Short answer
You may film your own house and property. If the camera routinely films the public road or the neighbours' garden, rules apply and you can be held to account. So aim it tightly and use the masking function. Technically, wired with power over ethernet is the best choice: no battery to change and always a picture.
Who this article is for Anyone who wants to put up a camera. The rules apply to everyone; the installation is work for the installer.
What you may film
Your own home, your own garden, your own drive: no problem. As soon as a camera routinely has the public road or the neighbours' property in view, it is different. You are then processing other people's personal data, and there are rules for that.
In practice:
- aim the camera tightly at what is yours
- use the masking function to black out parts of the picture
- put up a sign saying there is camera surveillance; that is expected and it acts as a deterrent
- keep footage no longer than necessary; four weeks is a common limit
In a dispute with the neighbours, a camera that films their front door is rarely in your favour.
Battery or cable
On battery it is quick to put up, but you have to recharge it regularly, and more often in winter. On top of that, such a camera sits in sleep mode and often misses the start of what you wanted to see.
Where a cable route is possible, wired is the version I install.
Wired with power over ethernet is one cable for power and picture, always awake, always recording. That is the version I install when a route is possible.
Where it should be mounted
- 2.50 to 3 metres high: high enough not to be grabbed, low enough for a recognisable picture
- not facing into the sun, because then you only see silhouettes
- at the front door and the back, because that is where things happen
- not directly above a light that attracts insects; they fly through the picture at night
Storage
Locally on a recorder or a network drive: no subscription, footage stays in the house, and it also works when the internet goes down.
In the cloud: easy, always accessible, but there are subscription costs and your footage is stored elsewhere.
For most homes, local storage with a small recorder in the meter cupboard works fine. For businesses I also look at who has access to it and how that is recorded.
What it takes technically
A switch with power over ethernet, one network cable per camera, and a place for the recorder. If cables are being run anyway, this is the moment to add an extra one straight away. See running network cable.
From my own work
At a home in Geleen there was a camera that had the whole pavement and the neighbours' front door in view. After a complaint it was moved and the masking function was set on the neighbours' strip. The customer keeps an eye on his own drive and that was the end of the problem.
When to call an electrician
- A cable needs to go to the camera
- You want to store footage locally instead of in the cloud
- It is a business premises or an owners' association (VvE) with several cameras
I run the cable and set up the system. See business and request a quote.
Frequently asked questions
Can I put a camera on the front of my house?
Yes, for your own home and property. If it routinely films the pavement or the neighbours, rules apply and you can be held to account.
How long may I keep footage?
No longer than necessary. Four weeks is a common limit for a home.
Cloud or local storage?
Local means no subscription and footage that stays in the house, even during an internet outage. Cloud is easier but costs a monthly fee.
Further reading
Access point or mesh: which to choose
Mesh is quick to set up and works reasonably well. Wired access points work better and last longer.
Fibre at home: what happens and what you need to arrange yourself
The provider brings the fibre into the meter cupboard. From there it is your network, and that is where there is most to gain.
Wifi does not reach everywhere: why that is
It is not that your router is too weak, your walls are too thick. That is why a stronger router rarely solves anything and a cable always does.
Questions and comments
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