Holiday apartment with security camera on the door

[Snoringsboring]

Just realised that our hosts have installed a security camera above the door of our apartment and I feel violated - it’s creepy. They keep emailing us promoting their restaurant which I feel is harassment - I didn’t give them permission to use my personal information this way. AIBU?

Send the emails direct to junk. But the camera is perfectly reasonable on their property.

Stay in a hotel in future?

First time we’ve had a security camera aimed at the front door, it’s surprising.

I agree I don’t like it on a holiday house. I get why some do it but I don’t have to like it, did they tell you about it before you booked/arrived?

No - we just noticed it this evening - second night - we have nothing to hide but I am not happy with the invasion of privacy

Id put something over it tbh.

It’s quite big - not a subtle ring camera - my eyes just did scan the whole door way - why would they? - I have no idea whether it’s recording what we have talked about. It’s so invasive - I have reported my feelings to the hosts and I’ll be putting it in the review - I don’t normally review but I feel people should be aware. At least do they can avoid private conversations at the door.

They may have suffered with large groups or Anti social behaviour, more guests than allowed in the property, noise complaints late at night etc.

If something happened to your car would you want access to the cctv?

Id just be mindful of it but it wouldnt bother me as such

In general they do this to ensure you aren't booking for eg 2 people and then cramming in a dozen - or filming dodgy porn!

Is it pointing inside or outside?
We’ve stayed in a couple of air bnbs where they have a ring doorbell kind of thing, not bothered by it and just presumed they’ve had more people than should have stayed in the past. If it’s inside I’d see it as an invasion of privacy.

If it's on the inside then that's an invasion of privacy I'd agree, but the outside? Well if the place got burgled and you lost stuff then that CCTV could prove quite useful - they're for security, yours because your stuff is there and the hosts because it's their property.

Do you think they have nothing better to do than watch you walking through a door?

Is it on the outside, like a Ring doorbell? If so, YABU.

I have been a victim of crime twice recently and both times the police or the insurance company were unable (or unwilling) to get the CCTV footage - when we were assaulted last year - there was no footage available from Waitrose - where the harassment had started, none on the street cameras either and when we had our car stolen, the footage from camera in the council car park wasn't available either - funny that people think these images will be available to assist them when they are the victims of crime.

Are you in the UK?

No I’m holidaying in an EU country.

Then your experiences with UK Police, Waitrose and CCTV have no relevance.

I would imagine the camera is to deter crime or guest anti social behaviour. Why do you feel ‘violated’? It’s not as if it’s in the bathroom.

If you don’t want the emails, just delete them. You’re overreacting.

There are cameras in most public areas of hotels. Unless there are cameras inside I am struggling to see the problem? I’m sorry you’ve not been able to use any camera footage when you’ve been a victim of crime, it’s been the opposite for us. We’ve even had police round to ask us to check our footage for something that happened streets away.

In the UK it’s fine to have a camera outside, by the front door etc. Not allowed inside

I've heard of it being a thing because they want to make sure only so many people are entering the property (i.e. no parties!).
Cameras outside seem more of a safety/security thing for everyone. It would only be if there was one inside that it would be an invasion of privacy and I'm sure there would be a crime there !

Airbnb allow external ones but they must be disclosed beforehand. They do not allow internal ones. I would spray something cloudy over it that you can wipe off before you go.

I was away In Europe last month and the house we rented for the couple days had a camera inside and outside by the front door. Made me feel protected and it was only at the door.

It’s not the images it’s the voice recording - someone who already has quite s bit of info on us from registering to stay at their property, I’d have not spoken at the door had I known. You guys are very trusting.