What is the law in the United States concerning your landlords putting video cameras inside your personal homes?

9 comments

1. The term is used the same here.

   That said the laws will vary state to state and I doubt there is a federal law on this at all, but generally speaking it is illegal.

2. Obviously this is going to be a state-by-state thing, but I would be extremely surprised if it were legal to put cameras inside of a dwelling that you are renting out to someone without their permission. A landlord can’t usually even enter the property that their tenant occupies unless under certain circumstances outlined in the laws of that state.

3. As far as I know it isn’t legal in any state. I haven’t surveyed every state’s laws though and that kind of thing will be controlled by each state’s specific laws.

   It is considered a breach of the renter’s right to “quiet enjoyment” of their rented space. It could also be harassment. The landlord can have external cameras to safeguard the property though.

4. IANAL but you could probably say the cameras inside the dwelling may basically be access to the apartment, which typically isn’t allowed unless given proper notice or in an emergency.

   Its definitely not something I’ve ever experienced as a renter.

   Cameras in common areas outside of the unit like hallways or elevators though are very common.

5. As far as I know, a landlord might be allowed to put up security cameras in common areas (like the entrance if your building has multiple units) and outside. I’ve never heard of it being legal to have one inside your personal rental area.

6. This really happened to a friend’s music acquaintance! Her landlord was caught with 11 hidden cameras in her unit. They looked like smoke detectors. One of her friends was an employee of the landlord and said, “those look like the hidden cameras we have in the store!” Turns out he was spying for more than a year and had cameras all over the bathroom and bedroom. He was charged with 42 counts of invasion of privacy.

7. Cameras in building common areas are fairly common and AFAIK legal. Putting a camera inside someone’s actual apartment is not legal in any state that I’m aware of.

8. Wait, are they putting video cameras in apartments in Australia?

9. I wouldn’t assume there’s specific landlord tenant law on video cameras.

   Probably simple privacy laws regarding personal dwelling.

   I think rental units are required to have privacy blinds in my jurisdiction. Your landlord never got special viewing windows into the dwellings. No reason to think video cameras needed modern laws to address them. Intrusion into privacy not allowed, analog or digital.