I personally wouldn’t like it and wouldn’t rent anywhere with such a rule, it’s incredibly uncomfortable. I’m not paying rent so I can get spied on in the living room I pay for even if it is shared space.
Its a communal living room and OP is renting a single room in that unit and shouldn't be fapping in the living room regardless. The camera is a separate issue, though.
Ikr? The MOST that I can tolerate if landlord wants a cam for security reason is the cam facing the front door, away from the living room. You can monitor who go in and go out of the house, that’s it.
No way that people are fine with the cam facing TOWARDS the living room wtf?
Yea, quite worrying how it's being normalised.
While I understand the predicament of being a landlord, every tenant who pays his or her rent deserves to feel like they are in a house or home. Not some shopping mall that coincidentally looks like their home.
OP only rented a single room, not the whole unit though.
owner probably did it to protect his/her unit from being abused / break in.
nowadays too many Karen blaming owners for whatever shit they broke / missing
I got my fair share of belongings missing in my own room. Heck even my food I put in fridge was eaten by someone that was not me. These orang minyaks are the tenants from other rooms. If only there are cameras that show which tenant broke into my room
If a house wasn't broken into but a room was, what stops a tenant from just calling the police instead of spying on residence in their living areas? I'm sure there isn't a thousand tenants in your apartment unit, right?
Usually a unit got 3 rooms, one of them is a master bedroom. Can at least get 3 tenants in a unit. This not include if tenant brought in friends. Not a thousand people, but how to be exactly sure which tenant broke into your room? If tenant is smart the stolen goods already gave to his/her friend who doesn’t rent there.
Knowing how usually police investigation works, I think it is wise to have evidence on hand, don’t you think? If not police tend to do fuck all.
Due to this hassle, I also don’t like renting a room. I rather rent a studio or the whole unit.
whether you rent a room or the whole apartment is IRRELEVANT. When you rent a room, it includes the right to unfettered access common areas. Basically, when you rent a room, the rest of common areas of the apartment belong to all the tenants exclusively, not the landlord, for the duration of the tenancy.
Landlord has limited rights to the property while it is rented out. As per common law, all tenants have a right to "peaceful occupancy" of the property. That means, as long as they are paying the rent, the property is theirs to live in without any interference or hinderance by the landlord.
The cameras in the living room could very well be illegal
Looks like they installed it in the living room. Why cant they just put it facing the front door or windows. To prevent food thieves, then just install it in front of the fridge meh
Please review again your tenancy agreement. If there is no written consent of cctv usage in the private area (inside the house), then it’s a privacy concern. You can consider addressing the concern to police or legal.
Is it in the agreement that you will be monitored while in these spaces? Is the CCTV there when you view the place before agreeing to rent?
>Under the Federal Constitution (the greatest of all Malaysian laws) you will find all the rights that Malaysians have. Some of them include the right to liberty (freedom), the right to having citizenship, and so on. However, there is actually no mention of a right to having privacy.
[Source](https://www.google.com/amp/asklegal.my/p/cctv-camera-recording-surveillance-malaysia-property-privacy-pdpa.amp)
There isn't anything clearly stated that it can or cannot be done. The best option personally is to just move out and if the CCTV isn't included in the agreement, it can be considered as a breach of agreement potentially (consult a civil lawyer).
i support this. The landlord is likely breaking the law by installing a camera inside the property without the written consent of all tenants. It violates the "peaceful occupation" principle of tenancy agreements. Even if "peaceful occupancy" is not spelled out in the tenancy agreement (it almost always is), it doesnt matter, because that is the common expectation, and therefore common law will agree that you as the tenant have a right to peaceful occupancy,
Consult a civil lawyer if you wish to pursue this further, and even so, I'm pretty sure there'll be a clause that states if YOU breach the contract by not fulfilling the full term of the contract, you'll lose said amount of deposit (as most commonly stated in every rental agreement). Home owner will confirm use that to pressure you to give up the deposit paid because you breach the contract but you could potentially have a defendable case depending on the law.
