Hounslow to Charge for CCTV Search Requests
Solicitors and insurance companies must now pay at least £440
A visualisation of the Hounslow Borough CCTV control room
January 29, 2026
The London Borough of Hounslow is set to introduce significant new charges for CCTV information requests made by solicitors and insurance companies. The move forms part of the borough’s wider Transforming our Community Experience (TCE) programme, which aims to modernise services and ensure the council recovers the true cost of discretionary work.
Under the new charging structure, which was enabled by a Single Member Decision by the Leader of the Council on 27 January, Hounslow will introduce—for the first time—a fee for conducting CCTV searches, alongside an increase in the existing charge for supplying footage. The new model introduces a sliding scale:
- £440 for searches taking up to one hour
- £510 for searches taking between one and six hours
- £550 for searches taking more than six hours
- £210 for supplying footage (up from £100)
These charges apply only to requests from solicitors and insurance companies. Requests from residents under Subject Access Rights, the Police, or internal council teams remain free.
The council currently receives 228 commercial CCTV search requests per year, according to modelling based on 2024–25 activity. In the same period, 21 instances resulted in footage being supplied to external legal or insurance bodies. Under the old system, these 21 cases generated around £2,000 annually. Under the new structure, the council expects to generate up to £107,000 from searches and £4,410 from footage supply—bringing total annual income from CCTV requests to more than £110,000.
The council argues that the new fees reflect the true cost of officer time. In 2024–25, Hounslow processed 2,615 CCTV requests of all types at an estimated cost of £187,000. Even with process improvements expected to reduce demand to around 1,700 requests, the projected annual cost remains £117,000.
Hounslow’s review found its previous charges were significantly lower than those of neighbouring boroughs. Brent, for example, charges £130 per hour for CCTV searches, while Redbridge charges £512 plus VAT for searches exceeding two hours. Hammersmith & Fulham charges £294 plus VAT for footage supply—substantially higher than Hounslow’s new £210 fee.
The council says the new structure brings Hounslow into line with sector norms and ensures commercial organisations—not residents—bear the cost of time-intensive searches.
Some legal firms and insurers have argued that high fees can make it harder to obtain evidence needed for civil claims, particularly in cases involving vulnerable individuals. In boroughs where fees exceed £500, critics have warned that costs may be passed on to claimants or deter legitimate investigations. Campaigners in several authorities—including Redbridge and Hammersmith & Fulham—have questioned whether councils should charge commercial rates for footage captured in public spaces. They argue that CCTV exists primarily for public safety, and that high fees risk creating a two-tier system where only well-resourced organisations can access evidence.
Because each council sets its own fees, charges vary widely across London. This has led to complaints from national insurers who say the lack of standardisation complicates claims handling and can delay settlements.
Hounslow’s report says that fees will be reviewed once the system beds into “Business as Usual” operations, and adjusted if demand or cost assumptions prove inaccurate.
The new fees will go live alongside digitised application processes for both CCTV requests and Section 61 noise consents, scheduled for early February 2026. The council says these improvements will streamline workflows, reduce “failure demand”, and ensure users understand the costs before submitting a request.
Overall, the council expects the combined changes to CCTV and Section 61 fees to generate up to £115,000 annually.
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