What our installers look for, and why we now fit only Ubiquiti
Written by Annie Moss: Moss of Bath. Published: 12/11/2026. Last updated: 12/11/2026.
Quick answer: The best CCTV camera for home is a wired IP camera that records to a unit inside your house, can tell people and vehicles apart from other movement, and lets you watch live or recorded footage on your phone without a monthly fee. Our engineers have installed many brands over the years. We now fit Ubiquiti’s UniFi Protect system on every home CCTV job.
The camera is only one part of the decision, though. The right setup depends on what you need to see, where cameras can be mounted and cabled, and how the footage is stored. Below we explain what matters, why we settled on Ubiquiti, and how we plan a system for a typical home.
What makes a CCTV camera good for home use?
A good home CCTV camera gives a clear picture, day and night, of the places that matter: your front door, driveway and any side or rear access. It should alert you to people and vehicles, not every passing cat or swaying branch. And it should store recordings somewhere secure that you control.
These are the points we check for every camera position:
- Resolution you can use. Enough detail to recognise a face at the door or read a number plate on the drive. A higher resolution helps, but only when the camera is close enough and pointed at the right spot.
- Lens angle. A wide lens covers a whole garden. A narrower one gives more detail of a gate or doorway. Most homes need a mix.
- Night-time picture. Much of the footage people go back to was recorded after dark, so a camera’s low-light performance matters more than its daytime specification.
- Smart detection. Cameras that recognise people, vehicles and parcels send far fewer pointless alerts, so you’re more likely to look when one arrives.
- Weather resistance. Outdoor cameras need to cope with rain, frost and summer sun for years, not one season.
Resolution gets most of the attention in adverts. In our experience, placement and night-time performance make the bigger difference to whether footage is useful when you need it.
Wired or wireless: which is the best CCTV home system?
For most homes, wired is the better choice for a home CCTV system. Each camera connects with a single network cable that carries both power and data, known as PoE (Power over Ethernet). There are no batteries to recharge, and recording doesn’t depend on your Wi-Fi reaching the end of the garden.
Wireless and battery cameras have their place. They suit renters, temporary buildings or a quick extra view somewhere cable can’t reach. The trade-off is that a weak Wi-Fi signal or a flat battery means missed footage, often at the moment it mattered.
The main reason people choose wireless is that they don’t want cables on show. That’s where a professional installer earns their keep. Our team routes cables through lofts, under floors and behind fascias, and we’re used to working on period and listed properties around Bath. You can read more about how we approach this in our guide to CCTV installation in Bath.
Should home CCTV record locally or to the cloud?
We recommend local recording for homes. Footage is saved to a recorder inside your property, so it keeps recording if your broadband drops and isn’t held on someone else’s servers. You can still view everything remotely on your phone. Many cloud-based cameras put recorded clips and smart alerts behind a monthly plan.
Ubiquiti’s system works this way by default. Its Trust Centre states that footage stays on your own hardware unless you choose to back it up to the cloud, and that remote access is optional. We set up remote viewing as part of the installation, so you can check your cameras when you’re away.
Why do Moss of Bath only install Ubiquiti CCTV?
We have installed many CCTV brands over the years. We now fit Ubiquiti UniFi Protect on every system because it gives our customers clear images, accurate alerts and local storage with no subscription needed for recording. It is also dependable for our engineers to install, support and extend later.
These are the reasons we chose it:
- Processing stays in your home. According to Ubiquiti’s help centre, all detection, recognition and AI video processing happens on your local network, not in the cloud.
- One app for everything. Cameras, a video doorbell and recordings sit in the same UniFi Protect app on your phone, rather than a different app for each device.
- Room to grow. Extra cameras can be added to the same system later, so you don’t need to replace anything to cover a new garden room or garage.
- It’s also a network system. Ubiquiti makes Wi-Fi and networking equipment as well. If your home needs better Wi-Fi, we can design the cameras and the network together.
- We know it inside out. Because we use one platform, our engineers know its settings and updates thoroughly, which means quicker answers when you call us with a question.
Ubiquiti is designed for a properly planned, wired installation. It isn’t a stick-on camera you put up in ten minutes, and we think that’s a strength for a system you’ll rely on for years.
Which Ubiquiti camera is best for a home?
It depends on the position. We choose each camera during the site survey based on what it needs to see, how far away that is and where it can be mounted. Most homes end up with a mix of the types below rather than the same model everywhere.
- Turret cameras are our usual choice for front doors, driveways and side passages. They give a sharp picture and are less prone to glare at night than dome cameras.
- Bullet cameras are longer and more visible, which can put people off. They suit long gardens, driveways and boundaries.
- Dome cameras sit neatly under eaves or indoors and are harder to knock out of position.
- Video doorbells show you who’s at the door, let you talk to them from your phone and record to the same system as your other cameras.
Ubiquiti updates its range regularly, so we’ll recommend the current model for each position when we visit.
How many CCTV cameras does a home need?
Many homes are well covered by two to four cameras: one on the front door, one on the driveway or parking area, and one or two covering the back garden and side access. The layout of your property matters more than its size. A detached house with several entrances may need more than a large terrace.
We’d rather fit fewer cameras in the right places than cover every wall. During a survey we walk the property with you, mark the routes someone would use to get in, and position cameras to cover those.
What does the law say about home CCTV?
Home CCTV is legal in the UK. If your cameras capture anything outside your boundary, such as a pavement, road or a neighbour’s garden, you must comply with UK data protection law. That’s set out in the government’s guidance on domestic CCTV, updated in May 2026.
The Information Commissioner’s Office explains what this means in practice, and notes that consent will rarely be required for home CCTV. Its guidance is currently under review following the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, so it’s worth checking for updates. When we install, we aim cameras at your own property and use privacy zones to blank out areas you shouldn’t be recording.
So which CCTV is best for your home?
For most homes, the best CCTV system is a wired one with local recording, smart detection and remote viewing on your phone, planned around how your property is used. That is what we install with Ubiquiti UniFi Protect.
Moss of Bath has been installing technology in homes across Bath and the South West for over 60 years, and our own engineers carry out every installation. If you’d like advice on CCTV for your home, call us on 01225 331441, email: sales@mossofbath.co.uk or visit our showroom on St James’s Parade to arrange a free site survey. You can also read about our wider custom installation services or our article on professional CCTV installation. New to the topic? Start with What Does CCTV Stand For?
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a subscription for Ubiquiti CCTV?
No. Recording, live view, smart detection and viewing on your phone work without a subscription, because footage is stored on a recorder in your home. Ubiquiti offers some optional paid services, which most homes don’t need.
Can I watch my home CCTV on my phone?
Yes. The UniFi Protect app is available for iPhone and Android. It shows live views, recordings and alerts from all your cameras and your doorbell in one place.
Is wired CCTV better than wireless for a home?
For most homes, yes. Wired cameras get power and data through one cable, so they don’t rely on batteries or Wi-Fi signal. Wireless cameras are useful where a cable can’t be run.
How long does home CCTV keep recordings?
It depends on the size of the hard drive, the number of cameras and whether they record all the time or only when something is detected. We size the storage during the survey to suit how far back you want to be able to look.
Do I need permission to install CCTV on a listed building?
You may need listed building consent to fix cameras or run cables on a listed building, and conservation areas can have their own rules. Check with your local planning authority before work starts. Our team regularly installs on listed properties in Bath and can talk you through what’s likely to be involved.