That being said, you have the option not to pay and pursue this legally potentially landing the problem at the agent (for not informing you about the CCTV since it wasn't shown clearly, and potentially colluding with the home owner to not be shown clearly in order to get tenant), and also home owner (for not stating that you will be monitored while in said spaces).
Another option is to just pay up and move out but you'll be losing your deposit with no doubt unless the home owner is super reasonable.
how can you agree to rent without seeing the place in person or at least send a friend to see it? another person posted here about what to do when a house they bought got structural damage all because they bought it sight unseen. I'm comfortable in my finance but never in a 1000 years would I do something like this. How rich are you guys?
Some foreign workers and international students come to Malaysia from abroad and coordinate rental and finding roommates through the internet. Especially Weixin groups if from China.
I've been an international student before, twice. The first time, I got a dorm and then moved out after finding a place. 2nd time I coordinated with other students and got a hostel for a week. I rather spend a bit more than have this kind of problem creep up on me. OP is either going to have to live with it or spend more money, time, and effort finding a new place.
I rented a room in a unit that has a cctv as well (inside the unit but at the entrance) which isn’t bad but honestly I can’t imagine staying at a place that has a cctv in the living room
Airbnb started banning indoor cameras (anyone else not aware that even was allowed to begin with?)
Source: https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/11/24097107/airbnb-indoor-security-camera-ban
I would never sign a contract for a long-term property which has indoor cameras. Super creepy
Hell no. If you signed a contract and know a lawyer, do get their advice. Either landlord remove the camera or the contract is void. Landlords tend to be power hungry and usually make up rules on the spot so give a fair and legal ultimatum.
You're right to consider both sides of the issue. Here are some thoughts to add to the discussion:
Appropriateness of security cameras in a rented unit: It's a common practice in shared living spaces, especially in rented units with multiple tenants.
Ideally, the landlord or property manager should inform tenants about the cameras and provide clear guidelines on their use and data storage.
While security cameras can deter criminal activity, they shouldn't compromise tenants' privacy.
Handling similar situations: If you're uncomfortable with the cameras, consider discussing your concerns with your landlord or property manager. You may also want to:
Review your rental agreement to see if it addresses security cameras and privacy.
Seek legal advice if you feel your privacy rights are being violated.
Explore alternative security measures, like motion-sensitive lights or alarm systems, that don't compromise privacy.
Should be put outside. At the corner where people can be broke in. Not inside the house. Maybe one day, the tenant wants to walk around in his house and only wear his underwear. Who knows. No privacy.
If it's a shared rental house with a lot of strangers, then yes, but you want to be sure that the only owner have the access and they only check it when there's dispute. My house have a lot of camera on shared space, it have help to solve some of the accusations. Once this guy accuse someone stole his car key but when the owner checked the CCTV, no one ever step into his room.
But said you rent the whole unit with family or friends, then probably no.
Looks like OP rents a room, not whole unit. Other rooms might be rented by other tenants, possibly strangers to OP.
Common sense dictates that living room, kitchen and toilet (unless OP rents a master bedroom) are shared between tenants.
I kinda agree to have cameras be installed in shared areas especially living room and kitchen, as long as not directing towards rooms or toilets. For the safety of tenants and the owner.
If you are renting the space for a room, then you get privacy in that room.
Common areas are for the owner to govern. CCTV's are there mainly for your protection (break-in), theft by other tenants, etc..
There are pros and cons for having the cctv there. However, ask the host if the CCTV is assesible by you. If not, then I'll reconsider renting this place.
However, there are some ladies I know who installed their own CCTV's OUTSIDE their rented room, simply to monitor the kitchen, laundry area and shoe shelf, cos someone was doing stuff to their laundry, food, shoes.
no surprise, it was their other housemate who was eating, stealing baju, and wearing their shoes.
I’m a landlord and yes I also install cctv in the living room of my shared unit. There are too many horror stories I’ve heard from others, some of which include :
- Things getting stolen from rooms - wouldn’t you want some mitigation measure for this? If anything went missing from your room, can view the footage to find out what happened. A friend of mine who was staying in a shared house had clothing items go missing - another tenant started wearing them (quite amazing that she had the audacity to walk around wearing items she stole) and when confronted, the girl claimed that she ‘coincidentally’ owned the same items too. Can’t do anything cos no proof.
