CCTV in the home

[aaronpwa]

Hi Guys,

I have a home and am going to hire a cleaner.

We have an IP camera on the backdoor, front door and the main living area. This is used for alarm verification and to make sure the pet's haven't found a new toy to play with.


Due to having a "stranger" in the house i like the idea if something were to happen, i can use the CCTV footage as evidence.

Question : Do i have to advise (verbally, or in writing) that they may be recorded if the need were ever to arise that the footage be used as evidence?


I know in a public place you do, but as this is my personal residence?

[downunderdan]

Can't comment on legislation as you haven't indicated what state of Australia you're in.

In general though, if domestic cleaners are going to rip you off, they will get away with it every time unless you are willing to follow them into every room.

a) When they commence, take a copy of their passport and/or work visa. Let an aspiring criminal know that you know who they are. Ditto any other contractor in your house.

b) Put your valuables in a safe. When you come home, if your TV is still there, they didn't steal anything.

c) Relax.

It amazes me the number of people who insist on not giving their cleaner a key and instead stress over letting them in and out as though that will stop a thief somehow.

Oh, and have a restricted key system like Bilock such that they can't copy a key. If you get it back from them, you know they're locked out.

[Tradesman]

i asked the same question of council a couple of months ago. in a private residence its optional to display protective signage , except in cases where for example the visitor/contractor may be injured by something under your direct control on the premises - eg a large biting dog , missing verandah decking / live wires / open mineshaft , etc.

so in your case , no you dont have to .

we have a small sign up indicating a camera system operating , at the front door.
this can work for you or against you depending on the circumstances.

as for the cleaner , we are on our second one.
the first we used a cleaning company , the subbie that came round billed the company for 90 mins ,as we agreed . our camera system showed her in the house for only 29mins!! gave her the flick right away.

the second one is fantastic , cameras show her going round and cleaning all the windows and even staying a few minutes longer than she needed to be.
very happy with that. who knows , maybe she watches TV for 60 of those 90 minutes but at least she is in the house .

[downunderdan]

I know several women who hide bits of dirt, squashed bugs etc. as a quality assurance tool for their cleaners. Suspect many more do but won't admit it.

[toyboy11]

Over here in the west most people engaged in entering your house for whatever reason need to produce a Police Clearance licence so if something goes astray at least you have some recall.

[ArjanH]

b) Put your valuables in a safe. When you come home, if your TV is still there, they didn't steal anything.

c) Relax.

It amazes me the number of people who insist on not giving their cleaner a key and instead stress over letting them in and out as though that will stop a thief somehow.

Oh, and have a restricted key system like Bilock such that they can't copy a key. If you get it back from them, you know they're locked out.

LOL .... I give any contractors a remote. It unlocks the door and switches off the alarm. No need for keys or giving them a code.

[downunderdan]

LOL .... I give any contractors a remote. It unlocks the door and switches off the alarm. No need for keys or giving them a code.

I love keyless entry but I've always felt uneasy about using a remote 'keyfob' to disarm a property's alarm.

Ideally, access to sensitive/important/valuable things should require 'two-factor' authentication which is a combination of at least two of:

a) Something you have - Key, passcard, token, prox-card, remote control
b) Something you know - password, PIN, some other secret
c) Something you are - biometric, fingerprint, voiceprint etc.

So a key or a remote AND a PIN is good, but a remote only, is bad. Smart crook contractor will just say it was pinched.