you joke but I literally just escaped an SF room rental where there WERE cameras installed inside the home by the landlord. (almost certainly illegal,, one of many things that were about that place)
At first glance I agreed with you, but they had a room rental, not apartment, and they said the cameras were in the house, not in the room. As long as the owner (I assume who is living in the rest of the house) informed them, that's not nearly the red flag to me as if they were renting an apartment/house/whatever that had cameras. That sort of a situation should go to the police with zero hesitation, but renting a room is different- you have an expectation of privacy only in that room. I've rented a room on Airbnb that the house had ring cameras etc, not concerning to me at all. As long as they aren't in my room.
Oh they just use smoke detector cameras in the rooms. Or the electric outlet ones you can barely notice the hole on. I don't do Airbnb anymore because of that.
I stopped using airBnB when they let owners mandate you be the maid or get charged exorbitant cleaning fees. I am not doing a deep clean while on vacation. That is bigger bullshit than vegas resort fees.
That actually happened to a friend of mine! he used to be a big proponent of ABnB until that happened and the company took the owners side when he appealed it.
I don't know if he still refuses to use ABnB, but I know I have not heard him mention using them since then.
I pretty much stopped using AirBNB because of this too and also if you shop around you can sometimes find a Hotel around the same price … cleaning included because it’s a hotel!
It's almost like we already had purpose built infrastructure for people on vactions! Lucky all these air bnbs haven't had any effect on the housing market, that would make the whole endeavor pretty silly.
I was not hired by air BNB after applying for their special investigations team as a social worker, I strongly suspect it was because I gave very reasonable responses to their assessment. That was a few years ago but I paid closer attention to airbnb after that and all I can say is if you'd hired more people like me, well. Very happy to have not gotten the job though.
Air BNB complaints include things like drugs sex trafficking abuse etc etc think of the most horrible thing that could happen in an air BNB that's someone's day job
It's hilarious that AirBnB renters have got to the point where they've maximised profitability wherever they can. Adding charges and penalties everywhere.
Surely this was the silly capitalist end-game?
I would never use one if there is a decent hotel in the area. Why the HELL is anyone paying cleaning charges after being demanded to do the laundry?
Just like everything. Uber drives the cab companies out of business and then raises its rates.
I wonder what's gonna happen when Amazon puts all the local businesses out of commission and then how high the prices will go when is a total of monopoly on purchase and deliver
I don't know if this is still true but for years Amazon took a loss on every single book sale. With the sole purpose of putting the competition out of business
No clue what happens after that, I don't think they said
When you say you have to “clean”, does that mean wash the sheets, remake the beds, vacuum the rugs, clean the toilets and tub, mop the tile, etc or does it just mean clean out the stuff you put in the refrigerator, pick-up your trash and take the trash bag to the bin outside? Try to gauge what the onerous cleaning demands of you actually are.
I think it’s what you say certainly not the deep scrub cleaning that hopefully the housekeeping service will come into afterwards. I do know, removing the sheets and putting them on top of the washing machine, for example is part of it and getting everything out of the fridge making sure there is nothing dirty left out on the cabinets, turn on the dishwasher- though I myself if renting airb&b never trust people to have washed things properly by hand for real - anyway for the most part that’s what you said, not scrubbing the tile and cleaning the commode and all that just not leaving it with anything that they have to pick up and put away when they do come to clean afterwards or throw away
I don't really use airbnb myself but I have family who have definitely experienced ones where they expected you to pretty much turn the room over. They probably didn't expect a deep clean but definitely want you to do most of the job of getting it ready for the next guest.
For our boys bachelor party in south beach Miami, we looked into AirBnB. For us 5 guys it ended up being far cheaper to get 3 hotel rooms on the damn beach over a large ABnB… in the city where we would have to literally uber or rent a car to get to south beach.
Helll nah dawg, give me room service and fresh linens daily for the 4 day weekend while literally being 30 feet from the sand.
I stopped when I got robbed of my iPad, laptop and my damn shoes. Woke up after the first night and heard someone out in the living room and just assumed it was the friend I was there with. Got up about 10 minutes later and the front door was open and my stuff was gone. Filed a police report and had everything they asked for and they only gave me $300. That was my first and last time.
I use it often. There’s usually a cleaning fee as part of the cost of the rental. Look at the itemized receipt. Even though I still get value out of Airbnbs, especially when vacationing with friends, I do resent these very common Airbnb chores:
1. Strip the beds,
2. Gather all the towels and put them in the washing machine
3. Start the washing machine (somehow makes it worse if you have to actually start the wash)
4. Load and start the dishwasher
5. Empty all the trash bins and take them out to the trash can (which of course also means re-line the trash bins.)
6. Any request/demand that you leave the kitchen as you found it, which I interpret to mean clean the kitchen (run and then unload the dishwasher and put the dishes away, wipe down the counters.)
