'Creep': Tenant says landlord placed security camera in room to 'check on aircon'

That certainly did not pass the vibe check.

One landlord in Singapore got their intentions questioned after allegedly installing a security camera in a tenant's room.

The explanation that was given? To "check on the aircon".

The tenant took to Reddit with the question, "My landlord installed a camera in my room to check on the aircon, is that even allowed?".

Of course, the collective answer from the others was a resounding 'N' to the 'O'.

In the post published on Wednesday (Aug 10), Reddit user Tobikofriedrice uploaded a photo of a Wi-Fi security camera placed on the floor with its lens pointing towards the ceiling, presumably where the air conditioner is positioned.

But things may not be as innocuous as they seem.

In the thread, commenters warned that the camera not only has a built-in microphone that allows for sounds to be recorded, but also said that the lens can be rotated.

Wrote one Redditor: "The landlord can likely see and hear much more than you realise." Yikes.

A search online showed that the security camera possesses functions such as night vision (up to 30 ft), two-way audio as well as motion detection.

Another Redditor noted that the highly unusual situation is "beyond creepy and messed up", adding that the original poster might want to check the room for "for any hidden surprises".

"This is crazy and a gross invasion of privacy. At most, stick a meter to track aircon usage and charge tenant accordingly or raise rental to cover," wrote another commenter.

One other user wondered if the intention was to monitor the aircon for problems, or that the landlord simply "wants some footage to sell on OnlyFans".

Many pointed out that having a camera installed in the room is considered an invasion of privacy, advising the tenant to make a police report.

Another person offered some useful advice to restrict the camera's field of vision by taping an empty toilet roll to the lens.

However, the tenant responded that they have since moved out of the room and back to their parents' place, calling the landlord a "creep".

AsiaOne has reached out to the Reddit user Tobikofriedrice for more information.

In June this year, a foreign worker lodged a complaint after his employer installed a CCTV camera in his room, which he shared with another person.

A lawyer whom AsiaOne spoke to then shared that any hidden equipment installed without consent or the intentional recording of private acts constitutes voyeurism, which goes against 377B of the Penal Code.

In a separate case last year, a female tenant in Hougang was unsettled after finding out from her landlord that he had installed two security cameras in the flat — one pointing at the bedrooms and another in the kitchen.

Such concerns about privacy are not unfounded.

In 2020, The New Paper reported that '50,000' home cameras in Singapore were hacked and the footage were sold on pornography websites.

The videos featured couples, breastfeeding mothers and even children in various states of undress or compromising positions.

candicecai@asiaone.com

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