Topic: Can domestic home CCTV system affect your property value (up or down!)?

[Keith Lard]

If you were looking to buy a house and you saw a discrete external CCTV system present, would you take that as a positive, negative, or would you not think about it either way?

To give you an idea of what I am talking about, basically if you were looking at a house with four of these on exterior around the house:



Interested to know your thoughts folks.

[paddysour]

I'd see it as a massive positive.

[Mouth]

Definate positive, I've got a camera outside my window, which I basically use as a door cam, but its fun just watching it for some reason, people passing by and stuff, unfortunately its fixed, so I'm going to put a motorized one in so I can really spy on people

Its got to be good insurance wise as well, pretty sure having an alarm helps, so a cctv system couldnt hurt.

[DJBrenton]

It really does depend. If you went to view a house and they had 4 deadbolts on the front door would that be a positive or would you think there must be a reason for such extra precautions? If higher secrity installations are common on a street then you can guess the area is prone to crime. If it's only one house then either the current occupant is a tad paranoid or he's pissed someone off.

[Sudden Death Draft Loser]

Could be a high crime area or could be that the occupants are paranoid fuckers that pay too much attention to the media.

[CHOPPER]

If the house doesn't have a panic room, then CCTV is just a token gesture.

[TepidT2O]

If the house doesn't have a panic room, then CCTV is just a token gesture.

We call it the toilet in my house

[Keith Lard]

I'd love to hear a few more observations on this. Please be as balanced as possible as I am really grateful to hear your honest perceptions. Remember, I am not talking great big bulky cameras. I am talking about the ones pictured (dome cameras).

[J-Mc-]

I'd see it as both a positive and a negative.

Positive because:

• You are safe in the knowledge that if anything happens, you have CCTV footage to catch the culprit
• Something has been done to protect the household

But negative because:

• It possibly means that there's a high crime rate in the area

[richiedouglas]

I've already not viewed houses based on them having CCTV. It's either a) a house occupied by a weirdo or b) somewhere that warrants surveilance

[gamble]

I've worked in cctv sales before. usually something has happened (e.g. burglary, tresspassers, theft from garage/garden) and the customer has decided to have the system installed. some customers were also rich/paranoid business men with lots of cash/assets indoors and wanted a security set up. the type of dome camera doesn't mean anything really, where the camera is pointed at will tell you what the previous owner was worried about.

[greenone]

My folks have got CCTV covering the Drive (house in the middle of nowhere so a vechile would be needed to take stuff away) and all doors into the house. Had an attempted break in and the police did fuck all as the window they tried to get in wasn't covered by the cameras, however if they had got in and come out one of the doors they would have gone after the theiving scum.

[Keith Lard]

Very grateful for your responses chaps. Food for thought.

[MOZ]

Something to consider with alarms/cameras:

If you declare any security system on your house insurance and then pop out and forget to turn it on, your insurance may not pay out if anything happens. Often better not to mention it unless it makes a massive difference to premiums in your area.

[Alf]

We've got it at our's. Always have a snoop around outside when I'm channel hopping, don't even have to open the curtains.

[And Could He Play]

i've got one set up on both my houses, you cant see them, tiny little cameras, i can hear people from outside from my garden and see them.

i'll get the company details to you.

[Keith Lard]

i've got one set up on both my houses, you cant see them, tiny little cameras, i can hear people from outside from my garden and see them.

i'll get the company details to you.

Thanks mate. Just sent you a PM.

[Alan_X]

My brother in law used to sell home CCTV systems. They recorded to your home VCR. The obvious problem being when the burglar breaks in and nicks your VCR...

[And Could He Play]

Thanks mate. Just sent you a PM.

just replied.

as i said, found it now .http://www.cameras-cctv.com/IP_Cameras-Bullet_type/Vivotek_IP8331


mine are black. you cant even see them.

[Keith Lard]

just replied.

as i said, found it now .http://www.cameras-cctv.com/IP_Cameras-Bullet_type/Vivotek_IP8331


mine are black. you cant even see them.

Thanks again! Looks like an interesting and product. Will investigate further.

[DJBrenton]

People with CCTV inside their houses are wierdos.

[Keith Lard]

People with CCTV inside their houses are wierdos.

For no good reason and just for spying, I have to agree. But if they're the victim of harassment I completely disagree.

[And Could He Play]

inside houses?

[CHOPPER]

inside houses?

Sounds like a telly show.

[And Could He Play]

Sounds like a telly show.

does actually ha ha

[Keith Lard]

Oh I thought he meant outside a house.

Like most technology, it has good and bad applications.

