How did you find out they were monitoring you? That really sucks.
Hello @Explorer - internal cameras are against THS Ts & Cs and not allowed under any circumstances so HOs must turn them off if they have them 
I’m well-aware of the rule. That has not stopped some HOs from having them.
I’m well-aware of this rule. T
@mars - we don’t travel lightly and we do the same when spending the evening with the homeowners. We take in the essentials for than evening and once they have left we move in ‘properly’. The neighbours must think squatters are arriving 
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It appears from this post and others I have read, that HO are blatantly breaking the T&C regarding cameras. This will have a bearing on whether to renew my membership as a sitter.
THS - the ball is in your court. Bring in measures to make it even more obvious to HO about cameras
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@mars @IHeartAnimals @Twitcher … We are a “club” If driving to sits this is me
I walk through the door with a very small carry on as I dare not take everything in if the PP/HO is still at home they might think I would never be leaving.
As soon as they leave I move in and when they return there’s absolutely no evidence that the “moving van” had been and left. Keeping my secret of never having mastered the skill or desire of traveling light 
Absolutely agree. My last three sits have had internal cameras (all 3 in the living rooms unhidden). It took me 8 days to notice the first one. When I contacted TH they sent a stock response and politely offered to contact the home owner, which is unhelpful because I didn’t have a problem contacting the home owner myself and letting them know what a blatant disregard it and violation this is for me, both personally and professionally. But it shouldn’t be an issue in the first place if it’s against the policy. The problem is the policy is not enforced so it lands on the sitters. There should be a pop-up screen that HO’s need to read before they can proceed with their listing. I’ve really loved my experience but this has been the deciding factor for me, and several friends, in not renewing membership next year.
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That’s a great idea—a pop-up stating the “no internal cameras” policy, to which HOs are required to click Agree before their listing is posted. If they violate the policy, their THS membership should be terminated, and the pop-up would clearly state that.
As indoor cameras get even cheaper, it’ll soon be difficult to find a pet owner who doesn’t have at least one indoors (understandable; people want to watch their pets when they’re left alone). It’s likely that many HOs will forget to unplug/disable those cameras unless they’re reminded multiple times throughout the housesit preparation process.
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I have done at least 2 sits with internal cameras. I don’t really like it, but what to do? At one, the camera was in the living room and in the other it was in the kitchen. I turned the camera to the wall sometimes for the second one, but at the first one they insisted that the camera be left on in the living room all the time.
I have also done various sits with external cameras for the garden or front door etc. I have less trouble accepting these cameras outside the house.
If I showed up for a sit and the owner insisted that the camera stay on, in violation of the TOS, I might walk away. I suspect they might change their mind quickly.
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I’m on a sit where the HO asked whether I’d be OK with a camera on when we mutually agreed, so they could watch their cat. I’m OK with that, as long as it’s declared and mutually agreed on. I don’t need to even be in the room while they’re watching their cat and it doesn’t affect me.
To me, THS rules against cameras indoors make sense for a starting point. And then you can negotiate otherwise on your own. But if a HO surprised me or required me to have cameras on without us having agreed on it mutually, that would be a problem.
Outdoor cameras, I don’t have a problem with. Though if the outdoor cameras weren’t disclosed and then the HO watched me on video from that, that would be creepy and invasive. What makes it so: when you do stuff surreptitiously.
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yes, they did inform me. When I turned off the camera in the living room in the one sit, I mentioned it to them and they insisted that I turn it back on. I had been under the impression that it only needed to be on if/when I went out. They said they always wanted to be able to see their cat cos they missed him a lot.
If that’s the case, they can’t use THS, because it’s in violation to require any sitter to have an indoor camera on. If they miss their pet so much that they couldn’t do without a sitter agreeing to a camera, they can get friends, family or pro sitters (though they also might have prohibitions against being on video).
I was not aware of that. I’ll be more insistent in the future! Or I will allow the camera to be turned on whenever I go out / leave the property
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@cat.tails
The sit should be reported to member services . Internal camera or recording devices are not permitted on THS .
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Really? My impression is that THS don’t mind about internal cameras. I mentioned it in my review of that sit.
Good that you mentioned it, but THS is not checking the reviews.
You need to send them an email: Camera and Recording Devices Policy | TrustedHousesitters.com
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I don’t feel comfortable reporting those hosts. I guess if the THS admins want to know more they can message me?