CCTV and smart doorbell guidance for tenants and residents

This page explains what you need to know before installing domestic cctv or a smart doorbell at your home. It is for tenants and residents who want to protect their property while respecting other people’s privacy. You will find out what the law expects, when you need permission, whether planning rules apply, and what happens if you want to share footage with us.

This information is not legal advice. If you need legal advice, you should speak to a solicitor.

Using recording systems respectfully

Recording systems such as cctv cameras and smart doorbells can help you feel safer. However, you must use them in a way that respects your neighbours and the public.

You should only install and use a system if you understand how it affects other people’s privacy. As the system owner, you are responsible for how it is used.

Data protection and privacy

If your system only records video or audio within your own property boundary, you do not normally need to register with the Information Commissioner's Office. Even so, you must still handle recordings responsibly.

If your system captures anything outside your boundary, such as a shared entrance, a neighbour’s garden, or a public footpath, you must follow uk data protection law. This includes the uk general data protection regulation and the data protection act 2018.

You must never record inside a neighbour’s home or garden, including audio recording. Failing to follow the law can result in fines or legal action against you.

The Information Commissioner's Office is responsible for data protection rules. We cannot investigate or enforce these laws.

If you have a dispute with a neighbour

If you are concerned about a neighbour’s recording system, you can ask for support from our mediation service. Mediation can help people talk through concerns and reach an agreement. It does not have legal powers to inspect equipment or require cameras to be moved or removed.

If you are a council tenant

If you are a council tenant, you must ask for permission before installing cctv if the work involves:

• drilling or fixing to external walls
• electrical work

Contact your local housing office to request permission.

If we give permission, you must meet these conditions:

• the camera must only cover your home and not shared or public areas
• the installation must have minimal visual impact on the building
• the work must be safe and carried out to a reasonable standard
• you must display a clear sign that cctv is in use

You do not need permission to install a smart doorbell. However, you should follow information commissioner guidance to avoid breaking data protection rules.

If you rent privately or own your home

If you rent from a private landlord or a housing association, you should speak to your landlord before installing any recording system.

If you own your home, you can contact the information commissioner’s office for advice on privacy and data protection.

Planning permission rules

Planning permission may be required for recording systems, no matter what type of home you live in. You may need permission if:

• The camera is in a conservation area or national scenic area.
• The camera exceeds 75 cm by 25 cm by 25 cm.
• The camera is less than 2.5 meters above ground level or protrudes more than 1 meter from the building surface.
• The camera is within 10 meters of another camera installed by you.
• The installation results in more than 4 cameras on one side of the building.

Planning rules can change, so you should always check with the planning authority before installing a system.

Important information for council tenants

When we give permission, this only covers the physical installation on the building. It does not give legal authority to operate the system in any way you choose.

If a complaint about your system is upheld by the information commissioner’s office or a court, you must tell us. We may withdraw permission for the equipment to stay on the property.

Other security measures are also available to help protect your home. Police Scotland offers useful tips on increasing home security.

Sharing footage with us

Do not send footage to us unless we ask for it. We consider requests to view or use footage on a case by case basis.

We will only consider footage that:

• follows information commissioner rules
• shows the full incident from start to finish
• is not edited or selectively recorded

We will not accept covert recordings, footage that breaches privacy, or audio recording on its own. We may refuse to view, use, or store footage and may not be able to explain decisions in detail.

If footage is accepted, we store it securely and only for as long as the law allows. People shown in the footage may ask to see it through a subject access request.

In rare cases, where files cannot be shared electronically, two officers may agree to view footage in person and record what they see in writing.