What are the rules/guidelines on external CCTV

HurdyGurdy

After a spate of burglaries in our area, we have got some CCTV cameras for the outside of the house, front and rear.

Are there laws, or guidelines, or unwritten rules for how to position them? I am thinking around capturing neighbours' homes/cars/gardens.

The back garden isn't so bad, as we have fences or trees shielding our house from the neighbours, but at the front, no matter how we try to position the cameras, we're catching a bit of someone else's home or garden.

Is it just a case of asking if they mind, or are there definite no-nos?

wazza99

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/domestic-cctv-using-cctv-systems-on-your-property/domestic-cctv-using-cctv-systems-on-your-property

Also most recording software has privacy filters so you can block out unwanted areas, i highly recommend Blue iris if your using ip cameras

savemoney

Rather than post again this is what I have http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=73460401&postcount=29

I also have a sign on the house indication I have CCTV. I got mine purely for car really but acts as a deterrent too as I found a thief trying to steal my garden bench in Summer and chased after them.

I also have privacy setting on neighbours property the last thing I want is to spy on others near by

TheCyclingProgrammer

In short, the current guidelines are that you need to keep your cameras pointing at your own property in order to benefit from the domestic exemption from the data protection act. If you are capturing areas outside your boundaries you are no longer exempt and need to register with the ICO as a data controller and adhere to data protection act rules and if you’re capturing neighbouring properties your neighbours may rightly object to the invasion of their privacy.

https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/cctv/

Warwick_Hunt

TheCyclingProgrammer wrote: »

In short, the current guidelines are that you need to keep your cameras pointing at your own property in order to benefit from the domestic exemption from the data protection act. If you are capturing areas outside your boundaries you are no longer exempt and need to register with the ICO as a data controller and adhere to data protection act rules and if you’re capturing neighbouring properties your neighbours may rightly object to the invasion of their privacy.

https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/cctv/

I don't think you're exempt if you have audio recording.

TheCyclingProgrammer

Warwick_Hunt wrote: »

I don't think you're exempt if you have audio recording.

I don’t think it’s black and white. ICO guidance only refers to capturing images off the property. If you have audio capture you really need to consider how likely it is to capture audio from somebody else’s property.

shaun_from_Africa

Warwick_Hunt wrote: »

I don't think you're exempt if you have audio recording.

There isn't anything in the reg's that state that having audio recording on a cctv system has any effect on the domestic exemption clause.
However, the ICO do recommend that audio recordings are disabled on household systems.

Warwick_Hunt

shaun_from_Africa wrote: »

There isn't anything in the reg's that state that having audio recording on a cctv system has any effect on the domestic exemption clause.
However, the ICO do recommend that audio recordings are disabled on household systems.

It's a grey area, what if conversations from beyond the boundary are being picked up? I think you'd lose the exemption.