Re: Blink camera system

Agencies and other headaches, keys and cleaners, running costs and contracts...in short, all the things we spend so much of our time doing behind the scenes.<br>
Casa Montana
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Re: Blink camera system

Post by Casa Montana »

Hi all,

Hope everyone is well.

Just wondered of anyone had any experience of using amzons blink camera system for monitoring your holiday home whilst in the U.K.

As other people have asked are there any particular data protection laws I should be adhering too???

I've got 2 x cameras - One which I intend to place in the hallway to monitor footfall. The other at the entrance to our apartment at the top of the building to monitor traffic there (which there shouldn't be any)

I have a Spanish house manager who manages the house on my behalf. I am suspecting he is taking direct bookings and pocketing the cash without telling me.

So I need some monitoring system to see the comings and goings of visitors etc....

Any thoughts welcome.

Thanks

Carl
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CSE
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Post by CSE »

The use of CCTV in Spain is governed by very strict laws. Then there laws about privacy to abide by.
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
dixeady
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Post by dixeady »

Can you not use the electrical company to monitor usage? My property is in Spain, we have online billing with Endesa and I check it regularly to make sure nothing is being used whilst the house is not rented. I've heard that the Tourist Regulations authority (this is Andalusia) link up with Endesa to check on owners too - so it must be legal!
Casa Montana
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Post by Casa Montana »

Could you point me in the direction of further information I could look at with regards to CCTV useage in Spain please?
CSE wrote:The use of CCTV in Spain is governed by very strict laws. Then there laws about privacy to abide by.
Thanks

Carl
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Post by CSE »

Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
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joddle
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Post by joddle »

I use the electric bills to monitor my property - with the new smart meters I can get an hour by hour breakdown of usage to the watt hour and that runs 24 7 .

From that I know my security lights use about 50 w/hrs during the dark hours and the pool circulation pump about 550 w/hrs for the times it is running. At all other times usage is almost nill as we don't leave anything apart from the wifi plugged in when the property is empty.

Monitoring in this way in January told me immediately when an electric fire had been accidently left plugged in and on as I could see usage of 500 w/hrs at times when there should have been no other usage! The usage data is available in almost real time so you don't have to wait for the next bill to see a problem. However if you get an unexpectedly high bill you can then use the data to analyse why and exactly when. Very useful.
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KAB-Dennis
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Post by KAB-Dennis »

joddle wrote:I use the electric bills to monitor my property - with the new smart meters I can get an hour by hour breakdown of usage to the watt hour and that runs 24 7.
:evil:

Joddle....This is very interesting and hope
that you dont mind if I ask you a few questions.

1. Did you have to install special meters and were they installed by the electric co.

2. Can you explain when you saw the problem was it a fire??

3. Wouldnt the fridge also be using electricity in your Holiday home??

I am in the U.S. so not sure if this is even available here but it surely seems like it would be beneficial. Thank you Joddle
Kate
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joddle
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Post by joddle »

In this part of Spain We have all had smart meters installed in our properties by the electric companies so the usage is being monitored all the time and the data are available via our accounts from the Electric company from their website.

When not in use the only electric thing that should be running in out rental villa is the pool circulation system which comes on twice a day so we know full well what the hourly usage should be when the property is empty. Fridges and other appliances are all turned off.

When we noticed a higher than normal daily ready is was clear something was being turned on but it only happened in the coldest hours on the coldest days and was indeed an electric fire which had been left plugged in and the thermostat was kicking in when the temperature got very low. Not what we had wanted but a relief when we discovered what it was.
I don't profess to own anything here apart from my own opinion.
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