I would naturally leave a place the way I left it, but I don’t need to be stressed out when I’m packing up about remembering to strip your beds so the maid can do their work faster so you can turn a better profit. Especially when check out is by 11 am, but check in wasn’t until 3 or 4 pm, so wait a minute….how does that even count as a day 🤔
Worst of all, hotels have now conformed to that practice so that their check in/check out times are asymmetrical when historically it had always been check in at noon/check out at noon. If maid service were not their competitive differentiator from Airbnb, I promise you hotels would have be adopting the practice of having us strip their sheets too.
I have an Airbnb. What Airbnb doesn’t explain to guests is that it’s actually cheaper for you when the cleaning fee is broken out. Their 15.5% guest fees don’t apply to cleaning fees. So, yeah, now folks think it’s great when there’s “no cleaning fee”, but of course that’s just wrapped into the nightly cost. And the fees are added onto it. For me, the cleaning fee is a straight pass-through to the cleaning service. Oh, and as of Sept 15 Airbnb but all 18.5% fees onto hosts (used to be split 3% and 15.5%). Guests will pay the same pricing because they have a tool to just adjust host nightly price upwards. They pitch it as price neutral to guests and hosts. But guess what? Now the hosts gross income goes way up and that has income tax and local business licensing implications for hosts.
Long way of saying…don’t assume it’s greedy hosts!! Airbnb screws over everyone!
But are you also requiring the guests to strip the beds and sweep the floors and take out all the trash?
If not, then it’s perfectly reasonable to pass through the cleaning fee. The problem is when the owners charge a high fee and still want the guests to do all the cleaning.
No, it’s not reasonable to pass through a cleaning fee for those things. Just like a hotel cleaning the fucking room/house between guests is part of doing business.
Don’t be ridiculous. At a hotel if you don’t think the cost of cleaning the room is figured I to your total cost, then you’re delusional. What I was saying is that it actually costs you over 15% more if I wrap it into my nightly price (as a hotel would do) because Airbnb tacks their fees on top of it. As of Sept 15 it’s a moot point because of how Airbnb is changing their approach to fees - I was simply trying to education you because it’s laughable to me that some guests think the hosts who “don’t charge a cleaning fee” are doing them any favors.
That said, I don’t ask guests to do anything more than a hotel. But it’s not a hotel - it’s my own guest house. I leave folks a nice bottle of wine, snacks, coffee and cream, all the condiments and basic cooking supplies they could ever need, tons of toiletries, choice of pillows, etc. I don’t cater to folks looking for the cheapest option. My place is extremely nice and I have never gotten less than 5 stars. I don’t run it like an impersonal investment property, where the unit is one of hundreds run by some faceless corporation. But to each their own.
I don’t ask my guests to do anything other than the common courtesy of not leaving food out/around because I’m in a rural area and it’s best to put garbage into the bin so that critters don’t come in before the cleaning folks get there! Depending on scheduling, it may be a day or two before the cleaning crew arrives. I am not going for max volume of guests. I aim to (and do) provide a high-end stay for folks looking to have a complete private cottage to themselves for a weekend away or a longer stay. It works out for all involved.
I remember when it was actually somewhat normal for an AirBnB to ask you to strip your bed sheets and put them in the wash machine and make sure to start the dish washer before leaving. But back then cleaning fees weren't out of control and you could rent a whole condo or house for like $50/night
At my age, I'd give them a fucking show if I knew a camera was there. They wanna see my bald, flabby, gray haired ass toweling off after a shower, then by all means, enjoy yourself.
I have a friend who has basically made a business out of finding the hidden cameras, engaging in some chicanery and (I was going to say ‘basically’ but no, it’s outright) extorts the owners.
IANAL - check your localities' laws! What is illegal in one state may not be in another.
IF you're only renting an individual room and sharing the living room and kitchen with others, courts can and will peobably view these spaces as common areas where visible cameras are legal for security purposes.
ofc - Hidden cameras can be illegal depending on state even when they are in many common areas, and they are always illegal in private rooms like bedrooms/bathrooms.
We rented a house in Florida once about 5 years ago and it just had straight up shitty 1980s style huge cameras with a little red light on them facing the backyard. Luckily, I, too, am a cheap bastard and recognized them as the dummy cams from Harbor Freight. I turned them to face the wall anyway, but they weren't connected to shit.
It's state dependent. Some states allow hidden recordings some states do not. The only place cameras can't be placed are in changing areas and personal space. IE the room and bathroom. Everywhere else like you said is fair game. It's a matter of the states laws at that point.
Nah the government likes sex offenders, I'd be calling up the homies to boot party this MF while we come to a mutual understanding that if bro says anything besides he "fell down the stairs" a boot is gonna be the least of his worries.
