Homeshield CCTV Installers Blackpool - Home CCTV and the law

There are many Home CCTV security systems available on the market, designed to protect your home. If you’re thinking of having one installed you need to ensure you do so in a way that respects other people’s privacy.  CCTV installers in Blackpool and the North West no matter what company should have a good understanding of the law and home security systems.

The data protection law only applies if your CCTV system captures images outside the boundary of your private domestic property (including your garden).

If your home CCTV system captures images of people outside the boundary of your private domestic property, in neighbours’ homes or gardens for example, shared spaces, or on a public footpath or a street then the GDPR applies to you..

If your home security systems capture images beyond your property boundary, such as your neighbours’ property or public streets and footpaths, then strictly speaking the use of your CCTV system is subject to data protection laws.

This does not mean you are breaking the law by having this however it does mean that as the CCTV user, you are a data controller. So you need to comply with your legal obligations under the data protection laws.

You can still capture images on your home CCTV system however you need to show you are doing it in ways that comply with the data protection laws and uphold the rights of the people whose images you are capturing.

 If your home security systems capture images beyond your property boundary, you should have a clear and justifiable reason for doing so. Homeshield CCTV installers Blackpool do have a large understanding of these laws to help protect our customers in Blackpool and the Fylde. We always advise people to make a small note of why  these images are important and write this down just in case you are ever questioned by an individual or the ICO.

You should also:

Let people know you are using CCTV by putting  up a sign to say that CCTV recording is taking place.  This is mainly applicable with corporate CCTV systems.

You should ensure you don’t capture more  footage than you need to achieve your purpose in using the system Homeshield  will explain and guide you in the during the installation of your CCTV system.

You should ensure the security of the footage  you capture – this is taken care of with all the Homeshield DVR recording  devises.

You should only keep the footage for as long  as you need it – delete it regularly, and when it is no longer needed. Again our DVR system will re write old  data on a regular basis so you will never keep data for long periods.

Ensure the CCTV system is only operated in ways you intend and can’t be misused for other reasons. All our systems  are set up in this way.

 This is something we have never yet come across with any domestic home CCTV system although you should be mindful of the below. 

Responding to subject access request (SARs). Individuals have a right to access the personal data you hold about them, including identifiable images. They can ask you verbally or in writing. You must respond within one month and give them a copy of the data. This is nothing to worry about.

Deleting footage of people if they ask you to do so. You should do this within one month.  CCTV footage on all our domestic systems is usually deleted automatically within this time period.

What else should I think about?

• Before you install the system, consider speaking to your neighbours and explaining what you are doing. Listen to      any objections or concerns they may have. It may also be useful to invite  your neighbours to view the footage you capture. This may relieve any  concerns they have about your use of CCTV. It may also avoid disputes      escalating or complaints being made about your recording.
• The phrase ‘domestic CCTV system’ refers to      the use of any video surveillance equipment mounted or fixed on your home.      It can include cameras fitted to doorbells.
• You should remember that your use of a  domestic CCTV system may be appropriate, but publicly uploading or      streaming footage of identifiable people would need more justification. In      most cases it would not be justifiable.
• You don’t need to register with the ICO or pay      a fee (this is a change from the previous law). However, it is recommended      that you hold records of how and why you are capturing these images, and      for how long you are keeping them. You may need to make these records available      to the ICO on request