The 3 rules you need to follow when installing security cameras around your home — or risk a hefty fine and legal action

Your house, your rules? Well, not quite. And if you have CCTV cameras or video recording devices on or around your home, it’s essential to understand the rules for having security cameras on your property - or risk paying hefty fines or legal bills.

On paper, the best wireless security cameras and the best video doorbells offer homeowners the chance to keep an eye on their home at all times, resulting in impressive protection for your home and family. And as there are countless smart home security options on the market, many people believe they can use them whenever and wherever they want. However, this isn’t the case.

As Nathan McEvoy-Swann from Alert Electrical explains, ‘Installing CCTV or security cameras around and outside your home can enhance security and provide peace of mind for when you are at home or out and about. However, homeowners in the UK must comply with a number of legal obligations to ensure their surveillance systems do not infringe on others' privacy.’ So, these are the rules you need to know if you have security cameras on your property.

1. You may need to comply with GDPR rules

Cameras and video doorbells are some of the best security measures for a house, but installing these on or around your property is a lot of responsibility. In fact, you may need to comply with GDPR rules depending on where you install them.

As Anthony Neary, security expert at Safe.co.uk, explains, ‘If cameras are positioned to monitor only the homeowner's property, such as a driveway or garden, no special permissions are required.’

However, this all changes if your cameras are positioned so that their coverage includes public or communal areas around your home or flat - like a pathway in front of your house or the hallway in a block of flats.

Anthony says, ‘If the cameras capture footage beyond property boundaries, including neighbouring homes or public spaces, homeowners must ensure they are complying with the law. More specifically, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.’

‘If a CCTV system records areas beyond the homeowner’s property, the individual effectively becomes a data controller under data protection laws. Individuals whose data is captured have the right to request access to their images, and homeowners must grant their wishes unless there are legitimate legal grounds to retain the footage,’ he adds.

In extreme cases, your neighbours can lawfully request that you remove your security cameras as a breach of their privacy. And while this may be a complex case for them to win, it has happened in the past when neighbours have felt as though they are being watched in areas with the expectation of privacy - like their bedrooms and bathrooms.

Because of this, we’d suggest installing a camera like the Ring Spotlight Cam from Amazon, which allows you to customise designated motion zones so the footage only picks up and stores movement within your property.

2. You must have a clear reason for using the CCTV

It’s no secret that home security systems are worth it if you want to keep your home - and your family - safe. They can provide a visual deterrent and allow you to monitor your home when you’re not there. But if you install CCTV cameras or video doorbells on or around your property, you must have an apparent reason for using them and ensure you’re using them respectfully.

‘You must ensure footage is only used for security purposes, store recordings securely, limit access, and delete footage regularly when it is no longer needed,’ explains Nathan. ‘Failure to comply with these regulations could result in complaints to the relevant authorities, fines, or legal action if neighbours or visitors feel their privacy is being violated.’

Of course, everyone has a legal right to keep their homes protected in any way they see fit, but most experts would agree that you should only install these security cameras if you have a legitimate reason to have them - especially if the visuals extend outside your property's boundary. Then, you should also make neighbours aware.

‘If you do happen to capture footage beyond your property, you must clearly inform people they are being recorded, typically through signage or verbal communication,’ says Nathan. Thankfully, signs are extremely affordable, and you can pick up this CCTV in Operation Sign from Amazon for just £3.49.

3. You should be willing to hand over your footage

Whether you’re only filming on your property or your footage extends beyond your boundaries, you also need to be aware that you may have to hand over your footage to the authorities at some point or another. This may happen if there has been criminal activity on your street.

Although you have the right to say no to the police and refuse to hand over the footage from your home’s security cameras, it’s worth noting that they can obtain the footage through legal means if they believe it will aid their investigations. They may even be issued a search warrant for your home, where they can take the security footage by force.

It’s highly unlikely that this will occur, but it’s always worth having a hard drive like this Seagate Skyhawk, 4TB, Video Internal Hard Drive from Amazon on hand should you want to keep footage yourself or share it with others.

And if you don’t like the idea of potentially having to do this, you may want to rethink where you install them.

FAQs

Do I need permission to have CCTV on my property?

No, you don’t need to have permission to have CCTV, as you are within your legal rights to do whatever you want on your property. There are a few things you need to consider, though. These include:

• The height of your cameras: If you have a listed building, you are legally not allowed to install a security camera higher than 2.5m. In many cases, you may also need planning permission to install one.
• The footage radius: If your cameras cover areas outside of your property boundary, you may need to obtain permission from your neighbours and will need to abide by GDPR rules.
• Rented vs legal owner: If you legally own your property, you don’t need permission to have CCTV. If you rent, however, you’ll need to obtain permission from your landlord before buying any cameras.

Can neighbours put cameras overlooking my property?

If your neighbour is using their cameras to protect their home from thieves or criminal activity legitimately, they are within their rights to put cameras up - even if they overlook your property.

However, if you feel like these cameras are violating your privacy in any way - especially if they point in the direction of rooms such as bedrooms and bathrooms where privacy is expected - you can ask them to remove the cameras. You can also ask them to delete any footage of you and your home if the radius of the cameras extends that far.

They do not legally have to remove the cameras if they only pick up footage from their property, but if you are confident that the radius extends to your property, you could take them to court as a last resort.

Do CCTV cameras have to be visible?

Ideally, yes. Although hidden CCTV cameras aren’t illegal, it’s generally recommended that you keep them visible at all times - unless they are only used for capturing your personal affairs and movements.

Having CCTV cameras visible will also enhance your home security system, as they will serve as a more effective visual deterrent and keep thieves at bay.

Is your home security system abiding by the rules?