Category: Uncategorized

When the smart home is controlled by someone else

Connected doorbells, cameras, locks, speakers and thermostats are usually bought for convenience and security. In a home affected by domestic abuse, the same features can be turned against the person living there, particularly when accounts, hubs or devices remain linked to a current or former partner. This article summarises material from Refuge’s Tech Safety resource, the sexual abuse support charity SARSAS and the text of section 1 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. It is general information, not legal or personal safety advice, and it does not cover the law in Scotland or Northern Ireland. Anyone in immediate danger should call 999.

How devices can be misused

SARSAS lists several ways household technology can be used to control someone: unauthorised monitoring and recording, preventing a person entering or leaving the home, unexpected changes to lighting or heating, tracking daily movements and routines, covert listening and extending surveillance through children’s connected devices. It describes these as reflecting patterns of power and control. Refuge’s Tech Safety site gives an example of an ex-partner remotely triggering a loud noise from a home device in the middle of the night, disturbing a mother and child.

Because these behaviours are about control, they can persist after a relationship or a shared tenancy ends, if an old account still administers a lock or camera, or if a gift to a child contains a microphone or camera the survivor cannot manage.

Where the law sits

Section 1 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 defines domestic abuse as abusive behaviour between two people aged 16 or over who are personally connected. It lists physical or sexual abuse, violent or threatening behaviour, controlling or coercive behaviour, economic abuse, and psychological, emotional or other abuse. The definition applies to a single incident or a course of conduct, and abuse directed at someone else, such as a child, can still count as abuse towards the person concerned. The section does not mention technology by name. Whether a specific act involving a device is an offence is a question of the particular facts and other legislation, and the sources read do not address it, so no view is offered here.

Warning signs

SARSAS suggests noticing patterns such as unexpected device behaviour or changed settings, activity at unusual times or frequency, and devices activating without any action by the household. None of these proves abuse; faults, updates and shared family accounts can cause similar effects. They are prompts to look more closely.

Steps the charities suggest

SARSAS recommends the following, and stresses that a safety plan should come before action because some steps could escalate risk:

• Make an inventory of connected devices to understand what data each collects and who has access.
• Document suspicious activity carefully, in a way that does not alert the person responsible.
• Secure access credentials by changing passwords and, where safe, disabling location services.
• Use separate devices for seeking help, such as a trusted phone, a library computer or a new account.
• Review children’s accounts and devices for indirect surveillance.

Refuge’s Tech Safety site provides guides for products including Ring doorbells, Nest, Google Home Hub, Amazon Echo and Alexa, smart plugs, smart TVs, smart locks and Apple Watch, and points people worried about devices or online accounts to its Secure your Tech guides. It also offers a Digital Break-Up Tool for reviewing app security. The general advice on separating smart devices from shared networks and enabling two-step verification is covered in the site’s pages on account takeover and resetting or disposing of a smart camera or lock, but a survivor should weigh any change against safety advice first, since removing or resetting a device may be noticed.

Getting specialist help

Refuge runs the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247, available 24 hours a day, every day of the year, with online chat at set hours, British Sign Language support and translation services. The helpline can support safety planning that includes technology. People concerned about someone else can also use the resources listed on the Refuge site.

Common questions

Should a device be unplugged straight away?

SARSAS advises developing a safety plan before acting, because some steps can escalate risk. A specialist adviser can help decide what to do and when.

Is smart-home misuse covered by the Domestic Abuse Act 2021?

Section 1 defines domestic abuse by behaviour type, including controlling or coercive behaviour and psychological abuse, without naming devices. How it applies to a particular situation depends on the facts.

Are children’s devices a risk?

SARSAS lists surveillance through children’s connected devices as one way technology can be misused, and recommends reviewing children’s accounts.

The bottom line

Connected home devices can be used to monitor and control, and the charities Refuge and SARSAS both advise a careful, planned response: inventory the devices, secure accounts where it is safe, use separate devices to seek help and speak to a specialist before making visible changes. The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 definition covers controlling and psychological abuse without mentioning technology. Support is available round the clock through the National Domestic Abuse Helpline.

Sources

• Refuge, “Refuge Tech Safety”
• SARSAS, “When convenience becomes control: understanding technology-facilitated abuse in smart homes”
• legislation.gov.uk, “Domestic Abuse Act 2021, section 1”

The caller at the door is the weak point of a strong lock

A door can have a certified cylinder, a chain and a video doorbell, and still be opened voluntarily to a stranger with a plausible story. Doorstep crime relies on persuasion rather than force. This article summarises published advice from Avon and Somerset Police and West Sussex County Council Trading Standards. Both are English bodies, so the specifics below describe practice in England; householders in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland should check their own police service and trading standards team for local schemes and reporting routes. It is general information, not legal advice.

What doorstep crime covers

Avon and Somerset Police describe several categories rather than a single offence. Distraction burglars and fraudsters pose as utility officials or invent a story to gain entry, sometimes appearing smartly dressed and carrying fake identification. Bogus dealers offer to buy antiques, furniture or jewellery at undervalued prices, or charge for waste disposal with no intention of disposing of it properly. Fake charity collectors may lack credentials or use altered or homemade identification. Pedlars are travelling traders, and the force says genuine pedlars must hold a valid Pedlar’s Certificate. Rogue traders, often described as bogus workmen, claim urgent repairs are needed on a roof or driveway, and may ask for payment in advance or offer to accompany the householder to withdraw cash.

