Do I have to disclose outside camera?

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I put a camera up outside, it views the front gate and the path up to the house. Do I have to add that it’s there to my listing? I’m on Airbnb and VRBO
Thx

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Yes in the case of Airbnb. I don’t know re VRBO.

Do you already have an Airbnb listing? If so, you need to read the terms of service you’ve already agreed to or you’re going to greatly increase your chances of problems.

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Thanks KKC, and yes I’ll have a look at the terms of service.

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Actually thinking about taking it down. I hate the whole surveillance world and it sort of looks like this really unfriendly thing beaming down on people. Like big brother is watching. I live onsite so I can see what’s going on anyway.
I bought it now, so I’ll probably stick it around the back where I can keep and eye on my van and workshop.

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Hi KCC, interesting. And you have the experience behind you. I took it down as I’d put it up in the middle of hosting someone and I don’t want to upset them.

What to do? I do know what you mean, it’s a catch 22… and at the end of the day there is always the possibility of stuff happening sooner or later. Also the 3 students I have living upstairs, they just rent a room and I make it make it clear from the get go that it’s just a room in my house and no boyfriends over. But Saturday the love birds had had a few too many to drink and sneaking her bf after midnight and had to turf him out. The camera is a good deterrent for that too.
Maybe it goes back up but after getting it up on Airbnb and VRBO and then I guess notify the upcoming guests about them.

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Wow, that’s quite wild that you saw that. I think I’ll put them up. Sometimes I don’t want to act like ‘the man’ but I’ve got to be real too. And yes, totally agree that how much bad behaviour has it deterred.

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Same here.
Squirrel moment-Do you ever find yourself laughing at some of the recordings?

I accessed my Ring recordings to clear them out. My guests checked in yesterday & apparently it took 2 people together 8 trips (16 door open/hold/close) to unpack the car. In my head I heard my mother, “pick one-in or out! You’re letting all the air out!!!” They each brought one item at a time!

A week or so ago, a group of women staying upstairs spied the extraordinarily large toad who hangs out under my entry light (bugs a plenty). They stood around him commenting. He apparently decided to leave the area quickly and took a long large leap. Screaming & scurrying ensued. Too funny.

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As I mentioned on another thread, i don’t have any cameras as it’s part of my house.
I checked out at least 10-12 others on Air in this town and only two disclosed cameras.
Don’t think anyone where I was in AZ 3-7 years ago had cameras either.

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I think its always best to disclose the cameras on your property because more issues will arise if guest notices them without you mentioning them prior to their stay. Even if they are outside, be transparent with the guest. I have a Ring door bell and have had older couples ask me to not record them on the device; sometimes people just do not understand the reasons behind operational elements that we hosts find normal.

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You’d have to notify them, get it in writing that they were okay with that, and give them the option to cancel with full refund if it wasn’t.

Anything you change on your listing only applies to bookings made after that. Otherwise a guest could report you for having cameras that were undisclosed when they booked, using that as an excuse to get a full refund after they have stayed. And Airbnb would also be likely to then suspend your listing pending an “investigation”.

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It’s better to have cameras and not need it… then to need cameras and not have them.

You may live onsite and you may be ‘able to see what is going on’… but with Airbnb, it’s not what you see, but what you can prove.

And as they say… A picture is worth a thousand words

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I am going to raise my hand to say that I also won’t be installing a camera. I don’t particularly care if a host has one, but in my situation I don’t see the benefit.

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Please report back here when you are complaining about guest misdeeds, and tell us how not having a camera made no difference.

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Thank you for the heads up.

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I’m an on-site host and really didn’t feel the need for cameras as I’m here. That said, my son has a construction company and keeps all of his tools at my home in the garage/storage area under my house (on pilings).

He told me back in March that he wanted to put cameras on the storage area doors, which I agreed to. I only open my calendar three months out so I immediately added a clause that security cameras will be installed outdoors on this property by July, 2021. This way it did not affect any bookings I already had. I also ticked the box showing there are security cameras.

It has not seemed to affect my bookings either way. But I did not want to have someone who was already booked make a complaint.

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Well said.
202020

RR

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I have several game cameras on our property and disclose them on the listing and with a photo. I’ve only had to pull the images a few times over six years to prove mischief. And, I was thankful to have them!

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UK host here – i have external cctv and internal cctv in the locked private areas in my home when its let out in full as an airbnb.

i also have one internal camera in the front entrance porch, monitoring anyone approaching the porch or entering the porch. there is then a front door into the property which isnt monitored and there are no cameras within the property within rooms to which guests have access.

i am very new to this and in fact have only had 3 bookings so far, but on this latest booking, one of the guests has been and turned the camera in the porch around to face the wall. she has been recorded actually doing it. they leave tomorrow so not really a lot i can do about it, but what advice would you offer (other than fix the camera so it cant be moved LOL or remove it altogether) it forms part of my home security system when the house is unoccupied and also provides extra security for my motorhome (RV) which is parked on the drive. it also helps me to monitor how many people are actually using the property.

would i be within my rights to have asked them to leave if they refused to ‘reinstall’ the camera?
would you have just arranged for it to be reinstated when they were out - its in the porch so no need for anyone to enter the actual house itself.

i suppose we are pretty unique in that we are VERY specific about our guests, who must be attending a wedding at at a very local wedding venue (guests or bridal/groom party - NOT stags!) we have turned down lots of potential guests who were looking to holiday in the area
for us its about making a little bit of money while we are on holiday for 2 or 3 months a year, we are lucky in that we are not dependant on the money or bookings and can afford to turn people away and if we feel uncomfortable then we will just stop doing it!

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Bingo! I think you know why she did it

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If your house rules say, “tampering with the security system is immediate grounds for the rental to terminate & guests must leave the property”.

I’m a little fuzzy on your camera locations. Do I understand correctly the cameras are entry & your private space not open to guests? No camera views any of the guest rental interior space?