Home CCTV and the law

If your cameras only see your own property

Cameras that record only your own home and garden are for your household's use, and data protection law does not apply to them in the same way. Most of the questions people ask us come down to where the cameras point.

If your cameras see beyond your boundary

Once a camera captures the street, a shared drive or a neighbour's garden, the Information Commissioner's Office says data protection law applies to you. That means you need a clear reason for recording, you should record no more than you need, and you must keep the footage secure and not for longer than necessary.

People you record can ask you for a copy of footage of them, and you would need to answer.

• Point cameras at your own property wherever you can
• Use privacy masking to blank out areas you do not need
• Put up a sign saying CCTV is in use
• Keep recordings only as long as you need them
• Talk to your neighbours before you fit a camera that sees their property

How we plan camera positions

At the quote we look at what you want to see, where each camera can go and what it will take in. If a camera would cover more than your property, we will show you the view and the masking options before anything is fitted.

The ICO's guidance for people using domestic CCTV is at ico.org.uk.