Guidance for residents using domestic surveillance (CCTV)

Installing domestic surveillance

Council tenants and leaseholders only need to request permission from Islington Council before installing domestic surveillance such as CCTV or doorbell cameras if the device will be fitted to the fabric of the building using screws, nails or hooks or where fixed wire installation is required.

You can request permission through an alterations form.

Ask for a form by phone on 020 7527 5300 or email HomesAndCommunities@islington.gov.uk.

Using domestic surveillance responsibly

You must use this surveillance in a way that respects other people’s privacy and understand the laws that may apply to you.

If you set up your system so it captures images within the boundary of your private domestic property (including your garden), then the data protection laws will not apply to you.
If your system captures images of people outside the boundary of your private domestic property - for example, in neighbours’ homes or gardens, shared spaces including communal landings and walkways or on a public footpath or a street - the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 will apply to you, and you will need to ensure your use of CCTV meets with these laws.

When setting up surveillance systems, consider the following:

What is the most privacy-friendly way to set up the system?
What areas do I want the cameras to capture?
Can I position the cameras to avoid intruding on my neighbours’ property or any shared or public spaces?
Do I need to record the images, or is a live feed enough?
Where a system has an audio-recording facility, this should be disabled as it is considered to be very privacy intrusive
Think about the problem you are trying to tackle. It will usually be to safeguard you and your property against crime. Better locks, security lighting or an alarm system may be more effective and less expensive ways of securing your property.
Consider speaking to your neighbours and explaining what you are installing. Listen to any objections or concerns they may have. Invite them to view what is being captured.
Publicly uploading or streaming footage of identifiable people is not allowed.
You must maintain records of how and why you are capturing images outside of the boundary of your home, and for how long you are keeping them. You may need to make these records available to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) on request.

The ICO data protection guide may help you understand your responsibilities.

If your CCTV captures images of people outside the boundary of your home

If your CCTV captures images beyond your property boundary then your use of the system is subject to the data protection laws. This means that, as the CCTV user, you are a data controller and must uphold the rights of the people whose images you are capturing. You can still capture images, but you need to show you are doing it in ways that meet with data protection laws.

If you are capturing images beyond your property boundary, you should have a justifiable reason for doing so. You may need this reason in case you are asked by an individual or the ICO, so remember it or write it down if needed.

When capturing images outside the boundary of your home, you will need to ensure that you:

put up signs saying that CCTV recording is taking place and why
don’t capture more footage than you need to achieve your purpose in using the system
keep the recordings securely and ensure nobody can watch them without good reason
delete recordings when they are no longer needed
operate the CCTV system in ways you intend and that other household members understand the need to ensure that the system is not misused.

Respecting data protection rights of people whose images you capture

You also need to make sure you respect the data protection rights of the people whose images you capture.

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.
If people ask you to delete your footage of them, you should do this within one month. You can refuse to delete it if you need to keep it for a legal dispute - tell them this and that they can challenge this in court or complain to the ICO.
Consider any objections you get from particular people about capturing their images and think about whether you need to record images beyond your property boundary.

If you fail to comply with your obligations under the data protection laws, the ICO may take enforcement action. This could include a fine. You may also be subject to legal action by affected individuals, who could pursue court claims for compensation.