Camera ban will affect shared spaces in "rooms for rent" where owner lives in home and rents out guest rooms, or invested and rents out all rooms separately.

[Sherri176]

On the recent indoor Camera ban March 2024: this is not good for hosts who share their home and rent out guest rooms. I rent my 2 guest rooms to mid term/long term renters (30+ day stays). I was able to prove a guy said he was going to punch my dog...they didn't even cancel his reservation until the following day, so he got to threaten violence and still stay with me while I live in the home and he rented the guest room...the cameras don't protect me from bodily injury obviously but they showed proof of acts of verbal aggression. Cameras are necessary to host who SHARE their home. These days you are not innocent of anything unless you can prove it. Yes, I will comply. Yes, it will affect my ability to prove unacceptable guest behaviors. Yes this ban should be for hosts renting out the entire dwelling.

....my indoor camera in my living room protected me as a host to keep my account active by proving things the guest said and did (Airbnb actually blocked my access to my account while they investigated) ....the cameras showed me to NOT be at fault.... so I could continue hosting. I do month to month fully furnished all bills paid rooms with mini kitchenettes, tall dorm fridges, 2 person breakfast table in each room and only have 3 cameras, the front door, the living room, and the kitchen. So crazy how after 4 years this indoor camera ban happens. Since I live in the home I should be allowed to keep my camera in the kitchen and the living room.

Further, There should be zero expectation of privacy in a shared living room and shared kitchen when the guest rents a room. Privacy is for the room the they rent and the bathroom. If you are living in my house with I should be allowed to have a camera in the living room and the kitchen. Great rule for hosts who rent out the whole house though. Interesting though....if you have a motel or hotel you can list the rooms for rent on airbnb and you get to keep the cameras in the lobby. Maybe consider my living room is my lobby. I rent out my 2 guest rooms to mid term and long terms renters. I live in the house in the master bedroom. Can't believe I have to take my 2 cameras down in my shared spaces.

[Suzzan0]

I too rent a room, Private bathroom and entrance. I offered to eliminate shared spaces from my listing and still got the same response of removing them. Im single and live alone and will stop hosting on Airbnb April 30th

[Sherri176]

I just looked at your Airbnb profile and your listing and I have to say your listing is stunning. Airbnb would lose an amazing host If you left ….your property is gorgeous and I love the bathroom picture…you give more than just a photograph of a shower curtain , you actually get to see the bathing space.!!! 

[Suzzan0]

Thank you so much. I enjoyed hosting for the people that rented since 2017

Airbnb is not concerned about my safety with the new rules. Im single and live alone so not taking any chances.

Funny thing is I never had cameras in my house before I hosted on Airbnb but a few of the guest was the reason I put them up. A few disrespected my rule of not bringing anyone to my house that's not part of their party and they would sneak someone in. 

One girl was in my bedroom when I came home. our rooms are on opposite sides of the house.  I'm gonna get on a Traveling nurses site after leaving Airbnb

[Wesleigh0]

I agree I live in my rental full time with all my worldly belongings some of great value some of sentimental I also run a business and have all of my business assets and admin in my home!

it’s not only a problem for security but personal safety cameras do not only offer evidence and protection against theft damage and violence but they also act as a deterrent.

Airbnb my check the identity of a guest booking the rental but this doesn’t Guarantee that they will be the one that turns up and cannot provide identities of their guests. They may bring.

Airbnb have decided to prioritise guest privacy over host safety.

for room rentals in shared properties the host needs to feel safe and secure.

Airbnb need to review cameras in room rentals and allow full disclosure of cameras in commercial areas for the safety of hosts and other guests if the space has multiple lets.

[Helen3]

Hi @Wesleigh0 

welcome I can see you've been hosting on Airbnb for a few months now.

I've been hosting for nine years as a homeshare host and had hundreds of guests .

to reassure you I've never felt the need to have CCTV in my home 

I can't see which communal areas you share with guests from your photos but just lock away your business assets and sentimental/valuable items . That's what I do and have never had any issues.