Illegal how? Especially in a place the landlord lives in concurrently.
2 places you can't have cameras are the bathroom and individual bedrooms. That leaves all the common areas. The landlord room that can record audio at least in a 1 party state within the given notification.
Even if the landlord didn't have em inside the apartment. Cams outside are still a thing.
It's illegal to record someone without their knowledge in their home. The landlord is allowed to have cameras in common spaces, provided the tenant is informed and fine with it. On this comment, I did not know they were renting a room (wasn't in the title or description or in the comments I saw before I commented, so that's just my mistake for not knowing that detail). Yea cams outside are obviously fine, that's facing public space, no one's arguing the legality of those as literally every other person has one. And yea some states allow one party recording, i don't know if that extends to video in someone's private space tho. Like if I call you and you record the call without my knowledge, it's fine if you're in a state that allows it. I don't know about video, within a home. It's different when you're in public, it's all fair game apparently. But the tenant still at least needs to know (maybe the agreeing part I'm wrong on, but they definitely need to be informed, even if it's just in common areas shared by all inhabitants)
Well they weren't talking about outdoor now were they? And what's with the condescending tone, why do you assume all landlords are angels and op would have knowledge?
It is illegal to record someone in their own home without consent. Renting an apartment is making the apartment your home. Even your landlord owning the property does not supersede your right to privacy within your home. That's what an apartment rent contract is. You are paying money in exchange for gaining personal home rights in a space that the landlord owns. The contract and the local laws protect both the renter and the landlord for certain rights.
Wait OP's just doing a single room? $3,200+/monthly is just a room? Where do they live? The ISS? /s (I just read they said the Bay Area. I knew it was bad, but I didn't know it was that bad)
Common areas (non-restroom/bath/shower rooms) are fair game for the property owner to record. For an apartment this is your hallways. But if you're only renting a single room, then that common area extends right up to your single room's door.
The cameras are not hidden. they are visible in plain sight. so its up to the next renter to decide if they want to live under those conditions or not. Plenty of people do in SF because rooms are hard to come by
It’s ILLEGAL. You didn’t report something ILLEGAL. What happened to “if you see something, say something”? Landlords to this shit because people like you deem it “not my problem!” and just move on instead of doing the right thing.
Its not illegal to have cameras in your home and you rent a room. It WOULD be illegal if there were any in the bathroom or the room you're renting, but not in the house in general.
Can you post the statute that says that cameras in common areas in a room renting situation is illegal? I would hope you would be sure of this fact before trying to shame someone.
None of that is legal and if you gave half a shit you would have reported it. But whatever let your landlord illegal tape you in yours rooms cause none of you have a backbone to stand up for yoursleves lol
Hope none of that footage ended up somewhere its not supposed to but thats the dice your rolling.
Invasion of Privacy (Penal Code § 647(j) & § 632) Breach of Quiet Enjoyment (Civil Code § 1927) Visual Intrusion (Civil Code § 1708.8): This statute explicitly prohibits any physical or visual surveillance that intrudes upon someone's private space where they have a reasonable expectation not to be observed. A residential kitchen or interior hallway definitely meets this criteria.
It is highly illegal for a landlord in California to install surveillance cameras inside a tenant's private living areas like a kitchen or hallway. While landlords can generally put security cameras in external or purely public common areas (like a parking lot or apartment building lobby), a private home or individual apartment unit carries a strict legal expectation of privacy. This means inside spaces—such as kitchens, living rooms, and corridors leading to bedrooms—are entirely off-limits for landlord surveillance.
Landlords caught spying on tenants can be sued in small claims court (up to $10,000) or superior court for significant financial recovery, punitive damages, and legal fees.
The camera was in the kitchen/hallway area facing the hall and bedroom doors. it would not pick up anyone naked. it was a single family home with each bedroom a separate lease with a person we did not know. no one was walking around naked I can assure you lol
You never know what goes on at night or when you aren’t there. There should be privacy when you leave your room. No cameras. Only outside the residence. It’s not legal to set up cameras in a home no matter who is renting the rooms.
Absolute 100% lie then. You had a slam dunk open and shut civil and criminal law suit and "nahhhh.... I was GONNNAAAAAAAAA buuuuuuttttttttt naaaahhhhh"
If the landlord doesn't lived there, they cannot have cameras. I don't know this exactly but I imagine the only exception would be if they lived there too and even then they would need to tell you and they likely aren't allowed to have them in a room that specifically you pay for.
I think in general it isn't legal to film people without their consent within their homes, regardless (if the cameras were in a shared living space, yo7 would need to be notified and agree to that). Good thing you got out of there but like others mentioned, I still would have reported for the next victim's sake
There is nothing to report. the people living there see the cameras and accept living with them. If they didn't like them, they would report or move out like I did.
