Surveillance cameras in shared area? - Landlord Forum thread 358892

Surveillance cameras in shared area? by Tom on January 5, 2019 @17:04

I have a townhouse with front and back entrance doors connected to living room and I’d like to monitor who entered the house(therefore living room). If I put a camera in living room then it will see both doors and living room space. Does anyone know whether it is legal to put cameras in living room for theft detection purposes? Thank you in advance for your help! Tom

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Re: Surveillance cameras in shared area? by lpadave on January 5, 2019 @20:19	[ Reply ]

generally, in areas when there is a reasonable expectation of privacy, cameras are not allowed. In public areas they are allowed. Inside of a house that you are renting to tenants would be a reasonable expectation of privacy. The lobby of a hotel or b n b would not have that expectation. There are LL's who have placed cameras on the exteriors of their property and tenants have often complained. LL's of larger buildings can generally do it, as there is no direct visual on specific persons coming and going to specific units. I've been a tenant and I wouldn't be real happy with a camera in the hall outside my front door that I didn't have complete and sole control of.

Re: Surveillance cameras in shared area?

Re: Surveillance cameras in shared area? by Garry on January 5, 2019 @20:37	[ Reply ]

You did not indicate if you were the tenant or the landlord asking these questions. If you are the T who is paying rent on this space, yes, you can put your own cameras up inside your living quarters, at your expense. If you are the LL renting this inside space to a T, NO, you cannot put cameras inside the Ts living space. That would be an invasion of privacy, and the T could sue you for a HUGE amount, and WIN. You can, however, put cameras on the outside of the front of the house, pointing away from the house, towards the street, to catch someone walking up to the home. That is an area that the general public can also see, so it is NOT an invasion of privacy. You cannot put one up in the back yard, as that is considered the T's space as well. If the T wants to put a camera focusing on their own back yard only, they can do so.

Re: Surveillance cameras in shared area?