Found video baby monitor in holiday home

[YellowSunshineSky]

I'm quite disturbed as I've just noticed a video monitor switched on in one of the bedrooms of the holiday home I'm staying in (Airbnb).

I've now switched it off and I've just messaged the owner to ask why it was left on.

Obviously I'm not BU, I just didn't know where else to post!

What do I do in this situation? Keep staying here? I'm reluctant to leave as it's the start of my holiday and I can't afford alternative accommodation.

The monitor was left in full view in a child's bedroom, the family who own the house have gone camping (so wouldn't need it), so there's a very strong chance that it could be a genuine mistake leaving it there and switched on.

If they were going to spy they'd have surely hidden it?

This is our third night here, can't believe I didn't spot it sooner.

[Eleoura]

Was there a welcome booklet to explain it or where the monitor was?

[ChainJane]

Make sure you mention the camera when leaving a review. There's a good chance it was an honest mistake, but voyeurs often test the waters like this to see what they can get away with. Leave a baby monitor and you can explain it away, as the owner has done here. Find one of those covert coat hook cameras, smoke detector cameras or light bulb cameras and the police would get involved.

Mention it in the review because if others report the owner "accidentally" spying on them a pattern may emerge.

[fromdownwest]

Good lord, from accidently leaving the baby monitor on to being voyeurs!

When did we all become so mental!

[KT59]

I don’t think you were being unreasonable to question it at all. The way modern technology is with these cameras now being able to be viewed remotely, videos saved etc, the camera would have unsettled me too.
I think the use of the baby monitor for guests could be better explained, video monitor for viewing the camera should perhaps be placed next to the camera for the holiday quests use if required, not sure many people would think to go looking in a sideboard for the video monitor.

[foxandbee]

@PolypGrunterPulpit

Not surprised you were suspicious, OP. If the owners are leaving it there for the use of the holidaymakers, why don't they just put both parts in a box and leave on a table somewhere, rather than one unit switched on and one unit hidden in a cupboard? Bit surreal.

That seems odd to me too. Why didn't they tell you where the other part of the equipment was?

[foxandbee]

Although I guess if your son is older they thought you wouldn't need it so didn't mention it.

[kwiksavenofrillsusername]

Glad it worked out OP!

For future reference, if you’re staying anywhere and suspect there may be hidden cameras, there’s lots of info about how to find them online. You can often pick them up by scanning for WiFi networks and using your phone cameras’s IR light. Always good to know if you’re in a shady situation. (I know it doesn’t apply to this one but people may find this thread in future).

[Lipz]

I would have gotten a scare too. I think when we see camera's sitting there and on we do worry. They should have left both parts together in the room, turned off, not one part in a drawer in another part of the house.

Baby monitors have changed so much that it's difficult to know how much one can do unless we've bought it ourselves. When I first had children the baby monitors were ridiculous, you were practically standing outside the bedroom door listening to it and there was no screens, now a days they nearly make you a cup of coffee.

[eightyfourandahalf]

The monitor was left IN FULL VIEW in a CHILD's bedroom

and you think someone is spying on you because...

You'd think it was hidden in one of the lights in the shower room.

[sunflowerroad]

I have a motorola baby monitor that has a receiver for in the house but I can also view it from my phone when Im
Out etc, and it automatically records movement etc. I would certainly switch it off, as you dont know what else it could be connected to.