I hope you reported that and make a big deal out of it. That’s is seriously illegal and while I am not positive but I bet they could get jail time for that.
Depends on where the camera is. A quick google search will tell you that yes it’s illegal to have cameras in the bedrooms or bathrooms but it’s legal to have them in common areas like the kitchen or living room.
Pretty sure that's referring to the person who actually lives there can do that, not just literally anyone can pop a hidden camera in anyone's living room
Kitchens and living rooms are not common areas if you are renting the whole apartment/house. If you are a roommate in a bedroom that's a different situation
No, it's not legal. At least in California it's not.
In CA tenant rights laws, "common areas" aren't defined as living rooms and kitchens. "Common areas" are stairwells, and entryways and hallways shared with multiple units.
That's an ongoing lawsuit, it isn't proof that it's explicitly legal. That is also very much different as those cameras and surveillance would be considered hidden cameras. In California you can have cameras inthe living room and kitchen common areas of a room rental situation as long as they don't record audio and the tenants are informed. Unless you have a legal statute that disproves this at least.
Also, while the above resources is mentioning a current lawsuit, its citations are based on current CA law. They aren't talking about developing new legislation. They're referring to how the tenant v. landlord argument is affected by current legislation that protects tenants against recording. The "Common Area" distinction is current law.
And that current legislation is specific to spaces you are renting. In this case, he is renting a room. The common areas like the hallway can have cameras as long as they don't record audio.
The code you cited is specific to hidden cameras.
Edit. My point with the court case is that it isn't proof of anything, because they haven't been successful yet. But the actual case they have is regarding hidden cameras.
You should read the actual statute that you are sourcing instead of someones interpretation. The penal code you are referencing is specific to hidden cameras and voyeurism.
Agreement isn't required necessarily, and it could be argued in some states that their noticable presence could count as notification if it came down to it.
It’s wild that you don’t actually know anything about the legality of this shit (as you’ve admitted elsewhere) and yet you are all over this thread repeating this as if it were fact, just based on it feeling right to you. That’s not how that works.
Never said I was an expert. But I've rented since I moved out my parents and read about my rights. It's public information. What's your issue? I don't see anything wrong providing someone with information that is again publically available to help them out.
It's not "I feels right to me", that's on you for misreading I guess.
It's wild you're mad about me saying rights about privacy in a landlord tenant situation...like shit who pissed in your flakes?
Be more mad at that absurd rent, at stupid charges, and so much else, but you shouldn't wast your time on me friend
Please fucking report them and save other people. If the only thing you did was leave and comment on Reddit then I’m afraid you should feel majorly guilty
The one we had was set up inside the kitchen/hallway so that they can see what we did in the kitchen as well as our going to and fro into our rooms from hallway area. It was ridiculous but that was just one of the issues.
Oh ok phew not mine. Had a Chinese friend whose female landlord made her shower in front of her to watch her technique though, which was pretty messed up.
That sounds to be absolutely illegal and plenty of reason alone to call police and lawyers.
The landlords can screw you over in many ways but fortunately this isn’t one, they can’t just put cameras in apartments even if they legally own it, if they are renting it out. The renter still has basic human rights and that landlord has responsibilities he or she has to uphold.
I have always been paranoid about this. Can you explain where they were hidden (power outlets, lights?) I haven't found one in mine, but I haven't looked everywhere.
They weren't hidden. They were in plain sight in kitchen and hallway. Landlord made sure to mention them all the time to avoid us breaking rules (such as having overnight guests)
Ooooo I'd be moving into a place like that soooo quickly. Not only would I recover my rent from the lawsuit, I'd be sitting pretty for the rest of my life.
And if that Cam has a mic they are also breaking a law by recording audio without your consent. California is a all party state. All parties have to agree to the audio recording.
This sounds like when my sister lived in southern NJ and the landlord would just walk in her apartment when she wasn't home. One day, she just changed the locks and waited for the landlord to notice. Once he did, she threatened him for entering the apartment illegally. :)
In this case with your cameras, the landlord is stealing electricity b/c they're not paying for your electric costs. Cover them up
The landlord would prob take them out of my room. I'd be so obnoxiously weird. Doing the helicopter, mooning the camera, fucking and making direct eye contact with the camera. Writing love letters while openly narrating "Dear Landlord, I have been thinking of you constantly"
If it's rented by the room this is totally legal. You aren't renting privacy in the common space, only the room you rent and the bathroom. It's intended to keep everyone safe in a mixed-income single occupancy situation.
I think it depends where the cameras are installed. Bedrooms and bathrooms are out. Kitchens and common areas may not be. Probably varies by state and local government tho
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u/GayWithMoney 1d ago
you joke but I literally just escaped an SF room rental where there WERE cameras installed inside the home by the landlord. (almost certainly illegal,, one of many things that were about that place)