour has camera with voice record and bright light that shines onto our property and the light is bright and blinds me when I exit my door akao shines into our dinning room and my sons bedroom,I have asked him tomove his camera away from my door and windows,his totally ignored me . My words were; 'excuse me can you move you camera away from my doors and windows ' He totally ignored and walked onto his house before I could finished saying; it's invading our privacy and all our visitors feel invaded. Because of his ignorance i now feel Harassed and vulnerableespecially when my husband works away
Bagger - 24-Jun-23 @ 1:02 PM
Myneighbours recently put up cctv positioned facing my entrance door and my window picking every activity and everyone that comes and goes to my home . The moment I step on my door step the sensor light is activated.
Lala - 15-Oct-22 @ 9:16 PM
I live in a flat with 3 floors, oppersit me about 3 meters away my neighbour has a bell camera pointing at my front door, we have a security door and buzer sistem plus a spy hole in our front doors so why should there be a camera there. I complained to the council, about this and they said that its OK. I don't think it's right, can someone please answer my quiery.
Bush - 15-May-22 @ 3:14 PM
My neighbour Pete is an ex detective, he has tried to go through my general waste bin, sain inappropriate comments about seeing me in a bikini, puts a ladder on my front lawn to trim his tree so he can see all through my upstairs without asking, trims my bushes over my side of the fence when we have 3-4ft fencing and im trying to grow them to create privacy, he looks over when ever i open a window or door os always out in his garden ashe has turned his garden into an allotment, plus has stood on his front lawn staring into my house, he is making me feel really uncomfortable
Helpme22 - 30-Apr-22 @ 2:56 PM
Hi, my senior neighbour has recently installed two security cameras one in front and one at back of her semi detached bungalow I’m the neighbour other half of the bungalow., The problem is both cameras are pointing on my front and back gardens and I feel I’m being watched or spy upon. The front camera is not even pointing to her driveway garage or car or front door area, but onto her front garden which incorporates part of mine, similarly the camera at the back us pointing to her fence but is high enough to over look into my garden very strange positions of both cameras and I feel my privacy is being invaded what action can I take?
Geoff - 27-Mar-22 @ 9:23 PM
Our neighbours have removed a large number off trees at the back of our house. When they are on this land they can now see straight into our bedroom. Is there anything we can do. They haven’t had permission to do so.
Henri - 17-Mar-22 @ 8:15 PM
My neighbour is watching me in my house w cameras it's been goin 14 yrs she knows things she shouldn't know unless she's invading my privacy she's deranged and evil crazy
Ct - 3-Mar-22 @ 8:55 PM
Neighbour has moved a monstrous shed at least 12 x 12 x 12 from bottom of garden to within 9ft of back of bungalows.Standing within inches of my fence and much higher than the back fence, invading my privacy and blocking all the sunlight from the top of my garden, back of property.Shed obviously has a roof and side and a fully fitted base
Samiej67 - 16-Sep-21 @ 2:52 PM
My neighbours security camera is on my door & garden, motion sensor but doesn't go on to his driveway where his car is parked, how is that protecting his property...........
KaS - 5-Aug-21 @ 5:41 PM
Hi my neighbour recently converted a bathroom to a bedroom and window is no longer obscured glass. It's second floor and looks right into my kitchen and dining room. They don't have any view of their own property but mine. I no longer hang out washing and keep curtains closed and very rarely use the garden now as it's not private.Can I do anything about this?
Rita - 24-Jun-21 @ 10:10 PM
Me new neighbours of 8 weeks have put up cctv and are watching everyone that comes and goes to my home and my kids playing in there own back garden is yhis allowed
Shorty - 19-Jun-21 @ 1:58 AM
Our neighbours have a trampoline in the back garden it is close to the fence line and very close to the house their 14yr old and the father bounce on this trampoline and stare at us in our house through the window. These neighbours are unapproachable what can I do about it ??????
Sg - 25-May-21 @ 9:36 PM
Our neighbours have a trampoline in the back garden it is close to the fence line and close to the fence, their 14yr old and the father bounce on this trampoline and stare at us in our house through the window. These neighbours are unapproachable what can I do about it ??????
Sg - 25-May-21 @ 9:33 PM
I have a really big willy and my neighbours keep looking over at it when I sunbath naked.
Peter Pan - 11-May-21 @ 7:17 PM
Hi our neighbours have constructed a large man cave which is over looking our garden without planning permission it is a rather long garden 126ft long, , they been inviting friends back and these strangers are walking back and forth the via the garden wall ajacent to overlooking my property,to use the neighbours outside toilet, i feel I cant even sit in my garden anymore with no privacy I feel as if it is affecting my mental health due to no privacy what can I do about it
Crochetnan - 25-Apr-21 @ 6:50 PM
Re CCTV @ your door - data protection act
Lee - 20-Apr-21 @ 6:34 PM
What to do if my neighbor is facing the camera to my doorstep and to my backyard
Bella - 15-Apr-21 @ 12:17 PM
Over 9 months now, the nextdoor landlord and/or estate agent haven't repaired the fencing my nextdoor neighbours have rented the house. My privacy is non existent. I've threatened legal action & they've ignored me. Anything I can do?
Natalie - 1-Apr-21 @ 2:18 PM
My new neighbour has just moved in next Dr I keep myself to myself it's turning out she has mental health and bothering us all the time i.e banging around at 4.30 in a morningbeen a jekyle and hide I'm sick of been disturbed what are my rights
Ann - 26-Mar-21 @ 8:49 AM
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