What are the legalities of home CCTV systems?

What you need to know before you install CCTV system in your home.

20:35 21 September 2017

Anybody has the right to protect their property and one of the ways to exercise this right is to install CCTV system in their home. However, before doing so, there are some quick considerations that you should think about first.

 

Legally, home CCTV use is allowed but it comes with certain restrictions. You need to make sure that you are using your camera to monitor your properly alone – meaning, you are not allowed to use your camera to capture footage beyond your fences as this will violate the rights to privacy of your neighbours.

 

The Data Protection Act 1998 applies to the use of CCTV to monitor the movements of strangers outside of your home because it is tantamount to collecting data on those individuals. In such circumstances, you’ll be on the safe side if you register with the ICO as a data controller. Experts also advise to disable audio recording facilities as this is particularly privacy intrusive.

 

Restrictions imposed by the Data Protection Act 1998 when installing home CCTV are:

 

·       Put up clear signs stating that CCTV is in operation

 

·       Use footage only for the purposes of security

 

·       Keep the footage secure and keep it only as long as you need it

 

·       Do not release the footage to third parties