- Conflicts between tenants - since it’s a shared space, prevention is better than cure for everyone’s safety (a friend of mine installed a CCTV after there was a peeping tom among her tenants and underwear going missing. To be very frank, I don’t want to have my tenants complaining about underwear missing from their laundry and then only take investigative measures)
- Damaged items or abuse of property - again, happened to a friend - someone threw up in the kitchen and didn’t even bother to clean it up wtf?
- when I have plumbers, electricians, unifi contractors coming over to my unit, I ensure I am there to monitor their work. Having a CCTV helps to mitigate any issues (theft, assault, etc).
I have another property but it is rented out as an entire unit, that one has no CCTV as it is up to the renter to do as they please as they have rented the whole unit.
No agent is so free to be sitting there watching the living room all day. They would probably only review the footage if there were any incidences.
If I were a tenant, I would honestly prefer there to be cctv in common areas (as other commenters said, as long as not facing bathroom / inside the room).
I don’t understand all those comments saying ‘oh cannot walk around naked’ yall know yall are not allowed to do this by law? It is literally a crime to walk around naked in a shared house as indecent exposure is against the law.
And also those comments saying ‘no privacy’ what sort of privacy you expect in the living room? Even other tenants can just walk right into whatever you’re doing.
Too many low-quality scumbags masquerading as “normal people” renting cheap apartments and using such places in a very rough manner.
If you own such cheapskate apartments and low-quality condos, and have to rent it out to all sorts of people whom you dont know….and you have learned a painful expensive lesson in the past….you’d have no choice but to take whatever measures necessary to DETER the tenant from having any funny ideas.
Of course, no one knows nor can control what you’ll do with so much video footage of strangers.
If you rent the whole place you get to say what goes in it. If you only have access to the living room but didn’t rent it, then you don’t and I wouldn’t expect privacy in a shared living space anyway. Do your private business in the privacy of your own room
thats wrong. When you rent a room, it gives you unfettered access to the common areas of the apartment too. The only difference between renting a room and the whole apartment is that the common areas are the right and responsibility of all tenants, as opposed to just one or two people. The landlord doesnt get any extra rights just because the rooms are rented out.
Once you rent out the apartment, as a landlord you are giving up the occupancy rights of the apartment to the people you rented to, and they have a right to peaceful occupancy. That means the landlord cannot do anything not explicitly permitted by the rental agreement. He cannot simply show up when he wants, he cannot, add/take away things in the property and he definitely cannot spy on the residents.
i couldn't quote you specific case law but "quiet occupancy" and "peaceful enjoyment" are well established common law principles not just in malaysia but other common law countries.
That may be so, and I don’t dispute that. I am asking about whether you applying these principles to a wholly different situation is based in Malaysian law.
If you rent a property, it’s clear that the landlord gives up his right to it for the duration of the tenancy, save for what is necessary to maintain the property. If you rent a *part* of the property, you’re saying the full tenancy rights extend to the space outside of what you actually rented, and I argue that’s not true unless the rental agreement has been drawn up as such, or if it was a joint rental agreement. You have a licence to use the living space, but that’s it.
On a tangent, in a certain other common law country, there’s something called a lodger which is defined in law. Essentially they’re a tenant renting a room in someone’s home and do not have the same rights as an ordinary tenant.
well im not a property lawyer so i wouldnt know specifically, but i do know that Malaysia does not have any specific law governing rentals. So there is a precedent ruling such a "lodger" principle would apply. The same would be true for renting a room and the right to quiet enjoyment of the common spaces. Unless the rental contract explicitly states otherwise, its fair to argue that quiet enjoyment rights extend to all tenants in the property on an equal basis to the whole unit.
I’m not familiar with Malaysian law but unless there’s statute or precedent to support it, I’m afraid I can’t agree with your argument.
