The DO’s and DON’Ts of Security Cameras at your Vacation Rental

Hello hosts!

A lot of hosts ask me about whether it’s worth it to have security cameras on-site at their properties. Maybe you want to protect against liability or just make sure there’s nothing fishy going on at your unit. In today’s video, I am going to discuss the dos and don’ts about having a security camera installed at your property. 

• DON’T: Use your camera to spy on your guests.

This one should be pretty obvious, but I see so many hosts who complain that a guest had more people staying in their unit than they originally booked, or complain that they had a ‘party’ and can tell from the security cameras how many cars were parked out front. 

Just to make it clear, in hospitality, it’s actually relatively common that someone books for less people than they show on their booking. This happens in hotels all the time and is one of the reasons why I suggest against pricing based on occupancy. Your dwelling should have a price for full access, and just because there’s an extra person who showed up, they should not be charged an extra person’s fee of $25 or $50 per night or whatever you charge for it. Because let’s be honest, it doesn’t really change your cleaning obligations.

I also don’t suggest looking at your security cameras just to ‘check up’ on your guests. It’s weird, and if there is no reason for you to suspect anything. You should allow them to enjoy the space you’ve rented out to them in peace and quiet.

• DO: Install outdoor security cameras to protect against liability.

I am not against installing security cameras if used in the right way. If you are using your security cameras outdoors to protect your asset, I am totally pro-camera! You can protect yourself against theft and property damage this way and can check on the cameras when you have suspicion of wrongdoing. 

• DON’T: Install indoor security cameras in the unit.

I know some hosts who have security cameras installed indoors in spaces such as the kitchen or living room (especially if it’s a shared space), and this is something that I am totally against. It is an invasion of their privacy and are really opening yourself up to a negative guest experience. The guest has paid you to use your space, and has a reasonable expectation of privacy. Never, ever put your security cameras indoors to monitor the activity of your guests. If you are that untrusting of guests in your unit, you probably shouldn’t be hosting.

You may be thinking: won’t this open me up to more liability? What if my guest breaks something? Let me just say this: if you are worried about damage to your furniture or other belongings, there are other ways to monitor it. If you notice that someone has broken your chair, take pictures immediately after departure and report it to Aircover (for example) to submit a claim. I always suggest taking ‘before’ pictures (when you’ve cleaned the unit in preparation for the next guest) and ‘after’ pictures (if there are damages) which will help you with your claim if you have to submit one

• DO: Always disclose the use of security cameras with AirBNB, VRBO and your guest

Depending on where you live, this may be a requirement. The last thing you want to do is to be shut down or temporarily suspended because you didn’t disclose your security camera location. I have seen this happen, and it can take days or weeks before you actually get to re-list. Unfortunately, this wastes your time and costs you in revenue for something completely unavoidable.

• DON’T: Try to conceal or disguise your security cameras

I understand that you may have the want or desire to hide your cameras, but this is really a huge red flag. If you are indeed found to hide your cameras, you may be open to potential legal action and/or police investigation. It is always better to be honest about what you have than to try and hide. And just a general rule of thumb: if you’re trying to hide something from your guest, it probably doesn’t belong in your vacation rental.

• DO: Read up on local, state/provincial, and federal privacy laws.

It’s important for you to be familiar with the different laws you’ll be dealing with. For example, just because audio recording is allowed in one jurisdiction does not mean that the same laws apply elsewhere. Depending on where your vacation rental is located, you should be familiar with the laws covering that area, especially if you are new to that geography. And if your unit is part of a condo board, there may be even more rules to follow, so if you’re unsure, I recommend reading up on those as well.

I hope that this helped you with making a smart decision on security cameras in your vacation rental. It’s crucially important that you are aware of, and follow, the rules and regulations surrounding these systems. Do you have security cameras at your property? Let me know in the comments below.

Happy hosting!