Warning signs

The police guidance lists the recurring signals: a caller who has no appointment, missing or suspicious identification, photocopied or fake ID badges, unsolicited offers of work and requests for cash. Any one of these is a reason to keep the door closed. Urgency is a common thread, since a genuine repair rarely has to be agreed on the spot with a stranger. For reference on the rules that apply after a sale at the door, the site’s guide to doorstep alarm and camera sales and cooling-off rights explains the cancellation position in Great Britain.

Stop, chain, check

West Sussex Trading Standards promotes a three-step approach. Stop, by asking whether an appointment or visit was expected. Chain, by securing the door bar or chain before opening the door. Check, by asking for and double-checking the caller’s identification. Avon and Somerset Police add several practical points:

• Do not open the door to unknown callers.
• Verify identity using an official company number found independently, not one supplied by the caller.
• Where a support person is available, arrange appointments so that they are present.
• Use password schemes offered by service providers, where they exist.
• Consider safety chains, intercoms or video doorbells to speak to callers before opening.

The doorbell point links equipment to behaviour. A camera that lets a resident see and speak to a caller without opening the door can support the stop-and-check routine, though it is the routine that provides the protection. The site’s night-time routine shows how habits and equipment fit together.

Cold-calling stickers

West Sussex says free door stickers are available to make it clear to anyone calling that cold callers are not welcome, and that callers who ignore such stickers may be committing an offence under recently introduced consumer protection legislation. The wording is cautious, and the page does not set out the provision in detail, so a sticker should be treated as a clear statement of the household’s wishes and a useful deterrent rather than a guarantee. Availability of stickers and any formal “no cold calling” zones depends on the local council.

Cancellation notices

West Sussex Trading Standards notes that failing to give a required notice of cancellation rights is a criminal offence. Anyone who has agreed to work at the door and later regrets it should keep any paperwork and contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service (0808 223 1133) or local trading standards, both of which the council identifies as reporting routes.

Reporting

Avon and Somerset Police say to call 999 immediately if alarmed or intimidated. Other suspicious activity, fraud, harassment or theft can be reported through the force’s website. For suspected fake charity collectors the force lists the Charity Commission helpline on 0300 066 9197; that body regulates charities in England and Wales. Trading standards teams handle rogue trader complaints. After a burglary of any kind, the site’s guide to the Victims’ Code sets out what victims in England and Wales can expect.

Common questions

Who do I report a rogue trader to?

West Sussex names the Citizens Advice Consumer Service and local Trading Standards; the police handle crimes in progress and threats.

How do I check a caller who says they are from a utility?

Use a company number found on a bill or the official website, not one the caller provides, as the police advise.

Is a video doorbell enough?

It helps you talk without opening the door, but the police advice centres on behaviour such as not letting strangers in and checking identity independently.

The bottom line

Doorstep crime succeeds when a stranger is let in or paid on the spot. Police and trading standards advice in England is consistent: do not open the door to unexpected callers, use a chain or camera, check identity through independently sourced numbers and report suspicious visits. Stickers and cancellation paperwork add further protection, though local practice and reporting routes differ across the UK.

Sources

• Avon and Somerset Police, “Know the signs of doorstep crime”
• West Sussex County Council, “Doorstep callers”

Who loses out when a parcel is stolen from the doorstep

Parcel theft is usually discussed as a security problem, and the practical steps are covered in the site’s guide to package and doorstep theft prevention. There is also a legal question that decides who bears the cost when a delivery is stolen, and the answer can depend on a choice the customer made at checkout. This article summarises section 29 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which applies across the whole United Kingdom, and a Citizens Advice article about “safe place” deliveries. It concerns goods bought from a trader by a consumer. It is general information, not legal advice, and it does not replace the terms of a particular courier or retailer.

The basic rule: risk stays with the trader until delivery

Section 29 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 treats every sales contract as including a term on the passing of risk. Under section 29(2), the goods remain at the trader’s risk until they come into the physical possession of either the consumer or a person identified by the consumer to take possession of them. In plain terms, if a parcel is lost or stolen before it reaches the customer or someone the customer has named, the seller is on the hook, and the customer can look to the seller rather than the courier.

The wording matters. The trigger is physical possession by the consumer or a person the consumer identified. A parcel dropped on a doorstep is not in anyone’s physical possession in that sense, but the legal position can be changed by what the customer asked for or agreed to, which is where the “safe place” question comes in.

When the customer chooses the carrier

Section 29 has a specific exception. Under sections 29(3) and (4), if goods are handed to a carrier who was commissioned by the consumer and is not a carrier the trader named as an option, the goods are at the consumer’s risk from delivery to that carrier. Section 29(5) adds that this does not affect any liability of the carrier to the consumer. This exception is aimed at a customer who arranges their own courier for collection, not at the ordinary case of a retailer choosing a delivery firm.

Why “safe place” instructions can shift the position

A Citizens Advice branch article warns that choosing a safe place can affect who bears responsibility. When a customer nominates a safe place, parcel companies commonly mark the item as delivered as soon as it is left there, and that article says the ability to get a refund or claim compensation could be affected. It also reports a finding by Citizens Advice that only one of the six largest UK parcel companies made clear, on its website or app, who accepts responsibility when a customer nominates a safe place.

