They are the new must-have household gadget, with around one in five homeowners now having one installed.
But video doorbells are said to be fuelling arguments between neighbours with the ding dongs being captured on camera.
Police Scotland has said that neighbour disputes rose across the country in the six months between April and September last year, compared to 2024.
The force also said that reports of public nuisance and communication incidents are also rising.
A police report says: ‘Neighbour disputes, public nuisances and communications incidents are on the rise.
‘Neighbour disputes, in particular, have increased in every police division compared to last year.’
Doorbell cameras are said to be fuelling a rise in neighbour disputes in some areas
Noise complaints are also a common complaint that comes up between neighbours
Police Scotland says it is working with communities in areas with high complaints to understand and respond to concerns.
One neighbour dispute in Scotland that has gained media attention in recent months is that centred around a man who has amassed a collection of random items in his front garden as part of an art project.
Last December, Denis Carbonaro agreed to ‘explore’ the possibility of moving what he says is an exhibit called Bark Park from outside his home in Dalgety Bay, Fife.
It came after months of calls by neighbours to take down the items.
It comes as Glasgow City Council, Scotland’s largest local authority, confirmed that its community relations team also experienced a rise in reported incidents last year.
The most common complaints involved loud music or noisy parties, threats, harassment and vandalism.
Its Community Relations Unit aims to resolve ‘antisocial behaviour through support measures and early intervention’, with a focus on neighbour disputes.
And smart doorbells are playing an increasingly central role in neighbour disputes.
A council spokesman said: ‘Anecdotally it is becoming more common for these cameras to provide evidence and also, in some cases, the source of information that generates complaints.’
As well as providing evidence of misbehaving neighbours, doorbell cameras themselves may be the subject of privacy complaints if they record images of other people’s front doors and property.
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An artist in Fife has been at the centre of a row with neighbours over his ‘exhibit’ in his garden
Data protection laws can be breached if the devices capture footage or audio beyond owners’ private property boundaries, which can lead to fines and legal action.
Neighbour disputes and tensions spiked during the pandemic when people were forced to stay at home for extended periods.
The trend has continued as working from home has become increasingly popular, leading to many people becoming more sensitive to noise that might have previously passed unnoticed when they were out at work.
The council spokesman said: ‘Our community team mainly deals with antisocial behaviour, which covers a wide range of scenarios, not all of which end up requiring formal action.
‘The most common complaints are excessive noise and harassment and our staff will most often provide advice and guidance, such as signposting to other regulatory teams with a specific legal role.’
Despite the police report of a rise in neighbour disputes, incidents of antisocial behaviour (ASB) and disorder fell ‘slightly’ during the period between April and September last year.
Data shows there were almost 138,500 ASB incidents reported during the period, and more than 96,600 complaints about disorder, which is marginally down on the previous year.
Glasgow City Council said it advises neighbours to try to resolve their differences amicably before they escalate. It also has a mediation service ‘that can assist with neighbour disputes’.
