Our CCTV service includes repairs to other installers' systems as well as new installations. We cover NW5 terraces, conversions and estates, with free site surveys for proposed work. Before you agree to anything, we explain what needs attention and provide a fixed written quote. Working parts do not need replacing simply because the labels are old.
Find out what the inherited system actually does
We begin by matching cameras to recorder channels and tracing accessible cable ends. An unused lead is not necessarily faulty, while a connected one may serve a camera on another part of the property. Labelling the system makes subsequent decisions much less confusing.
Where a house has become separate flats, we establish which equipment belongs to whom before disconnecting anything. We ask for approval from the person responsible for shared areas. Account access also needs checking: possession of a recorder is not authority to bypass another owner's login. Supported resets follow ownership verification, not guesswork.
Repair the missing channel methodically
A loose plug, failed supply or wet junction can remove a single image. We test those possibilities alongside the camera and recorder port. Swapping equipment without understanding the fault can leave the replacement showing the same blank screen.
If several cameras fail together, we look for something shared: a power unit, network switch or recorder problem. We explain the findings and price the repair before proceeding. After reconnecting, we check saved footage as well as the live display. You need to know the repair has restored recording, not merely brought an image back temporarily.
A free look at your NW5 access points
During the site survey, we ask which entrance worries you and what you need a camera to show. We walk the front approach, any side access and the rear boundary where accessible. Doors, bins and planting are checked for obstruction.
We then discuss an achievable cable route, power and recorder location. You receive a written specification rather than a vague promise of complete coverage. Our site survey is free, with no commitment to order. For an existing fault, any chargeable investigation is described separately so there is no confusion between advice, survey and repair labour.
Kentish Town Road and the quieter residential turnings
A frontage on Kentish Town Road has different demands from a rear gate towards Dartmouth Park. At the main road, we narrow alerts to the entrance and choose an angle that avoids giving every passer-by equal importance. At the rear, the approach and available lighting guide the view.
Victorian terraces often have limited routes between front and back. We inspect those routes before proposing a tidy wired system. We do not assume cable can be threaded through an inaccessible ceiling or across another flat. Where visible containment is needed, we show you its position and agree the finish.
Shared stairs are not a private extension of your flat
In a conversion or estate block, communal CCTV needs an agreed purpose and a responsible operator. We ask about managing-agent permission, recording access and any building requirements affecting installation. One resident's preference cannot authorise every shared fixing.
We keep the view away from unrelated flat interiors and neighbouring windows. Where a public path enters the frame, we discuss limited capture, appropriate notices and handling recordings responsibly. Audio is normally unnecessary and stays off. These decisions belong in the planning conversation, not as a rushed privacy setting after the cameras are already on the wall.
Dark side returns and reflected infrared
A narrow passage beside brickwork can appear white on an infrared camera even though it looks dark to the eye. Light bounces from the nearest surface back into the lens. We inspect the mounting angle, nearby pipes and camera cover before suggesting a different unit.
A rear entrance near planting needs space for the view as branches grow and move. We distinguish between recording the approach and sending an alert for every leaf. If colour footage is wanted at night, we assess actual illumination and explain any lighting needed. Resolution cannot compensate for a subject hidden behind foliage.
Wired cameras, dependable storage and usable phone access
For permanent coverage, we generally recommend a wired connection to compatible recording equipment. Network cable can carry both power and picture with PoE equipment. Existing coax may remain useful, but only after condition and format checks.
We size storage around the intended recording settings and discuss how older clips are overwritten. Broadband supports remote viewing; a locally recording system can continue through an internet interruption while power remains available. We configure authorised phone access, test over mobile data and practise playback with you. If important footage already exists, we arrange export before changing storage or recorder settings.
Book with the right information to hand
Call free on 0800 206 2385 or WhatsApp 07595 292534 with your Kentish Town postcode. A clear photograph of the recorder label and a description of the problem help us prepare. Do not send passwords or publish security details in a public message.
We answer Mon-Sat, 8am-7pm, and offer same-day work where possible. Our on-site day can run until sunset, subject to safe access. Finchley Aerials brings 25 years' experience and free advice. Ask for a repair appointment or a free site survey, and we will explain the next step without pushing a replacement system.