These are points about practice and company terms rather than a statutory rule. Whether a particular loss falls on the customer, the retailer or the courier turns on the contract, on what the customer agreed to, and on whether the parcel was left where the customer asked. Section 29(2) gives the starting point, but it does not automatically settle every safe-place dispute, and the article stresses that the answer varies by parcel company and its terms.

Sensible steps before choosing a safe place

• Read the courier’s terms on safe-place delivery before nominating a location, rather than accepting a default option.
• Avoid nominating a safe place unless prepared to accept the consequences, which is the advice given in the Citizens Advice article.
• Consider parcel shops or lockers as alternatives, another option that article recommends,.
• Check whether the seller or courier carries insurance for lost or stolen deliveries.
• Keep the order confirmation, delivery instructions and any tracking record showing where the parcel was left.

If a parcel goes missing

Start by contacting the retailer, since section 29 places the risk on the trader until delivery to the customer or a named person, and the contract is with the retailer. Give the tracking details and say whether a safe place was nominated. Report a theft to the police as well, especially if other deliveries have gone missing, because footage from a doorbell camera can help. The Citizens Advice consumer service can advise on next steps where a retailer refuses to help.

Common questions

Does section 29 apply in Scotland and Northern Ireland?

Yes. The legislation.gov.uk page treats section 29 as UK-wide, so it covers England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Is the courier or the retailer responsible?

Under section 29(2) the risk is the trader’s until the goods reach the consumer or a person the consumer identified, so the retailer is the usual first contact. Courier terms and safe-place instructions can complicate that.

Does this cover items bought from private sellers?

Section 29 concerns sales contracts between a trader and a consumer, so private sales are outside its scope.

The bottom line

For goods bought from a trader, section 29 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 keeps the risk with the seller until the goods are in the physical possession of the consumer or a person the consumer named. Instructions such as a nominated safe place, or a carrier the customer commissioned, can change the picture in practice, and Citizens Advice cautions that parcel companies’ terms often shift responsibility. Reading the terms first is the cheapest protection.

Sources

• legislation.gov.uk, “Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 29 (Passing of risk)”
• Citizens Advice Medway, “Is choosing a parcel ‘safe place’ as safe as you think?”

When repeated reports get nowhere

Persistent anti-social behaviour near a home, such as repeated damage to a fence, gate or car, groups gathering at a boundary, or intimidating behaviour, often prompts people to buy cameras, lights and stronger locks. Security equipment helps with evidence and deterrence, but it does not make the responsible agencies act. In England and Wales there is a formal route for households who have reported a problem several times without a proper response: the ASB case review, also known as the Community Trigger. This article summarises GOV.UK guidance and the text of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. It applies to England and Wales only; the sources do not describe an equivalent scheme for Scotland or Northern Ireland, where residents should ask their local council or police service what applies. It is general information, not legal advice.

What the case review is

GOV.UK describes the ASB case review as a multi-agency process that lets victims of persistent anti-social behaviour ask for a formal review of how their case has been handled, where a local threshold is met. Section 104 of the 2014 Act, which extends to England and Wales, requires the relevant bodies in each local government area to make arrangements for carrying out these reviews and to publish the procedures they follow. The point of the process is to bring the agencies together to share information, look at what has already been done and decide what further action to take. It is not a new complaint about the offender; it is a review of the response.

Who can apply

According to GOV.UK, applications can come from victims, whether individuals, businesses or community groups. A third party can also apply with the victim’s consent, and the guidance gives family members, friends, councillors and MPs as examples. That matters for people who are frightened, elderly or reluctant to deal with officials alone. Section 104 also requires each area’s procedures to name a point of contact to receive applications, and to pass those applications to all the relevant bodies in the area.

The threshold

Each area sets a local threshold, but there is a ceiling on how demanding it can be. GOV.UK says the threshold should be no higher than three complaints, although agencies may choose a lower one. Section 104 says that where at least three qualifying complaints have been made, the relevant bodies must decide that the threshold for a review is met, unless the area’s published procedures specify a different number. GOV.UK adds that the threshold should take account of the frequency of complaints, the effectiveness of the response and the potential harm to the victim. Keeping a dated log of every incident and every report, with reference numbers, is therefore worth the effort. The site’s guide to the Victims’ Code after a burglary shows the same principle of recording contact with police.

What happens in a review

GOV.UK says the panel of agencies shares information, reviews the actions taken so far and decides whether more should be done. Victims are encouraged to attend, and an independent person may be involved to provide an external or fresh perspective. The guidance states that local procedures should set out timescales clearly rather than prescribing a fixed period. Under section 104, the bodies must tell the applicant whether the threshold was met and what the outcome of any review was.

Appeals and transparency

The guidance says the procedure must include a way for the victim to appeal if dissatisfied with how the review was carried out. The Act also requires bodies to publish information on the number of applications received, the number of times the threshold was not met, the number of reviews carried out and the number that led to recommendations. Published figures let residents see how often a local scheme is used.

Practical steps for a household

• Record every incident with the date, time and a short factual description, and note who it was reported to and any reference given.
• Keep camera footage, but store and share it lawfully; the site’s guide to CCTV footage and subject access requests explains data protection points.
• Find the review procedure on the local council or police website, which must be published, and identify the named contact.
• Explain in the application how the problem affects daily life and safety, since harm is one of the factors in the threshold.
• Consider asking a councillor or MP to assist if the process feels daunting.