[Wesleigh0]

Access to my apartment is via the living area I have my home office located here I also keep marine fish and and corals which total up to £10k I have always had a camera monitoring this as if I was to have a heater go or peace of equipment fail I’d only have a short window to rectify or if a gust was to put something in the water or turn something off I could lose thousands of pounds of live stock.

i am gay I live in the gay village but our city has a very big football connection so it attracts a lot of football tourists while I’m not saying all football fans are homophobic however, I would feel uncomfortable. If this did not sit well with a guest 

[Anoop16]

Safety and security of hosts have to be of utmost importance. Especially when the host is also living in the same premise. Even if the rental space is for guests alone, cameras ensure safety and security of the guests and their belongings. All this needs to be reviewed by Airbnb seriously. 

[Anoop16]

As I find this is a non acceptable policy framework wherein safety and security of the hosts in particular is being compromised. These days such devices are installed in majority living spaces for security. Yes, I don't think if any host has it in the bedrooms or places which definitely interfere with the privacy of the guests. As have gone through all the comments, all hosts need to write back in reply to the email for review of this requirement. We are running home stay and safety and security is also of prime importance. We are senior citizen and into Airbnb home stay quite recently and that too found Airbnb to be quite safe and reasonable in various respect including that for the hosts. But then this. Let's put forth a representation and am sure goodness shall prevail and Airbnb shall come out with a positive solution. 

[Jerry282]

I somewhat understand banning indoor cameras on full home rentals. But I refuse to give up having security cams in common areas of my home. Both for security and checking in on my geriatric cats. I know of two other Airbnb'ers that rent out rooms who will no longer host for similar reasons. 

[Sherri176]

i was looking at landlord studio to basically take the place of air bnb for my room rentals at least for managing rent collection and my 30-90 day lease agreements....and keeping airbnb for my RV listing. Just going to have to create a PDF (then convert to jpg) of all my reviews and save for another platform as part of the listing pictures.

[Abi010]

Hi Jerry,  there's going to be many of us not hosting come April 30th, unless it review this arbitrary policy especially for live in host which I am

[Sherri176]

Thank you for your thoughts on this from all of you replying to my post… I am a little nervous about retaliation from Bnb for sharing my dissenting opinion but I did send a reply to the original email I got about the new indoor camera rules . Here is what my reply looks like in case you want to copy and paste (then edit to fit your situation )

and send a similar reply.

I am not encouraging replies to the email… I don’t want anything bad to happen to anybody’s business but I thought I would let everyone know that I replied and I will come back if I’m able to and give an update but honestly if there’s any good news we will all get a worldwide global email.

copy of my reply:

Thank you for the update to your policy on cameras which will go into effect April 30 of 2024.

I have been a super host for about four years and I have a perfect five star rating.

I wanted to provide my opinion.

I live in a three bedroom two bath home in the Dallas Fort Worth, Texas, Metroplex and I rent out the two guest bedrooms on the first floor to guests who typically stay 30 to 180 days and I live in the master bedroom on the second floor. I share my home with strangers. I also bring my grandchildren over to play and visit on Sunday afternoons.

I strongly feel you should revise your rule to only affect people who are renting out entire homes. People absolutely have the right to privacy when they are renting an entire property…

 However when they are in my home that I am also living in, I feel they do not have the right to privacy in my kitchen that I also use and I feel they do not have the right to privacy in my living room, which I also use.

 However, this is only my opinion, and I will comply with your new rules, but I do hope that you will review my opinion, and take it into consideration.

I strongly feel you should allow cameras in shared spaces such as the kitchen, living room, game room, to the hosts who are renting out rooms.

[Anoop16]

I agree with you. We too are senior citizen who live on ground floor and have put our 2 bedrooms on first floor on rent through Airbnb. For safety reasons have placed a camera in living room facing the main entry door and the other in the common lobby of first floor. This is only to ensure the safety and security of both hosts and guests. How are these interfering with the privacy? The world is changing and one has to be safe and secure. As you said Airbnb should remove this requirement. Thanks 

[Richard-and-Debbie3]

We live in our home as well and rent a room. We have had guests try to enter our bedroom while we were sleeping. We have had them use are dishes and then put them back used. We have had guests doing drugs  right at the door. It is a saftey issue while we are in our home. We will be shutting down our listing on April 30th because of the new policy and it is a shame.