Comment by exclusiv | Hacker News Reader

Comment by exclusiv | Hacker News Reader

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A programmable keypad is nice. I have a Z-wave one which can notify my Smarthings hub which notifies me when it's locked or unlocked.

The Nest thermostat allows me to control the heat remotely.

These two things are great for rental properties. Guests often forget to lock the door, I have records of when guests or maintenance people are coming or going, I can adjust the heat to 55 when nobody is there which saves a lot of money and more importantly I can ensure the heat is not turned off (which could cause frozen pipes) which some guests do for some reason.

Outside of a rental, these things aren't as useful. But I'd still get a programmable keypad (I've been running the Yale touchscreen ones in the mountains for years). It's very handy for friends or maintenance and with a Smartthings hub you can unlock the door remotely and give no code. Or give a code and change it later. I got the one with a key backup just in case but I haven't had the touchscreen fail yet.

I do run the Nest cameras outside and they've been nice to check snow levels, bust the spa maintenance guy for not even showing up, expose a neighbor for stealing firewood and rocks, expose guests who brought an actual bus full of people, expose another guest for filming a movie, and plenty of other things that have been helpful documentation.

It's kind of crazy how far the Nest cams pick up audio and how clear it is. So be cautious of these things because they are constantly recording and it makes it easy to scrub for footage (detects and quick links to voices, dogs barking, people, etc). I only listen to the audio when it's applicable (guests are doing something they shouldn't) but I'd imagine that some homeowners are watching and listening for fun.

It sounds like you have short-term rental properties, aka unregulated hotels, or more accurately regulation-skirting residential businesses. In normal rentals, guests are called tenants, and in most places tenants have all the same privacy rights as property owners. Therefore, a landlord having access to or retaining any information about door usage or audio-video of the property would likely be illegal. Perhaps a camera pointed at the driveway and public street for security purposes, but even then only with full disclosure to the tenant. Frankly, I wouldn't rent anywhere the owner had installed his/her own cameras--if necessary for security, I'd install my own.

Of course, the same privacy rights also likely apply to short-term guests as well, but while everyone is skirting regulations, what's a bit of surveillance in addition. I mean you've basically admitted (why people can't just shut up when they break the law) that you record your guests in outside areas where they can expect privacy (sounds like the hot tub). That people make movies in places they expect privacy (shocking), and of course you don't look at any of those skinny-dipping videos wink wink. Funny how unregulated businesses attracting unregulated activities still like to have some way to regulate their guests--and do so likely illegally.

Yeah, I know, some airbnb guests can be jerks, abuse the crap out of your investment, I mean second-home you couldn't afford without hotel-income. But you don't deal with the bad apples by violating the rights of everyone else, at least unless you want to invite scrutiny and regulation into your activities.

>That people make movies in places they expect privacy

If they're doing unpermitted guerilla filmmaking on someone else's property, they're just as guilty of violating someone's privacy and doing unregulated business activity.

FWIW, when I lived in a house where the landlord installed security cameras there wasn't much we could do about it. The law was on their side for outside cameras and cameras in common areas (like a laundry room)

> It sounds like you have short-term rental properties, aka unregulated hotels, or more accurately regulation-skirting residential businesses.

There are regions where is is a regulated, perfectly-acceptable activity, and has been for longer than the founders of AirBnB have been alive.

It's sounds like you have little experience living anywhere except highly regulated, highly populated enclaves. Many places don't have regulations against things like Airbnb.

> It sounds like you have short-term rental properties, aka unregulated hotels, or more accurately regulation-skirting residential businesses.

This is not correct. I pay transient occupancy tax just like the hotels (11% at one, 7% for another) and also have local authorities come out periodically for certifications to make sure everything is up to their standards (fire alarms, extinguishers, lighting, safety rails, notices posted outside, etc).

If I was in a city that didn't have regulations for short term rentals, then it wouldn't be a regulation-skirting business anyway. It's only skirting if the area has TOT and regulations in place and you don't abide. How did you get to this conclusion based on my post?

> I mean you've basically admitted... that you record your guests in outside areas where they can expect privacy

No I didn't. And my listings clearly state that I have cameras outside.

> That people make movies in places they expect privacy (shocking)

Why is this shocking? They were making a low budget horror film. You need a license to film a movie on someone else's property and the city has regulations and procedures for filming. Not to mention they started a large fire in the desert and I could see the fire department come out and have a conversation with them. The guest also lied to me saying they were having a little couples getaway and we even gave them a discount because we were told it would just be 2 of them.

> and of course you don't look at any of those skinny-dipping videos wink wink. Funny how unregulated businesses attracting unregulated activities still like to have some way to regulate their guests--and do so likely illegally.

I have a pool at one property but there are no video cameras overlooking the pool. Or even the back yard for that matter.

You've made a lot of assumptions.

If you don't like short term rentals because some people don't comply then that's fine but hotels have bad actors too. Plenty of hotel owners not paying their share of TOT taxes, peep holes in bathrooms, stealing property when cleaning. Ever see those service spaces between 2 rooms? Bad actors would use those for peep holes and watch guests in person.

> I mean second-home you couldn't afford without hotel-income

Actually I can afford both without hotel-income. Even if I couldn't - the cities approve of it and get income and jobs.

> But you don't deal with the bad apples by violating the rights of everyone else, at least unless you want to invite scrutiny and regulation into your activities.

I comply with regulations and also create a lot of income for people in cleaning, maintenance, upgrades. We pay a living wage to all service providers.

Nor do I violate the rights of anyone.

Honestly all this monitoring and "busting" and "exposing" people for minor infractions sounds exhausting. Personally I have other things to spend my time on than surveilling people. Frankly it's kind of bleak to imagine you sitting around keeping an eye on your surveillance cameras and graphs to make sure no one is stepping out of line.

OP sounds like a voyeur

The homes serve a lot of guests and 95% of them are respectful. How does reviewing footage when they make false claims or I get a report from a neighbor make me a voyeur?

Sounds more like he just checks archived video when thing go awry. Like missing firewood, a trashed house, etc.

It's only when I get reports from neighbors, my turnover crew or they make a false claim on AirBnB. The tech in the Nest cams make it so you don't have to wade through footage. It short links to events and has great detection as I mentioned.

None of what I wrote was minor either. If a vendor is charging me and not showing up, that's fraud. Bus full of people - over my approved capacity and I can get fined. Filming - I can get fined. Fire in the desert - big liability. Stealing firewood - theft and now my guests won't have any.

Not sure why you are fabricating a story that isn't there.

I'm assuming that by rental property you mean AirBNB or some other short term rentals.

I would never be okay with my landlord controlling or monitoring my thermostat.

> The Nest thermostat allows me to control the heat remotely.

On a flat you're renting out? That's insanely unethical.

The comment specifically says: "I can adjust the heat to 55 when nobody is there which saves a lot of money and more importantly I can ensure the heat is not turned off (which could cause frozen pipes) which some guests do for some reason."

I have kids. They forget to turn off lights, mess with my thermostat, leave doors unlocked. The peace of mind of being able to remotely check/access/control all of this is great.

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