Common questions

Is the case review the same as reporting a crime?

No. Crimes should still be reported to the police. The review looks at whether the agencies dealt with repeated reports adequately.

Does it work in Scotland?

The GOV.UK guidance and section 104 apply to England and Wales. Scotland is not covered by these sources.

Can a business use it?

GOV.UK lists businesses and community groups among the victims who can apply.

What if I have fewer than three reports?

GOV.UK says agencies may set a lower threshold, and factors such as harm and the effectiveness of the response are relevant, so it is worth asking.

The bottom line

Where anti-social behaviour near a home continues despite repeated reports, the ASB case review in England and Wales gives victims a way to make agencies review their response together. The threshold can be no higher than three complaints, applications can be made by or for a victim, and an appeal route must exist. Good records and a clear account of the harm caused are the most useful preparation.

Sources

• GOV.UK, “Anti-social behaviour (ASB) case review, also known as the Community Trigger”
• legislation.gov.uk, “Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, section 104”

A crime map is a starting point, not a verdict

Before buying an alarm or camera, many households look up burglary figures for their street on the police crime map. The map is useful, but it is built in a way that can mislead a careless reader. This article summarises what the data.police.uk “About” page says about the open crime data behind the map, and what the Office for National Statistics (ONS) says about police recorded crime. The police data covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland; the ONS methodology page it draws on covers England and Wales only. It is general information, not advice.

Where the data comes from and what it covers

According to data.police.uk, the site publishes street-level crime and outcome data supplied by 43 geographic police forces and some other agencies across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Police forces in Scotland are not among the areas the page lists, so a Scottish householder cannot use the same tool to compare streets and should look to Police Scotland and Scottish Government statistics instead.

Data is released monthly. Each monthly file is described as a snapshot in time at the end of a particular month. That has a practical consequence: a crime shown in one month may later be reclassified as a different type of offence, so a burglary count for a recent month can change.

Why the dots are not the front doors

The map does not plot the exact location of an incident. The site explains that each crime is attached to a point from a master list of anonymous map points. Points are chosen so that they sit over the centre of a street, over a public place such as a park or airport, or over a commercial premises. Each point must have a catchment area that contains at least eight postal addresses, or no postal addresses at all. The list was refreshed in 2022, and if the nearest point is more than 20km away the coordinates are left blank.

The result is that a cluster of burglaries shown on one street may have happened on neighbouring streets or in a nearby cul-de-sac that has no point of its own. The map shows an area, not a property. It is a poor basis for concluding that one particular house or road is safe or unsafe.

Accuracy varies by force

The same page reports that geocoding accuracy differs across forces, with estimates ranging from 60% to 97%. Linking a crime to the later court outcome is also uneven, with success rates it puts between 19% and 97% depending on where the crime occurred. The British Transport Police and the Police Service of Northern Ireland do not supply outcome data. Two areas with similar dots on the map may therefore not be strictly comparable, and blank outcomes should not be read as “nothing was done”.

Recorded crime is not all crime

Police recorded crime only counts offences that are reported and that the police record. The ONS methodology page contrasts it with the Crime Survey for England and Wales, which asks households about their experience whether or not it was reported. The ONS notes that police recorded crime is not designated as National Statistics, while the Crime Survey is. It also cites an earlier inspectorate finding of under-recording concentrated in violent and sexual offences, and says recent rises in some categories partly reflect improved recording compliance rather than more crime. That finding is not specific to burglary, but it illustrates why trends in recorded figures need careful reading. For a fuller explanation of the household survey figures, see the site’s guide to reading the ONS burglary figures for England and Wales.

Practical ways to use the map

• Look at several months rather than one, because monthly counts on a small area are volatile and can be revised.
• Compare the whole neighbourhood or ward, not a single dot, given that points represent groups of at least eight addresses.
• Read burglary alongside other categories such as vehicle crime and anti-social behaviour, which may show how the local pattern is changing.
• Use the results to decide where to look, for example whether side access, sheds or parked cars appear to be the local weak points, and then check them on the ground. The site’s rural and isolated property guide shows how patterns differ outside towns.
• Remember that a quiet map does not remove the need for basic protection, and a busy one does not mean a specific address is targeted.

Common questions

Does the map show my exact address as a crime scene?

No. Crimes are snapped to anonymous points, each covering at least eight addresses or none, so the location is deliberately approximate.

Can I use it in Scotland?

The data.police.uk page describes coverage of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scottish forces are not listed.

Why did a crime change category?

The site states that some crimes may be reclassified as a different type in later months after further police work.

Should the numbers influence insurance or alarm choices?

They can inform where to look for weaknesses, but insurers set their own conditions. Policy wording, not the map, decides what cover requires.

The bottom line

The police crime map is an open dataset with real limits: locations are deliberately approximate, accuracy varies by force, monthly figures can be revised, and recorded crime is only part of what happens. Used as a way to spot neighbourhood patterns across several months, it is helpful. Used to judge one address, it overreaches. Pair it with the household survey statistics and a walk around the property.

