Outside surveillance cameras?

[Cheryl741]

I have surveillance cameras on my own home and I disclose that in my listing but not on the closely adjoining Airbnb property. If I put a camera on the exterior of my house with the intent to monitor who is coming and going from the Airbnb property, will this deter guests from booking? It's a small space right next to my home, and I think it would be really handy to simply know when guests are there or not there, plus when the lawn service folks come, if package deliveries are made, or when the meter readers walk in, etc., so the camera would be set up just to trigger when folks come and go through the private gate, and that's all. I am wondering if this would make some guests uncomfortable. Or if the people it would make uncomfortable would be people I wouldn't want to rent to. Personally I appreciate security cameras, especially when traveling alone.

[Sarah977]

@Cheryl741 Plenty of hosts have security cameras, and I think explaining in your listing, as you have here, the reason it is valuable to both you and your guests, and that it's only focused on the entry gate, is fine. 

And if guests were planning to sneak more people in, or an undisclosed pet, it will deter them from booking, which of course is to your advantage.

[Lorna170]

@Cheryl741   You need to mention the cameras as outdoor security cameras covering common areas between the owner's property and the rental (or something like that).  That should keep the scofflaws away.  Err on the side of caution and transparency and protect your listing from being shut down.  

(I wonder how many of us have neighbors who have pointed their cameras at our AirBnB properties.)

[Jean5882]

Our society is full of cameras recording all of us.  If you are innocent of doing nothing wrong, then you don't mind being videoed.  It's those taking advantage of property that feel violated because they're being held accountable (only in some circumstances; Airbnb takes side of tenant in most cases).

[Sarah977]

@Jean5882  "If you are innocent of doing nothing wrong, then you don't mind being videoed. "

That may be your view, but it isn't some universal truth.  Plenty of people who are doing nothing wrong dislike being surveilled by cameras. 

[Jean5882]

Well that may be true but this is our world; get use to it.  Protects property from those who take advantage of it. ex. bringing in pets, twice as many guests than booked.