Keep your premises safe,
your staff protected,
and your evidence intact.

This depends on the size of your site, the layout, and what you need to cover. A typical small business might need between 4 and 12 cameras to cover entry and exit points, car parks, key interior areas, and storage. We carry out a free site survey to identify blind spots and recommend the minimum number of cameras needed for complete coverage, rather than installing more than you need.

Yes, CCTV is legal provided you comply with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. As an operator you must have a legitimate purpose for recording, display clear signage informing people they are being recorded, not retain footage longer than necessary (typically 14–31 days), and ensure footage is stored securely. We provide GDPR guidance as part of every installation and can recommend a Data Protection Officer if needed.

Yes. UniFi Protect includes a mobile app for iOS and Android that lets you view live and recorded footage from anywhere with an internet connection. You can receive push notifications for motion events, review specific time periods, and share clips directly from the app. Remote access is end-to-end encrypted.

Retention depends on your storage capacity and recording settings. Most businesses retain footage for between 14 and 30 days, which satisfies most insurance and legal requirements. We configure storage to match your retention policy and alert you if capacity is running low. Additional storage can be added at any time.

In most cases, yes. IP cameras connect via standard network cabling and draw power via PoE (Power over Ethernet), meaning they integrate with any modern switch. If your existing network lacks the bandwidth, VLAN separation, or PoE ports required, we can upgrade the relevant components without replacing your entire infrastructure.

We install a range of UniFi Protect cameras including dome cameras (discreet, wide-angle, suited to interior use), bullet cameras (long-range, weatherproof, suited to car parks and building perimeters), fisheye cameras (360-degree coverage from a single unit), and PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) cameras for large open areas where a remote operator needs to track movement. We recommend the right type for each location based on your site survey.

Yes. UniFi Protect's smart detection sends push notifications to the app when motion, people, or vehicles are detected in defined zones. You can configure separate alert rules for each camera, choose specific time windows, and filter out false triggers such as trees or passing traffic using activity zones.

For reliable facial identification, you need at least 1080p resolution and the camera must be positioned within approximately 3–5 metres of the subject. For number plate capture, dedicated ANPR cameras or cameras set to a narrow field of view at the entry point give better results than wide-angle cameras at distance. We recommend appropriate placement and resolution based on what you need to capture in the event of an incident.

Yes. All UniFi Protect cameras include infrared night vision for zero-light environments, and higher-end models include colour night vision using a combination of low-light sensors and a built-in warm light. For sites where ambient lighting is available, this produces much more usable colour footage than traditional infrared. We specify the right sensor type for each location based on your lighting conditions.

Footage is stored on a local NVR or Protect console on your premises, not in a public cloud. Access is controlled by username and password, and remote viewing uses encrypted connections. This keeps your footage under your direct control and avoids the ongoing cloud storage costs associated with some consumer systems. We configure access control so only authorised users can view or export footage.

Many insurers offer premium reductions for businesses with verified CCTV systems, particularly for commercial premises, retail, and fleet operators. The reduction varies by insurer and the quality of the system. We can provide documentation of your installation for insurance purposes, and it's worth contacting your broker to confirm what verification they require before installation.

Cameras mounted internally or on the facade of most commercial premises do not require planning permission. However, if your building is in a conservation area, is listed, or if the cameras are mounted on a public-facing structure, you may need prior approval from the local planning authority. We advise on any restrictions identified during the site survey.

Yes, provided the footage is properly preserved. Digital video files should be exported in their native format with chain of custody documented if you anticipate they may be needed as evidence. We can advise on evidence preservation and help you extract and store footage correctly if an incident occurs.

Yes. Under UK law you are required to display clearly visible signs informing people that CCTV is in operation, who is responsible for it, and how to make a data subject access request. Signs must be positioned so that people are informed before they enter the monitored area. We include compliant signage as part of every installation.

IP CCTV systems are largely maintenance-free compared to analogue systems, but we recommend an annual review of camera alignment, lens cleanliness, firmware versions, and storage health. We provide managed support contracts that include proactive monitoring of system health and remote firmware updates so your cameras stay current without you having to think about it.

Yes. UniFi Protect integrates with UniFi Access, which manages door readers, electronic locks, and entry logs. This means you can view the camera feed associated with a door entry event alongside the access log, giving you a complete picture of who entered your building and when. We can design and install both systems as a combined solution.

UniFi Protect supports multi-site management, meaning all cameras across all your locations can be viewed from a single app or web interface. Each site has its own NVR or Protect console for local storage, but management, alerts, and remote viewing all work from one login. We can deploy and configure multi-site systems of any scale.

An NVR (Network Video Recorder) stores footage locally on a device on your premises, giving you control over your data, no ongoing subscription costs, and no reliance on internet bandwidth for recording. Cloud recording stores footage off-site, which provides redundancy but typically involves a recurring fee and means footage quality may be limited by your upload speed. We install NVR-based systems as standard for most commercial applications.

Yes. UniFi Protect has role-based access control, letting you create user accounts with different permissions. For example, a manager might have full access to all cameras and recorded footage, while a member of staff might only be able to view a specific camera live without the ability to export or review historical footage. This is important for compliance with GDPR data minimisation principles.

Yes. UniFi Protect offers retail integration with Shopify, letting you link camera footage timestamps directly to Shopify order and transaction data. This means you can review till or stockroom activity against your sales records in one place, making it straightforward to investigate discrepancies, refund fraud, or stock loss without manually cross-referencing two separate systems.