Sources

• data.police.uk, “About”
• Office for National Statistics, “Crime and justice methodology”

Most advice about smart cameras stops at “use a strong password”. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), the UK Government’s technical authority for cyber security, goes a step further and looks at the router that connects the camera to the internet. Its household guidance covers remote viewing, UPnP and port forwarding, and the support life of the device. This article summarises that guidance and what each recommendation costs in convenience.

Why the camera’s own settings are not the whole story

The NCSC guidance on smart security cameras explains that live feeds or images can, in rare cases, be accessed by unauthorised users, which puts privacy at risk. This is possible because cameras are often configured so the owner can access them while away from home. The guidance identifies default passwords set by the manufacturer, which are often well known or guessable, as one cause, and says criminals can use these passwords “or other techniques” to reach a camera remotely and view live video or images inside a home.

The steps it lists are straightforward: change any default password to a secure one, keep the camera updated, and switch on automatic updates where available. For the password, it suggests connecting three random words that the owner will remember and avoiding the most commonly used passwords. It also notes that camera software is sometimes called firmware, so owners should look for the words update, firmware or software in the app.

Turning off remote viewing

One of the more unusual recommendations is that people who do not need the feature that lets them view camera footage via the internet should disable it. The NCSC is candid about the cost: doing so may also stop the camera sending alerts when movement is detected, and could stop it working with smart home devices such as Alexa, Google Home or Siri. The choice is therefore a trade-off. A camera used only to record to a local card may not need remote access at all; a camera bought precisely for alerts on a phone does.

UPnP and port forwarding on the router

The guidance also asks readers to check their router. It explains that many routers use technologies called UPnP and port forwarding to let devices find one another within a network, and that criminals can exploit these technologies to potentially access devices such as smart cameras. It says owners should consider disabling UPnP and port forwarding, checking the router’s manual or the manufacturer’s website for how to do so.

Two caveats appear in the NCSC’s text. Some routers already have UPnP disabled by default, in which case nothing needs to be done. And disabling UPnP may prevent certain applications and devices from working, such as online gaming, media servers and other smart devices; owners who need those must decide whether to give up some security by allowing UPnP and port forwarding. Older cameras may need a different approach: the guidance says their password may have to be changed by typing the camera’s IP address into a browser, and that the address can be found in the router’s list of connected devices.

Support dates and the UK’s basic requirements

The NCSC’s separate guidance on smart devices in the home says owners should, if possible, avoid buying devices that are no longer supported by the manufacturer or whose support period will end soon, because out-of-support devices are easier to hack or may stop working. It suggests treating the support date as a “use by” date. It also notes that from 29 April 2024, UK law requires all smart devices to meet basic cyber security requirements, including stating the product support end date. The site’s guide to the PSTI Act 2022 explains those requirements in detail.

A practical order of checks

• Passwords and updates first. These are the two steps every NCSC page leads with; the site’s guide to account takeover adds the account-side detail.
• Decide about remote viewing. Keep it only if alerts or live checks matter enough to justify the exposure.
• Review the router. Look at UPnP and port forwarding, bearing in mind the NCSC’s warning that other devices may rely on them.
• Consider a separate network. The guide to putting smart security devices on a separate Wi-Fi network covers a complementary measure.

Frequently asked questions

Does the camera guidance cover baby monitors? Yes. The NCSC describes smart cameras as the security cameras and baby monitors used to monitor activity in and around the house.

Will disabling UPnP break my camera? The NCSC says it may prevent certain applications and devices from working, so it is worth testing after the change.

The bottom line

The NCSC’s household guidance treats a smart camera as part of a home network: change default passwords, apply updates, disable remote viewing if it is not needed, and consider disabling UPnP and port forwarding on the router, accepting that some alerts and devices may stop working. It also advises checking how long a device will be supported. Which steps are worth the inconvenience depends on how the camera is used. This is general information, not personalised technical advice.

Sources

• National Cyber Security Centre, “’Smart’ security cameras: Using them safely in your home”
• National Cyber Security Centre, “Smart devices: using them safely in your home”

Online marketplaces sell “signal blockers” that promise to stop a neighbour’s camera, a tracker, or a smart device in the next room. For a householder worried about privacy, or for someone who has just read that wireless alarms can be disrupted, the idea can seem tempting. In the UK, using such a device is a criminal offence, and the legal position is set out plainly by Ofcom and in the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006.

What counts as a jammer

Ofcom describes a jammer as any apparatus designed, constructed, adapted or intended to be used to block or weaken the reception of wireless telegraphy. It explains that jammers usually work by emitting electromagnetic radiation at a frequency, intensity and proximity that overwhelms a receiver, obstructing or degrading the wanted transmission. Because a jammer works in that way, Ofcom says it is not classed as “radio equipment”. Wi-Fi, mobile networks, GPS and the radio links used by many wireless alarms and cameras all use wireless telegraphy, so they fall within the description.

Using one is an offence across the UK

Section 68 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 says a person commits an offence if they use apparatus for the purpose of interfering with wireless telegraphy. The section applies whether or not the apparatus is itself wireless telegraphy apparatus. On summary conviction the penalty is imprisonment up to the general limit in a magistrates’ court, or a fine up to the statutory maximum, or both; the section says the 12-month reference is read as six months in Scotland and Northern Ireland. On conviction on indictment it is imprisonment for up to two years, or a fine, or both. Ofcom summarises the position as up to two years’ imprisonment and an unlimited fine.

