Dear residents,

CCTV can be an effective tool. It can discourage anti-social behaviour and reduce crime because offenders don't want to be caught on camera.

If you own the property then it is perfectly legal to install CCTV (even with recording and playback capabilities) to protect your property against intruders and trespassers.

You cannot put cameras up on other people's property without their consent. If you do not own the property you will need written permission to install CCTV.

Whilst the use of CCTV for crime prevention and detection is encouraged by police it can lead to disputes between neighbours. The legislation around CCTV cameras is civil and overseen by the Information Compliance Office (ICO) and the Surveillance Camera Commissioner. The police are very limited in their ability to deal with disputes over CCTV as there are no criminal offences. They may only be able to mediate or give advice.

If you wish to use CCTV, check with your local authority before installing, as certain installations require planning permission. Decide on the most effective positioning of the camera and field of view ensuring your CCTV cameras are trained on your own property rather than that of your neighbours.

Kind regards,