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Let me start by letting you all know I’ve only recently went from airbnb travelerto host in the last couple months. So far the experience has been good, but I say that cautiously as I’ve had my first guest review that commented on something I had no idea would be a concern.
I rent a small cabin in a mountain resort area of southern california. I am not available in person when I have guests so it is 100% self check in. I have one security camera that is mounted inside the cabin at a second story window of the main living area. (It is a vaulted ceiling, so window is not accessible). It monitors only the outside driveway and front porch of the cabin. It doesn’t move/pan or record sound. A guest recently posted in their review that they were a little uncomfortable with the camera being mounted inside the cabin as they were unsure if it recorded any sound therefore they worried that conversations might be overheard by me. They left a 5 star review, but still, I feel this may have hurt the overall impression or appeal of our place. I replied politely that it did not record or monitor any sound and reminded them that I am available any time for questions or concerns during their stay. My description and check in procedures do mention the camera and note that it doesn’t move but I forgot to include that it doesn’t monitor or record sound. I have updated my listing to say this, and I gave the option for turning it off completely but guess that the damage is already done. What do you all think as far as the camera? Is this a common concern for guests? I’m wondering if I should just remove it.
If it’s a self-contained accommodation of any sort without you being there, I should think there’s more value in having such a camera than not.
The chances of someone being uncomfortable I think is outweighed by the risk of someone damaging your place knowing there’s no one looking.
My questions would be how prominent is your camera description in your listing. As you might know, and as you’ll see repeatedly complained about on this forum, people do not read stuff on the listing.
The other one is could you move it to another place which is not next to the window such that they don’t feel they might be listened to? Something that is conspicuously staring out to the street and not near a window?
Oh boy. The guest is in the right. You need to move that camera from the inside to the outside. I think it’s not only a violation of their privacy but it could also be illegal. I think Air has a rather extensive write up about this on their site. The vaulted ceiling is a poor excuse for mounting the camera inside. Even if you need to hire people with ladders, get that camera out of the interior and relocated to the outside before your next guest arrives.
I think you’re fine as is. So long as you make clear that it doesn’t monitor their living space in any way, it shouldn’t be an issue. I don’t know that I’d offer to dismantle it - the folks who’d ask that of you might be just the sort who prompted the camera in the first place.
I have a security camera in my downstairs hallway and nobody has said boo about it in three years of hosting. Not even a question! While outdoor cameras eliminate some anxiety, they aren’t always practical - either based on the wiring required or temperatures they must operate within.
I would piss my pants if my eye caught a camera inside the house even if it doesn’t turn or whatever.
If disclosed as it should be, I’d chose another place for sure. I wouldn’t feel safe and at ease knowing of the possibility that a host could snoop on me from a distance.
I have two security cameras in my garage surveilling each side of the property: one towards the cottage and another towards the guest house. Guests can easily see the camera in the garage windows, it is disclosed in my listing AND I have a sign on the garage. I have only had one guest complain and that was in private feedback. They left the windows open and the AC on and I texted and asked if they could close the windows when running the AC.
I wouldn’t freak out because it was inside and pointed out, but if possible I would move it outside. It eliminates the whole issue.
Security cameras appear to be a divisive issue. I wouldn’t mind staying at a listing with security cameras. In fact, I would be glad of documentation for my side if there was a dispute with the host.
Okay, my bad then. I take back what I said about moving the camera immediately. Leave it but be prepared to deal with gust backlash no matter how much you disclose it.
As some already stated, Airbnb’s policy is that the camera is disclosed on the description for the property which mine is and always has been. Additionally, I don’t know if I made it clear, but the camera is right up against the window and points outside to the driveway and street in front of the cabin. I can’t see any part of the inside of the cabin. The part that I didn’t think to disclose was that it does not “listen” or have the capability to record sound. This is what my guest was worried about. I have had 8 guests so far not including the one who mentioned the camera. None of the eight mentioned anything about the camera. My plan has always been to mount it on the outside, but I need to have an outlet installed that I can plug it in to out there. I have also made it clear in the property description that the camera can be turned off with the flip of a wall switch. I’m hoping this won’t be an issue any longer until I can move it to the outside in the next month or so. Truth is, every time I think I have an open weekend to go up there and have the work done, it gets booked! If it keeps getting booked like this, I might actually have to block a weekend off!
Can you just get an outside camera? I use Blink cameras (Amazon) and have them outside pointed at front and back doors. Nobody has ever said anything about them. Fully disclosed on my listing. Mountain cabin in So Cal? I am in Idyllwild Ca…
If you’re going to give guests the ability to turn off the security camera, then you’re eliminating a big reason for having one in the first place.
True, most guests will leave the camera on so that it monitors the property, but if you get guests who are intent on breaking your rules, that camera will be turned off as soon as they arrive, and you’ll have no way or proving any problems.
What’s considered a surveillance device Any mechanism that can be used to capture or transmit audio, video, or still images is considered a surveillance device. This includes but is not limited to things like Wi-Fi cameras (e.g. Nest Cam or Dropcam), nanny cameras, web cameras in computer monitors, baby monitors, mounted or installed surveillance systems, decibel and device monitors, and smart phones with video and/or audio recording capabilities.
I assume most people do not declare them, I certainly do not, 2 phones, 2 cameras, 2 laptops, 1 tablet.
I see this post got revived after a while. It’s been about 8 months since my lasy reply, so I’ll give an update.
I’ve had about 85 guests since my post and no one ever mentioned the camera again. I changed the wording in the listing to specify that the camera didn’t move or record sound and that seemed to do the trick. About 4 months ago I had an electrician do some work on our place and one of the things I had him do was install an outlet on the outside of our place near the second story roof and I installed the camera on the outside. Now it is on 24hrs/day. It is motion activated so it’s nice to get notified when my guests arrive. It was also really handy to have in the winter to determine when the driveway needed to be plowed after a snow storm and monitor the weather for guests who were travelling to our place.