[Rococo]

My brother in law used to sell home CCTV systems. They recorded to your home VCR. The obvious problem being when the burglar breaks in and nicks your VCR...

Always wondered that - presumable some of the newer ones record to your computer, but I guess the same proble applies.

On the original question, I'd see it as a plus.  Any property can be broken into even if it's not in a high risk area.  Any deterrents can only help make sure you're safe

[Rococo]

i've got one set up on both my houses, you cant see them, tiny little cameras, i can hear people from outside from my garden and see them.

i'll get the company details to you.

Surely visibilty of cameras is one of the major selling points i.e. they act as a deterrent?

[MrGrumpy]

Having sensible security features such as a good burglar alarm and security lights benefit any property in any area. Once you start getting beyond that you have to question why the owner thinks they need it. One thing to note is that if you see a house with loads and loads of security features when most of the others in the road have the usual kit, it's probably owned by the local hood. Whether or not living near them is a good thing or not is subjective.

[Veinticinco de Mayo]

I'd be very wary and it would make me immediately look at the other houses in the area to see if they had similar security measures.  I'd also do some net research and ask other home owners in the area if there was a crime, vandalism, anti-social behaviour problem?

Essentially there are four possibilities and you need to nail which one it is

1. The area has a problem with crime of some description hence the counter measures. This is a problem for you.
2. The owners have a particular problem with crime for some reason. ie. current occupier is well dodgy and fears a straightening knock at the door. This may be a problem for you.
3. The owners are paranoid worriers scared into hiding at home by the Daily Mail. This is not a problem for you as long as you steer clear of the Mail
4. The owners are fucking weird pavement pervs like Mouth.  This may be a positive for you if you are similarly inclined.

You need to do some research to establish which of the above apply.

Hope that helps

[greenone]

Always wondered that - presumable some of the newer ones record to your computer, but I guess the same proble applies.

On the original question, I'd see it as a plus.  Any property can be broken into even if it's not in a high risk area.  Any deterrents can only help make sure you're safe

My parents system records to a 1 tb hd, you would have to tear the house apart to find it.

[Rococo]

2 and 4 couldn't apply to me as if I got them it would be to (and excuse the phrase) deter unwanted rear entry.

Just out of interest, would you be equally concerned about the presence of a burglar alarm?

[Veinticinco de Mayo]

2 and 4 couldn't apply to me as if I got them it would be to (and excuse the phrase) deter unwanted rear entry.

Just out of interest, would you be equally concerned about the presence of a burglar alarm?

What we are talking about here is abnormal levels of security for your average home.  If I was looking to buy said home then I would want to know why that was.  Simple as that really.

[And Could He Play]

Surely visibilty of cameras is one of the major selling points i.e. they act as a deterrent?

really? do you really think for one second a camera will stop people doing it? do you not read the news, banks pubs, offys, everything with cameras get robbed, mine is there, so if something does happen, the twats dont think i have cameras, i will find out who they are and fucking end them.  h ha.

[♠Dirty Harry♠]

Wasn't there a website launched that showed crime rates for different areas throughout Britain a few years ago?

EDIT: Here it is http://www.police.uk/

Only works in England and Wales mind.

[Crosby Nick]

Wasn't there a website launched that showed crime rates for different areas throughout Britain a few years ago?

Yes. I wish I hadn't looked at it to be honest!

[Enemy]

Yes. I wish I hadn't looked at it to be honest!

No crime at all on my street for over a year. Woohoo!

[MrGrumpy]

EDIT: Here it is http://www.police.uk/

Great fun that site, you type in your postcode see the results and begin to think that the dull suburb you live in is prohibition era Chicago albeit without the style. Then you get your work mates who live in Hackney or any place in South London to do it and all the sudden you feel a lot safer.

[Crosby Nick]

Great fun that site, you type in your postcode see the results and begin to think that the dull suburb you live in is prohibition era Chicago albeit without the style. Then you get your work mates who live in Hackney or any place in South London to do it and all the sudden you feel a lot safer.

A couple of burglaries on my steert in the last few months, a few robberies and vehicle crimes. To be expected really. The results for last August are off the scale though! Funnily enough 'rioting' isn't an option, by the look of it a lot was filed under 'Other crime'.

[geth7]

Recently in my area there's been an increase in oil tank thefts and general anti social behavior, so want to add two cameras on the house. Does anyone know if you need a router for the cctv to work? As currently our next door neighbor kindly gave us her broadband password so we don't have our own internet.  thinking of purchasing this

http://www.screwfix.com/p/swann-swdvk-4720p2-uk-4-channel-security-system-2-cameras/2802p