Separate property security from surveillance of occupants
Landlords and tenants may both have legitimate security concerns, but ownership of a building or camera does not create unlimited rights to record people. Agree the purpose, location, access and removal process before installation.
Questions for every rental camera
| Issue | Record the answer |
|---|---|
| Purpose | The specific risk being addressed and why a less intrusive measure is insufficient |
| Location | Exact field of view, including doors, windows, shared paths and neighbouring property |
| Controller | Who owns the account, receives alerts, changes settings and handles requests |
| Footage | Live access, retention, downloads, sharing, deletion and security |
| Tenancy change | How access, passwords, devices and stored footage transfer or end |
Inside a rented home
A landlord-controlled camera inside occupied living space is exceptionally intrusive. Use property-maintenance and non-visual safety measures instead.
Communal areas
Entrance security may be possible, but purpose, necessity, signage, access and retention require careful local assessment.
Tenant-installed devices
Check the lease, building rules, shared areas, damage, wiring and whether the camera records neighbours or other occupants.
Move-in and move-out checklist
- List every camera, doorbell, hub and smart lock.
- Confirm who controls each account and recovery email.
- Remove former occupants and property managers.
- Change codes and credentials without destroying evidence that must be retained.
- Agree physical removal, holes, wiring and restoration.
- Check current national, state/provincial and local tenancy and privacy rules.
Supporting guides
Indoor-camera privacy · Privacy zones · Account and data exit
Official examples: Canada OPC landlord-and-tenant guidance and Australia OAIC tenancy overview.
Last checked: 1 September 2026.