Hi, I recently completed a housesit and was disconcerted with the fact that the homeowner had cameras everywhere and I wasn’t sure they were in use. I can understand the need to have cameras outside for security reasons, but the fact that I am there most of the time should make the house secure, right? There was an outdoor camera that was pointing at the hot tub which I declined to use because it felt creepy. I also noticed what looked like a camera in the upstairs hallway and also one in the kitchen that was part of an Alexa home station that I obscured with a plant. I get the need for cameras, but I didn’t expect that cameras on me in a home that is not mine, would feel so creepy. Has anyone had a similar experience? Has anyone discussed the cameras with the HO?
Hi @bonnie21
I’m afraid internal security cameras go against THS policy as the HO should know if they’ve read the site correctly. Before you post a question I recommend you search key words to see if it’s been asked before as 9 times out of 10 it will have been.
This should help you:
Hi @bonnie21 as @Smiley said there should be no internal camera’s ever on a sit. Please report such to THS. Obviously outdoor especially ring type camera’s are popular and I understand HO’s having these. My current sit has a ring camera at the front and back. The HO told me this before i accepted the sit.
I just saw a listing that required applicants to agree to video indoors (ostensibly to watch their pet). I reported them to membership services, because that’s clearly against THS guidelines.
@Maggie8K Absolutely correct to report them – and then follow up to see if they changed their listing.
Having any interior monitoring devices (audio or video) is against THS rules. I’ve had to report other home listings for the same thing. GRRR!
Hi @Maggie8K,
You did right. I just reported one as well. Might be the same sit in London.
The one I reported was on another continent.
I saw this sentence in a listing today: what do you all make of that?
“We do not have cameras in the condo, however we have several friends who live in the same lift block. We will be require any sitter to meet with them/allow them in the condo (at a time convenient to both parties) once or twice during the stay to check on the dog and the condo.”
Not very “Trusting “ and definitely doesn’t comply with THS third party policy
I would refer it to member services to speak with the homeowner to get that requirement removed from the listing.
However, owner may still send round neighbours unannounced ….on some sort of pretext to check up on sitter
Hi @botvot
That would be a big fat instant no for me! The HO obviously missed the word ‘trusted’ in this site’s title.
Maybe just ask their friends to look after the dog as they seem to trust them.
No thank you @botvot Ask your inquisitive friends to take care of your home & pets 
Report that listing to member services!
Please report. Member need to report all these so that members understand the rules
They missed the part where it’s a platform based on trust.
Totally intrusive and unnecessary. You know that they will find lots of problems to cause an issue as already starting on lack of trust.
They shouldn’t be on THS - clearly there was a problem for their last sitter who seems well experienced however they didn’t bother to leave her a review and she did not review them.
I understand some HO have camera’s inside and outside, ring door bells all over the place, I get it, I ask about what’s on outside, quite often “it’s couriers/deliveries” often they will say they will turn them off, or if we are going out for the day or evening, I send them a WhatsApp and ask them to turn them on, I would feel awful if something happened. We don’t worry too much about outside, we are used to it, however our first encounter with Camera’s was very overwhelming.
Inside Camera’s, I ask again, often it’s to keep an eye on the Dog’s or to actually talk to the Dog’s to calm them down, which at first I thought was really cute, then twigged " this/these are really anxious" and that made me sad. As far as Camera’s on computer monitors, we pop a tissue over them.
Fingers crossed it was just security measures for the HO not anything else. x
As part of my agreement to sit, I let HO know that I am not ok to be filmed inside the home. It’s easier when these things are raised beforehand. I’ve never had an owner disagree.
I put this directly into all my applications now.
Any and all internal cameras/audio listening devices are against the TrustedHousesitters terms and conditions. Exterior security cameras are allowed.
Nope, I would definitely tell them as soon as they are mentioned.
Love the feedback of making full disclosure on the camera rules in the first initial stages of being in contact.
Unfortunately, I just got to a sit last night where their cameras
I politely let them know the rules and they said they wanted to watch their dog… I politely restated that i get it, but they’re still not allowed. They finally turned all of them off except for the alexa as I noticed after they left for their trip.
This makes it so awkward to repeat myself. Their a sweet couple but they’ve got to honor a sitters privacy!
Edited to comply with posting guidelines
I’ve had problems homeowners thinking pet cams are okay. Nope! I make them turn them off and now in my application I specifically state no internal viewing or audio listening devices including petcams