Neighbors Entering My Garage/driveway, Refusing To Leave And Recording Me.

Location: Illinois

My husband and I live in a townhouse and I’m dealing with an issue with my neighbors (husband and wife) that’s starting to escalate.

They’ve complained about weed smoke only once before but pretty aggressively at our front door and we apologized and adjusted by moving from the backyard to the garage.

Our landlord is aware and okay with us using the garage and there is nothing in the HOA rules that prohibits us from smoking. We have not received any notices or violations from the HOA or landlord.

Now, yesterday was the second time in 2 years that they’ve come up to us personally about this issue. This time they came up to my garage while I was sitting all the way inside and started confronting me (yelling and swearing). Neighbor wife was yelling over a marijuana smell, which may have been me from earlier, but at that moment I was not actively smoking and was just enjoying the weather, talking to a friend on the phone. My garage was open but the way we park our cars, and I was sitting In the back of the garage, I was not visible unless you’re really trying hard.

They were standing right at the opening of my garage (partially inside the threshold). I told them multiple times to leave my property and that I am not doing this, but neighbor husband stayed there and kept trying to lecture me. Neighbor wife moved herself into our landscaping and refused to move even after asking her multiple times.

At some point I realized neighbor wife was recording on their phone. It looked like they had actually been trying to record audio before I even noticed the video because she was hiding herself around the corner, away from my view.

I’m trying to keep things calm and not escalate anything, but I also don’t want them coming onto my property and recording me.

I’m just trying to understand where the line is legally:

• If someone comes onto my driveway/garage area and refuses to leave after being told, is that trespassing?

• Is it legal for them to record me in my garage without my knowledge or consent

• At what point does behavior like this become harassment?