The offence turns on using the apparatus for the purpose of interfering with wireless telegraphy. A householder who wants privacy from a neighbour’s camera should use lawful routes, such as those covered in the site’s guide to a neighbour’s camera pointed at your property.

No licence is available

Ofcom states that it does not authorise or licence the use of jammers. Various laws allow jammers to be used in special cases, such as in prisons and by the police and other agencies, but those are not routes open to a private householder. Ofcom does sometimes issue innovation and trial licences for research, testing or demonstration, but those authorise controlled tests, not household use.

Selling and importing them is a separate offence

Ofcom explains that jammers are subject to the Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations 2016, which require equipment not to affect the operation of radio communications. Making non-compliant equipment available on the market, whether for payment or free of charge, is an offence. A person who manufactures, imports or distributes non-compliant equipment may, on conviction, face an unlimited financial penalty and/or three months’ imprisonment. Ofcom’s Spectrum Compliance team carries out investigations to combat the selling of jammers, and it asks that suspected non-compliant radio equipment be reported to its market surveillance team.

This has a practical consequence for buyers: an online listing for a “signal blocker” is not evidence that the product is lawful to own or use. A householder should treat any such advert as a warning rather than a product recommendation.

What jamming means for choosing a wireless alarm

The legal position also explains why security guidance for wireless systems focuses on resilience rather than on countermeasures a householder could deploy. Choosing equipment that reports a lost connection, and understanding how a system behaves when its communication fails, are covered in the site’s guides to alarm communication failures and building a response chain. Standards questions are in BS EN 50131 alarm grades explained.

Frequently asked questions

Is it legal to own a jammer for personal use? The offence in section 68 concerns using apparatus for the purpose of interfering with wireless telegraphy. Separately, Ofcom says making non-compliant jammers available on the market is an offence under the EMC Regulations 2016.

Can Ofcom license a jammer for a home? Ofcom says it does not authorise or licence the use of jammers.

The bottom line

Across the UK, using a signal jammer to block Wi-Fi, GPS, mobile or camera signals is an offence under section 68 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006, punishable on indictment by up to two years’ imprisonment or a fine, and Ofcom says it does not licence their use. Selling or supplying non-compliant jammers is a separate offence under the Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations 2016. Householders with privacy concerns should use lawful routes instead. This is general information, not legal advice.

Sources

• Ofcom, “Rules on using radio equipment”
• legislation.gov.uk, “Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006, section 68 (Deliberate interference)”

Cheap camera drones have made aerial photography routine, and they have also made a new question common for householders: what can be done when a drone hovers above the garden? The answer is spread across two regulators. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) sets the flying rules and the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) explains how data protection applies to what a drone records. This article summarises what each says, using the CAA’s Drone and Model Aircraft Code (CAP2320, March 2026 edition).

What the CAA expects of anyone with a camera drone

The Code sets out registration rules by weight and by whether the drone has a camera. Its table shows that a drone from 250g to less than 25kg needs both a Flyer ID and an Operator ID. A drone of 100g to less than 250g with a camera also needs both, while one of the same weight without a camera needs a Flyer ID and only optionally an Operator ID. A drone under 100g needs neither, although the Code says the applicable flying rules still apply.

The CAA’s Flyer ID and Operator ID page adds that the operator must label the drone with its Operator ID, and that an Operator ID costs £12.34 per year. For a neighbour or householder, that label is the practical way to identify who is responsible for an aircraft: the Code tells pilots to make sure they can be clearly seen when flying, so that people know who is responsible.

Privacy: what the Code says about gardens and homes

The Code has a dedicated section on protecting people’s privacy. It states that if a drone is fitted with a camera or listening device, the pilot must respect other people’s privacy whenever they use them. It adds that using such devices where people can expect privacy, such as inside their home or garden, is likely to break data protection laws, and that it is against the law to take photographs or record video or sound for criminal or terrorist purposes. It also says any photos or recordings may be covered by the General Data Protection Regulation. Pilots are told to know what their camera can do, including quality, zoom and whether recording can be stopped and started in flight, and to let people know before they start recording.

These are statements from the CAA’s code of conduct for pilots, not a list of penalties. They do not state a specific remedy for a householder.

The ICO’s position on hobbyists and organisations

The ICO’s guidance on drones is written for organisations using video surveillance. It distinguishes hobbyists, who are generally using a device for purely personal activities, from those who use drones for professional or commercial purposes, and says organisations using drones are clearly controllers of any personal data the drone captures and must comply with data protection law. It notes that individuals are unlikely to realise they are being recorded or to be able to identify who is in control, and recommends measures such as registering the drone with the CAA, using signage where a drone operates, and providing an accessible privacy notice. It also says that recording should not be continuous without strong justification, and that the ability to switch recording on and off is important.

The ICO page carries a notice that its guidance is under review following the Data (Use and Access) Act, so readers should check the current version before relying on it.

What to do if a drone looks suspicious

The Code addresses the householder’s position directly: anyone who sees somebody using a drone in a suspicious or dangerous way should call their local police on 101, and airport security if it is at an airport. It also says that a pilot who crashes or makes a forced landing on private property must get the property owner’s permission before retrieving the aircraft.

