There is a requirement in the UK to register CC TV that records with the ICO ( Information Commissioner's Office) there is an annual registration fee which I think currently is £45.
Private CCTV cameras that don't record outside the owners property are exempt from DPA and aren't required to register the camera with the ICO (according the the Goverments online guidelines).
McBryce.
Agreed that is why I said 'record'
Strangely enough the local police were not to concerned about my CCTV facing on to the public street opposite, when a major gangland double shooting and murder occurred just up the road. Indeed, they spotted it and asked me if I could provide recordings in a 2 hour window of the getaway car. They asked any householder in the area who had CCTV to provide what they could.
I was more than happy to provide, despite knowing it was 2 hours of useless boring video, but they were looking for a particular vehicle and if even 3 frames in those hours of recording would help, they would help. I feel sorry for the plod who had to sit through hours and hours of this stuff.
Another time the Police Complaints Commission turned up and asked me if I could provide any CCTV of the HMO (house of multiple occupation) opposite that had someone accusing the police of interfering with their violence and drug taking. Sadly my recordings only last 2 or 3 weeks and then get overwritten. I couldn't provide in that instance as the event was 2 months prior. But I do remember the incident and the arsehole going off on one.
I also have a door-spy camera which is invaluable to totally ignore all the uninvited chuggers and salespeople that knock at least twice a day.
ChrisLX200 has a very nice view compared to mine it has to be said.
But even without CCTV we have curtain twitchers everywhere.