The married couple Nealie and Andrew Barker from Auckland, New Zealand were on holiday in Ireland with their four children and a niece when they discovered a hidden camera in the apartment.
The camera was attached to the inside of a smoke detector, and difficult to spot right away.
The episode has been discussed on CNN, among others.
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Denied
The landlord initially denied any knowledge of the camera, claiming the allegations were false, before changing his mind:
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In short
- A couple from New Zealand discovered a hidden camera in an Airbnb apartment they were renting in Ireland.
- The camera was located in a smoke detector.
- The landlord initially claimed the allegations were false, but later admitted the camera was there to protect his property.
- Airbnb apologized for the incident and provided the family with a new place to stay.
- From April 30, Airbnb will change its rules and prohibit hosts from having surveillance cameras or recording devices indoors, even if they are turned off.
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The homeowner’s explanation then was that he wanted a camera in place to secure his own possessions against being damaged and against problems with getting these replaced. Airbnb apologized for the whole thing and got the family a new place to live.
And now Airbnb is changing the rental rules – for everyone.
Removes the possibility
From April 30, Airbnb will not allow those who rent out houses, cabins, apartments and rooms to have surveillance cameras or recording devices that monitor areas indoors.
This applies even if these units are switched off, says the rental giant on its website.
They point out that hidden cameras, as experienced by Nealie and Andrew Barker, have always been banned, and will continue to be.
Explains the reason
However, hosts are allowed to have outdoor surveillance cameras, noise meters and smart home devices as long as they comply with the guidelines and applicable laws, explains Airbnb.
MUST GO: Such cameras should not be allowed in airbnb apartments. Photo: Odd Roar Lange
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– Our goal is to create new, clear rules that give our community greater clarity about what to expect on Airbnb. These changes were made in consultation with our guests, hosts and privacy experts, and we will continue to ask for feedback to ensure our policies work for our global community,” said Juniper Downs, head of policy and partnerships at Airbnb.
Safer
This means that you, as a tenant, must also familiarize yourself with whether there is outdoor video surveillance before you use the garden. Good to know before you throw away your clothes for sunbathing and summer life.
But the tenants must feel confident that they cannot be filmed when they are naked or partially undressed indoors, both when they are sleeping or doing other private things inside the house. Here, all filming carried out by the host is prohibited.
Have you had a problem with your trip or holiday? Do you need a suggestion for great places to stay, eat and visit or to know more about how to have the best holiday next time? My name is Odd Roar Lange and I am a travel expert and journalist for DinSide and Dagbladet. Send me an email if there is something you need help with and that I can write about.
Tags: Airbnb introduces camera ban
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