1.0 Scope

CERT Property owns and operates multiple buildings across a variety of asset classes, including Commercial, Retail and Residential.  

As with any property owner, we are required to maintain the security of our assets and the safety of our employees, occupiers and their visitors.

Our buildings are equipped with CCTV in order to assist us in discharging these responsibilities.

2.0 Coverage and Operation of CCTV

CCTV cameras are positioned throughout buildings internally and externally.

Whilst each building varies in layout, as a general rule cameras are installed overtly in the following locations;

• Externally to cover - 

  • All entrances and exits

  • The main entrance to provide a visual record of the individuals entering / exiting our buildings

  • All ground floor external windows

• Internally to cover

  • Reception

  • Communal  spaces

  • Corridors

Cameras are not positioned in a way that would intrude on the privacy of occupiers or their offices, and are only intended to monitor areas accessible by all occupiers and visitors (i.e. communal areas, corridors and reception spaces)

3.0 Monitoring of CCTV

CCTV Cameras at our site are not routinely monitored during working hours.

Designated CERT Property Ltd team members and approved contractors (such as managing agents) are permitted to view live or recorded CCTV images via a smartphone app or PC software, only where they are directly involved in the management of said building.

CERT Property Asset Managers will routinely check CCTV remotely outside of working hours to ensure building security.

4.0 Scope of CCTV usage

Our CCTV systems are not intended for the following uses;

• To monitor the normal day to day activities of occupiers, licensees or their visitors

• To monitor car park security even where camera(s) may incidentally cover part or whole of the car park.

Our CCTV systems are intended for the following uses;

• To ensure the security of our assets, occupiers and licensees both inside and outside working hours

• To provide inculpatory evidence in case of burglary, theft, violence or any other illegal activity, inside our near any of our buildings inside or outside of working hours

• To allow our property management team access to monitor our sites in real-time 

5.0 External Access to Recorded CCTV Footage

CERT Property Ltd will only provide copies of recorded CCTV images to the following authorities;

• The Police or any legally designated HM Government Security Service, with or without a warrant or court order.

  • CERT Property Ltd will not require a warrant or court order when requested to provide footage to the Police or any HM Government Security Service, whether or not the request is made under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and any subsequent amplifying or amending legislation

• To a court of law when commanded to by way of a court order or warrant.

• A recognised insurance provider where the insurance provider submits a request in relation to an insurance claim relating to any of our buildings or sub-let offices or apartments

• To a local authority or other local or other governmental body under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 and any subsequent amplifying or amending legislation.

CERT Property Ltd will not generally provide copies of recorded CCTV images directly to occupiers, licensees or visitors without a compelling reason.  This is entirely at the discretion of the Head of Property Management and will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.  Occupiers or Visitors may only usually request that CCTV is retained (i.e. backed up to an external source to prevent being overwritten) for future access to the above mentioned 3rd parties.  Please see Section 4.  Retention of CCTV Footage  for further guidance.

6.0 Retention of CCTV Footage

All modern CCTV systems have a high capacity hard drive which allows for the retention and recall of footage, anywhere from 20 days to 60 days.

The length of time that footage is retained before being automatically over-written depends on the following factors

• Hard Drive Capacity

• Number of cameras being recorded

• Quality of the images being recorded.

CERT Property Ltd will only retain footage on an external storage facility when requested by a tenant, licensee or visitor or when asked to by any of the 3rd parties listed in section 3.

Occupiers or visitors may request footage is retained to an external storage facility to prevent being overwritten, subject to the following conditions;

• The requested footage is only related to the party making the request

• The requested footage relates to a particular area of CCTV coverage during a specific timeframe and is not extremely broad (for example, a request of several hours or days worth of footage)

• The requested footage only relates to an incident defined in section 2B

• That the footage will only be provided directly to the authorised 3rd parties listed in section 3

• That the request is made by a director or manager of a Licensee or Tenant (in the case of commercial property)

• That the request is made in writing

Any request to retain footage for reasons other than listed above may be rejected, solely at the discretion of the Asset Manager and/or Head of Property Management.

If a request to retain CCTV footage is rejected, the requesting party is entitled to seek a review of the decision via our Complaints Procedure

7.0 CCTV Retention and Request Forms

CCTV Access Request 

CCTV Retention Request