Landlord/tenant rights, dealing with problems, where to get help...
Legality of Surveillance Camera inside the house
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confused2022 Posts: 1
Posted On: 7/3/2022
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I am renting a room on the first floor of the landlady's house. The landlady's family live on the second floor. The basement is rented
out to another family. After I moved in, the landlady told me there is a surveillance camera in the common area just outside my room.
Every time I leave my bedroom to go to the kitchen or washroom I will be watched by the camera. When the other tenants do laundry
in the common area (Where the washer and dryer are located) they will also be watched by the camera. My question is: is it legal for
the landlady to install this camera watching the activities of tenants inside the house? Especially if she didn't get the tenant's agreement?
Thank you for your feedback. It will be much appreciated.
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Moderator Moderator Posts: 4075
Posted On: 7/11/2022
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Hello,
Thank you for sharing your question and situation with us.
It is best that you contact a community legal clinic for some advice regarding your situation. You may also wish to call the Landlord and Tenant Board at 1-888-332-3234 or 416-645-8080 (in the GTA) for information specific to your situation. The landlord and tenant board resolves disputes between residential landlords and tenants.
It may also help to connect with a community resource navigator at 211 to narrow your search. 211 Ontario is a free, confidential service. Their phone service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Here is a link to their live chat if you prefer to communicate online. Their live chat service is available Monday to Friday from 7am-9pm ET.
As a tenant you have a right to privacy, and according to the Community Advocacy and Legal Centre:
Landlords can set up surveillance cameras but these cameras should not capture the inside of any of the apartments. Monitors and any recorded images or video should be secured and only accessed for specific purposes as laid out in the policy. Tenants should be advised by the landlord of the policies before the video surveillance is installed. As well, to meet their obligations under the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), landlords should post signs and distribute policies that clearly explain, for example, how the footage will be used and when it may be accessed.
We hope this information is helpful, please feel free to reach out to us with any further questions.
Sincerely,
Your Settlement.Org team
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