• Note the details. Time, direction, how long the drone stayed, and any visible Operator ID label are the facts a police call is likely to need.
• Do not interfere. The sources above do not suggest any action against the aircraft itself.
• Keep your own record. A fixed camera pointing at your own property can record an overflight; see the guides to home CCTV and data protection.

Households considering drone-based patrol products should also read the site’s guide to security drones and patrol robots.

Frequently asked questions

Does a small camera drone need registering? Under the Code, a drone of 100g to less than 250g with a camera needs a Flyer ID and an Operator ID; a drone under 100g needs neither.

Can a drone pilot retrieve a drone that landed in my garden? The Code says they must first get the property owner’s permission.

The bottom line

Across the UK, the CAA’s Drone and Model Aircraft Code requires camera-drone pilots to respect privacy, warns that recording where people expect privacy such as a garden is likely to breach data protection law, and tells the public to call police on 101 about suspicious or dangerous drone use. The ICO treats organisations flying drones as data controllers and distinguishes them from hobbyists. Neither source gives householders a quick remedy, so keeping a factual record and reporting through the police is the documented route. This is general information, not legal advice.

Sources

• Civil Aviation Authority, “The Drone and Model Aircraft Code (CAP2320, March 2026)”
• Civil Aviation Authority, “Flyer IDs and Operator IDs”
• Information Commissioner’s Office, “Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) / Drones”

A home insurance application often asks questions about security: what locks are fitted, whether an alarm is installed, and whether there has been a burglary before. The answers shape the premium and can shape whether a later claim is paid in full. In the UK, a specific statute governs how honest and careful those answers must be, and what an insurer can do if they turn out to be wrong.

The duty the Act places on the customer

The Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012 applies across the UK and covers a “consumer insurance contract”: a contract of insurance between an individual who enters into it wholly or mainly for purposes unrelated to a trade, business or profession, and an insurer. A household contents or buildings policy bought by a homeowner for their own use is the typical example; a policy taken out for purposes related to a trade, business or profession falls outside the definition.

Section 2 sets the duty in one sentence: the consumer must take reasonable care not to make a misrepresentation to the insurer. The Act says this replaces any duty of disclosure that existed before it applied. In practice, the customer’s task is to answer the insurer’s questions with reasonable care rather than to volunteer everything they can think of.

What counts as reasonable care

Section 3 explains that reasonable care is judged in the light of all the relevant circumstances, and lists factors that may be taken into account. They include how clear and specific the insurer’s questions were, any explanatory material the insurer produced, and whether an agent was acting for the consumer. The standard is that of a reasonable consumer, adjusted for any particular characteristics of the actual consumer that the insurer knew or ought to have known about. A dishonest misrepresentation always shows a lack of reasonable care.

For home security this matters in a concrete way. A question such as “Are all external doors fitted with a five-lever mortice deadlock?” is specific. Ticking “yes” without checking that every door meets the standard may not amount to reasonable care. By contrast, a vague question gives the insurer less room to argue that the customer was careless. Readers wanting the underlying standards can see the guides to BS 3621 and insurer-approved locks and BS EN 50131 alarm grades.

Careless, reckless and deliberate answers

An insurer has a remedy only for a “qualifying misrepresentation”. Under section 4, that means a misrepresentation made in breach of the duty of reasonable care, and one that the insurer shows made a difference: without it, the insurer would not have entered the contract, or would have done so only on different terms. Section 5 splits qualifying misrepresentations into two types.

• Deliberate or reckless. The consumer knew the statement was untrue or misleading, or did not care, and knew the matter was relevant to the insurer, or did not care. It is for the insurer to show this. Schedule 1 says the insurer may avoid the contract and refuse all claims, and need not return premiums except where that would be unfair to the consumer.
• Careless. A qualifying misrepresentation that is not deliberate or reckless. The remedies depend on what the insurer would have done had it been told the truth. If it would not have offered cover at all, it may avoid the contract and refuse claims but must return the premiums. If it would have offered different terms, the contract is treated as if on those terms. If it would have charged a higher premium, it may reduce a claim proportionately, paying the percentage that the premium actually charged bears to the higher premium.

A worked illustration of the proportionate rule, based on Schedule 1: if the premium charged was £300 and the insurer would have charged £400, it need pay only 75% of a claim. The figures here are for illustration only.

Where the Financial Ombudsman fits in

The Financial Ombudsman Service’s page on home insurance lists complaints it sees in which an insurer says a customer carelessly or deliberately failed to give the true value of contents or rebuild cost, and has cancelled the policy. It also publishes a case study in which an insurer voided a policy after a burglary claim. These pages show the type of dispute that can follow a claim; they do not set out the outcome any particular complaint will have.

Practical steps before answering security questions

• Check each door and window against the standard the question names before answering.
• Keep receipts, installer certificates and photographs so the answer can be evidenced later.
• Tell the insurer when locks, alarms or cameras change, since the Act also covers variations to a policy, and a failure to respond to a request to confirm or amend particulars can itself be a misrepresentation.
• Compare what the insurer asks with what the site’s guide on home security and insurance costs says insurers look for.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Act cover business policies? The definition covers only contracts made by an individual wholly or mainly for purposes unrelated to a trade, business or profession.

Who must prove a deliberate misrepresentation? Section 5 says it is for the insurer to show that a qualifying misrepresentation was deliberate or reckless.

