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Student accommodation CCTV

Hello guys, I'm living in private halls for my last year which is basically same as uni halls ie 5 bedrooms en-suite with a shared living room kitchen. However this year in the living room there's a camera which is constantly operating.
I feel like this is an invasion of privacy as I don't feel comfortable being in the living room because of that.
Just wondering if it's allowed to have a camera there, as I have never seen any accommodation with cameras in the living room.
Thanks for any help!!

Reply 1

dipka

So you have a living room for just the 4 of you, is that right?

I'm in uni halls and theres CCTV everywhere on the outside, stairs and the common room (the only living room type place for the entire hall) we don't have seperate living room, just kitchens in each flat. There's no CCTV in the flat, just corridors between flats and stairs there is some.

If your worried about it being in a living room then I wouldnt because mine has CCTV in there, but if your worried about it in your flat then that's harder for me because we don't have CCTV in there, but I do think your right, if theres only 4 of you then you should be alloued some privacy.

Reply 2

JustGeorgeJ

Original post by Ferozh

Hm, it's a difficult one!
I can definitely see that it's an invasion of privacy, I'd hate to be in there if I knew that was recording. If it's in there, it indicates to me that obviously something has happened within that accommodation that has led them to believe they need that area monitoring, however, it should be something they check with your first.

If it is a 'live' feed then I doubt it's being watched 24/7, it'll be something they can refer to if anything ever goes wrong, so, I don't the footage is being watched. At the same time, it may be a fake camera. It may look like it's recording but it may be a dummy to make sure people don't do anything silly in there.

However, it is a big invasion of privacy. I'd suggest contacting whoever is in charge of your accommodation and asking them about it.
Maybe contact your university and ask them what they know about the laws regarding this?

Reply 3

DiddyDec01

It sounds perfectly legal.

Reply 4

Klix88

Check the small print of the accommodation contract/rental agreement that you signed. If the camera is mentioned, then you've agreed to it by signing. If it isn't there, you can try asking for it to be removed and get your Student Union to advise if that's refused.

It's unusual to have CCTV inside flats, but the lounge might be viewed as a "communal area". As an above poster says, something may have happened in the past which means that the housing organisation thinks it necessary to have cameras as some kind of safeguard/deterrent.

Reply 5

EloiseStar

In my experience CCTV cameras are constantly recording but they're only ever used (ie - looked back on) if there is/has been a problem. If you've done nothing wrong, you've got nothing to fear.

Besides, the people who will go through the CCTV are likely to have other jobs too which keep them busy - too busy to be spying on you constantly.