[fintstone]

Originally Posted by rusnak

I think you guys are over-reacting to the doorbell camera. Enough people have them now that they're sort of moot. They are very very common.

The issue is not privacy. It's disclosure. If it's not in the lease agreement, then you need a lease amendment to address the disclosure. It's no different than cameras in the common areas of an apartment complex. As long as the camera is disclosed, and the leased area is not calculated to include the front porch square footage, then you're good.

If you rent out a single-family residence, you rented out the door, the front porch and the yard (unless your lease/contract indicates otherwise). If you have surveillance cameras of any kind (including ring) that are active on a rental property...my advice is to stop right now. If you have apartments/multifamily and have video camera covering common areas, you certainly should put up signs indicating that is the case...assuming you want to keep those properties (because some tenant or their guest will sure your butt off). It should also be in the lease.

While video cameras and other recording devices are common, it doesn't mean you can use them to monitor tenants on the property they have leased. Saying that they should know better because lots of people have them does not seem to be a good defense. People don't have them to allow other people monitor them. Personally, I have never seen one...and might not recognize what it is. I can't be the only one.