Can anyone help me to indicate Airbnb’s specific rules about CCTV in a common space?

[Rimanda0]

Which Airbnb rules and regulations that forbid us to install a surveillance device in a living room (common space) that have a couch?

Which Airbnb rules and regulations say that the combination  of common space, couch and cctv could be a privacy violation?

Did Airbnb ever warned, when a host stated the couch in their living room as a sleeping device and then the host also disclosed the installed cctv in their house rule list, that it could be a violation to the community trust?

Please help to understand this by show me the pointed specific guidance that Airbnb ever wrote!

Thank you

[Deborah350]

Lets put it like this- would you sleep in a room with a camera? Very clear - if it  can be used as a bedroom - No Cameras!

[Rimanda0]

@Deborah350 thank you for your response. One thing to be clear here that The host rented a private room in his own house, not the living room. They never had intention to turn the living into a bedroom, because it was A HOUSE, not an apartment flat.

Back to the case I asked here, is there any TC said a living room that has a couch could be considered as a bedroom? I believe in the sleeping arrangement option, we can find “the couch” in the “common space” section. They said COMMON SPACE, which means NOT A PRIVATE SPACE. CMIIW

[Deborah350]

You said the couch was available to sleep on.

[Rimanda0]

@Deborah350 If you think so..now could you please show Me which part of Airbnb’s rules that told us a common space with a couch = bedroom?

That’s the question. I’m not here to ask personal opinion. I need literal fact. If you could help me to find it, I would give you a million thanks.

it was mentioned in the listing that the living room and kitchen is a shared space for the guest and the host. The host itself stayed there in another “literally” bedroom and they never encouraged people to sleep there. So it was intentionally never be a private area from the beginning.

[Marit-Anne0]

@Rimanda0 

Clearly a grey zone and you know it.  Grey zone is ok until someone complains and then it is not, and airbnb would probably side with the guest.  If a guest feels his/her privacy has been invaded you may have a weak case with airbnb.  Not to mention that a camera might put guests off booking with you.

Personally, I would not be comfortable staying anywhere with a surveillance camera inside the property, that being common spaces or private ones.  

Looking at your listing, the guest space seems to have a private entrance so maybe you could somehow close off the access from guest quarters to private quarters ?

[Rimanda0]

@Marit-Anne0 hi there, the entrance from outside was only one through the main door of the house to the living room and directly access to the kitchen. Then there was also two separated door to the guest and the host bedroom. All of us should go through the living room before entering them.

All of guest could read it in the house rules before they decided to book. And the camera itself was visible clearly in the area.

We just know about this kind gray rules after the host been terminated by Airbnb without any chance to make it right. They want to cooperate with any community guidelines, but Airbnb doesn’t care. If only they were warned about it before, they will be willingly to make fair and safe adjustment to the listing arrangement.

It makes me keep wondering, why the host got punishment about something that’s not written in their T&C.

And one thing I want everyone here to know also that The reason why the guest reported the cctv in the living room was they might be scared of what they’ve done there. They did something unlawful, then after they left they realized there was a cctv in the living room. So they just got their first move about it, before the host know what is actually happened. The host wasn’t in the house when the guest were staying.

[Rimanda0]

@Marit-Anne0 Oh and what I discuss here is not related to my listing. It’s my friend’s case. Since they don’t have access anymore to talk here, I’m helping them to get answers.

[Marit-Anne0]

@Rimanda0  well, that makes the case clear as mud  😉  And if the camera is so clearly visible, why did not the guests spot it when checking in ?

[Marit-Anne0]

@Rimanda0 

The camera needs to be mentioned in your listing, it is not enough that they can see it when entering.   I could not spot the mentioning of a camera when reading through.  If I missed it, others might as well.  And it is a well known fact that guests do not always read the listing.  

Disclose the cameara on a prominent part of your listing might deter undesirable guests.  Many use the app to book, take a look at your listing on the app and make sure the camera issue comes out clearly without having to push the "read more" button.

Illegal behaviour needs to be reported to the police.  

[Rimanda0]

@Marit-Anne0 The host did mention all the cameras they have outside and inside the property since the beginning they made their listing.

To be honest, they never know what the report exactly said about the surveillance device. Airbnb would never share this kind of information.

So, it seems to be unfair for the host. They asked for a reconsideration to the case. But then they got rejected again.

[Helen3]

If the living room is not a space that guests sleeps in @Rimanda0  and your friend disclosed the cameras in line within the requirements for disclosing CCTV in Airbnb's policy (see Airbnb Help Centre for details), then it seems strange that Airbnb would have closed your friend down.

1. Did your friend disclose Airbnb within and outside the home in line with Airbnb's policy for having camera's inside and outside of the home in her listing and in her home?

2. Can the CCTV in the living room see into the guest bedroom or bathroom?

3. Is the living room ever used as a sleeping space for guests?

If you can answer these questions. It will be easier to advise

[Rimanda0]

@Helen3 

1. Yes they have listed under Airbnb's guidance and they explained the misunderstanding situation via emails, they even gave the pictures of its location.

2. It is too far to get the image until inside the bedroom, and there’s the door.

3. So far we know, No one ever slept intentionally on the couch. The listing could only accommodate two people. The bed in the room itself fit for them.

[Helen3]

Hi @Marit-Anne0 

I think you are a little confused.

As @Rimanda0 mentions earlier in this thread. It is not her listings but a friends, so there is no point checking her listing for mentions of CCTV.

She has also said that her friend clearly disclosed the CCTV in her listing as required by Airbnb and at the property.

[Marit-Anne0]

@Helen3 

Read the first post - it does not say anything about it not being her listing, so I responded accordingly.  Later she explained that she were referring to a different listing now taken down.  Not exactly easy to verify.  

She also said in an erlier post that the camera were very easy to spot - if that were so, why did the guests not object immediately ?  Unless they were scammers trying to get a refund, which is also a real possibility.