Every UK rule for having CCTV outside your home including £100,000 fines
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Installing a CCTV camera outside of your home can help prevent burglary, solve neighbour disputes and increase your sense of safety – but it can also run you into legal trouble if you don’t follow the rules properly. Currently, there are an estimated six million CCTV cameras in operation in the UK, many of which have been set up by private homeowners. But despite being a popular deterrent for antisocial behaviour, owning one means that you must follow data protection rules surrounding CCTV camera ownership. These rules include making sure you’re not accidentally recording your neighbours and sharing CCTV footage upon request. If you don’t, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) can take action against you, which includes massive fines of up to £100,000 and even criminal charges.
Security cameras aren’t a fun gimmick to play around with. The law states that you need to have a solid reason for needing one and you must be prepared to explain it if someone makes an official complaint to the police or local authority. If you’re installing a camera, make sure that you are not recording parts of anyone else’s property, as this can definitely get you into trouble if a neighbour complains.
Since you can’t record people in secret, you are obligated to let those around you know that they are being filmed. The most sure fire way to do this is by putting up a sign, or by informing your neighbours in person. If you’ve recorded someone on your CCTV, they have the right to request to see the footage of them – known as a Subject Access Request. So make sure that you are storing your recorded footage securely.