The bottom line

Across the UK, a household insurance customer must take reasonable care not to make a misrepresentation when answering questions about locks, alarms and security history. If the insurer can show a misrepresentation made a difference, its remedies range from proportionate claim reductions for careless answers to avoiding the policy for deliberate or reckless ones. Checking each answer against the actual installation is the simplest protection. This is general information, not insurance or legal advice.

Sources

• legislation.gov.uk, “Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012, section 3 (Reasonable care)”
• legislation.gov.uk, “Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012, section 5 (Qualifying misrepresentations: classification and presumptions)”
• legislation.gov.uk, “Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012, Schedule 1 (Insurers’ remedies for qualifying misrepresentations)”
• Financial Ombudsman Service, “Home insurance”

Locks are usually discussed as protection against burglars, but in a rented home they also raise a question about who else holds a key and when they may use it. In England, the law and government guidance draw firm lines around a landlord’s access. This article sets out what those lines are, and what they mean for spare keys, lock changes and any security equipment in a tenancy.

A landlord cannot simply walk in

The Government’s “How to rent” guide for tenants in England lists what landlords are expected to do. It says a landlord or agent should seek the tenant’s permission to access the home and give at least 24 hours’ notice of proposed visits for things like repairs, and that those visits should take place at reasonable times. It goes further and states that neither the landlord nor the letting agent is entitled to enter the home without the tenant’s express permission.

The guide is written for people renting under an assured shorthold tenancy, whether directly from a landlord or through an agent. It does not cover lodgers who live with their landlord, or people with licences, and the position for those occupiers can differ. It is also guidance for England only; Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each have their own tenancy frameworks and are not covered here.

Why a landlord’s spare key is not a right of entry

Many landlords keep a set of keys, which is common and often sensible for emergencies. Holding a key does not create a right to use it. The permission and notice expectations in the guide apply whatever keys exist. For a tenant, the practical point is to ask, in writing, when a visit is planned and why, so there is a record if a dispute develops.

At the end of a tenancy the same guide tells tenants to return all sets of keys provided, and warns that a landlord may charge for changing the locks if they are not returned. That is a useful reminder that key control matters in both directions: a tenant who loses a key may face a cost when moving out.

Changing locks against a tenant is a criminal matter

The Protection from Eviction Act 1977 draws the sharpest line. Section 1 applies in England and Wales and defines a residential occupier as someone occupying premises as a residence, whether under a contract or by virtue of an enactment or rule of law giving them the right to remain. Under section 1(2), a person who unlawfully deprives the residential occupier of their occupation, or attempts to, commits an offence unless they prove they believed, and had reasonable cause to believe, that the occupier had ceased to reside there.

Section 1(3A) separately makes it an offence for a landlord or agent to do acts likely to interfere with the peace or comfort of the occupier, or to persistently withdraw or withhold services reasonably required for the home, where they know or have reasonable cause to believe that this is likely to make the occupier give up the home or stop exercising a right. A landlord has a defence if they prove they had reasonable grounds for the acts. On conviction in the magistrates’ court the penalty is a fine or up to six months’ imprisonment or both, and on indictment a fine or up to two years’ imprisonment or both.

Changing the locks so that a tenant cannot get back in is the classic example of what the Act is aimed at, although the section itself speaks in general terms about depriving an occupier of occupation. Section 1(5) confirms that criminal liability does not remove any civil remedy the tenant may also have.

What this means for security equipment in a rented home

• Tenant-controlled entry. Because a tenant’s permission governs entry, arrangements such as smart-lock codes for a landlord or contractor are best agreed in writing and limited in time. The site’s guide to temporary smart-lock codes explains the mechanics.
• Cameras. A camera that a landlord installs inside a rented home raises privacy questions separate from access; see Cameras in Rental Properties.
• Landlord-side planning. Landlords who want access controls that respect these rules can start with Home Security for Landlords.

Checking the tenancy type

Protection depends partly on the kind of occupier involved. Government guidance identifies excluded tenancies or licences, which can apply where a person shares rooms such as a kitchen or bathroom with the landlord, as arrangements that usually carry less protection from eviction. Anyone unsure which category applies should check with a housing advice service before relying on the general points above.

Frequently asked questions

Can a landlord enter for a repair without notice? Under the Government’s guide, landlords should give at least 24 hours’ notice and seek permission, and are not entitled to enter without the tenant’s express permission.

Does the “How to rent” guide cover lodgers? No. It states that it does not cover lodgers who live with their landlord or people with licences.

Is it an offence for a landlord to change the locks while a tenant is out? Where the tenant is a residential occupier and is unlawfully deprived of occupation, section 1 of the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 can apply in England and Wales.

The bottom line

In England, a landlord’s spare key does not carry a right of entry: the Government’s guide says permission and at least 24 hours’ notice are expected, and that landlords and agents are not entitled to enter without express permission. In England and Wales, unlawfully depriving a residential occupier of the home is an offence under section 1 of the Protection from Eviction Act 1977. This is general information, not legal advice; a tenant facing a lock-out should contact their local council’s housing team or a housing advice service straight away.

Sources

• GOV.UK, “How to rent: the checklist for renting in England”
• legislation.gov.uk, “Protection from Eviction Act 1977, section 1 (Unlawful eviction and harassment of occupier)”
• GOV.UK, “Private renting: Tenancy types”