Lights, camera, action (or lack of)?

Does anyone know what the legal position is as far as security lights and cameras are concerned, when it comes to landlords allowing private tenants to set up these things?

First a few logistical comments. The rental properties in question comprise of two semi-detached cottages; at the front there is a communal path to allow tenants of both properties to access an outdoor but walled/gated car park area that they share, which is about 15 metres from the properties.

The rear garden of the furthest cottage is accessed using a path that goes behind the rear garden of the other cottage, and the path is only for use by the furthest cottage for access. Between the car park and the houses there is a small open space which is also communal.

A relatively new tenant (Mr A) in the property nearest the car park has installed a security camera that initially seemed to have a built in light source. Presumably this was to help view the image at night, although the light facility seems to be have now been disengaged. The camera was mounted in the rear garden to look over a fence towards the communal enclosed area, which leads on to the wall that leads to the carpark.

The tenant at the furthest property (Mr B) is unhappy about the camera installation, as they maintain that it impacts on their privacy i.e. there is no one else that uses the space apart from them, so the only people the camera picks up is Mr B and their family, when they use the communal space to get to their car or to use a path that leads only to their rear garden.

There has never been a security issue on the site and cameras have never been fitted previously or even considered. Mr A has been spoken to and has repositioned the camera to prevent it from viewing over the fence, and just into their garden.

Mr B is still unhappy, as the style and height of garden fencing used means that if they use their rear path, the camera will still detect them, so they are still being ‘watched’.

Does anyone know what the law says as far as whether private tenants can install cameras, and can a landlord refuse them to do this. What rights does each party in this have?

Also, the property is in Scotland, if that makes a difference?

Thanks,

Ian