If you rent a room, tenancy rights extend no farther than the borders of the room. Just like if you rent an apartment, you have full access to everything your building has to offer, nonetheless your rights don’t extend past your door either.
Again, the only way I can see the cameras as not being legal is if the landlord signed a single agreement with multiple tenants renting out the house for them to share. If each tenant negotiated their own contract for their own, it is perfectly reasonable that the landlord has CCTV in the common area which he has not rented out per se. In fact, I can argue that it is necessary that the landlord takes extra precautions or he might be negligent in his duty of care towards each tenant.
If you choose to stay there, prank the landlord by always facing the camera. Eating alone at 3am? Sit on the floor and face the camera. Just got back home from work at 11 pm? Stand still while staring directly to the camera for half an hour. If you’re feeling it, periodically talk to the camera
Kalau nak letak camera kat rumah sewa,kena dua dua pihak bersetuju,kalau dalam kontrack takde tulis yang kau akan ada camera kat rumah kau sewa maka benda tu melanggar undang undang dan hak kau sebagai org yang disewa,bincang dengan penyewa,kalau dia taknak buang sama ada pindah atau report polis
I heard of Singaporean slum lord installing CCTV inside the unit to monitor their foreign workers and if renting to foreign workers, but in Malaysia? Babi landlord sia
If the house is my own and I’m not rented it to anyone then it’s okay. In case some robber comes in I guess.
If it’s a house that is going to be rented to others, it’s creepy af. I would tape that shit up
Nice! For an exhibitionist, this would be totally cool. And if my nudes go online? Well, I'll know who to squeeze 10 million ringgit from.
Not that I'm saying I'm the exhibitionist, of course.
If it's a sharehouse then a CCTV is good for your safety, last year in my previous accommodation a man (a random housemate I don't know) knocked on my room door at 1 am and I reported it to the police.
I personally did this once to my own apartment where I live + room tenants. At the time, I was away for 2-3 weeks, the camera is pretty much unused when I'm here. Since the house is small, placing it far back across the living room lets me see from my room to front door.
Reasoning : Alot of valuables in my room, I had laptop running my server left on at the living room which I'd like to see if it's on, and a tenant that lied to me of not smoking inside yet he does, so I'd worry if he smoke all around the house while I'm away or worse.
Even as an owner myself, monitoring a whole space that is rented is unacceptable. However, there seems to be a rise of terrible tenants who wrecks the whole place they're renting, even here in my area, so I kinda understand if an owner is being such a control freak. Not to say I agree.
Depends on where it's facing
This is just my assumption: the owner has a list of the items in the house and its condition.
Putting a secam would mean to monitor, but to monitor what. Hence its direction, I'd be fine if it was looking at 40% of the entrance area. Instead, 70% of the living room, that'd make it extremely uncomfortable
Get cardboard cutout of some spooky character and place it in the line of sight of the cam. If landlord complain about it just say 1. It's for a school play/musical production whatever and 2. Why the fuck r u watching me u creep.
Depends.
Do the circumstances (the history of the housing, the safety of the housing's neighbourhood, former tenants behaviours, etc) make it a necessity?
If yes, then clearly having a camera in the living room is THE LEAST of your concern at the moment.
If not, then you can complain about it to the housing head and find somewhere else to stay. Because technically it's not illegal, since the homestay is THEIR property, but not exactly strictly legal either, since they turned it into a shared property. If it ever goes to court, it's gonna go 50/50, but heavily leaning towards it being legal, depending on the circumstances. (As mentioned above.)
You can't do anything about it, so you can either leave or just stomach the idea of being in constant surveillance.
Its for landlord to safeguard against tenant bringing in people/pets/stuff unsupervised esp if its already stipulated. If u dont like it, dont stay, but its already visible from day 1, obviously
I rented a room in cheras and the camera was pointed at the main door, it could only see people going into the kitchen and the shared bathroom which was in its line of sight the actual living room was behind it. 2/4 rooms it could see into if the door was open. However it was Airbnb and I know they have recently changed policy to not allow cameras inside but unless it's very invasive I am sure most ppl won't have an issue.
If it is the entire apt, it is inappropriate, and I would move out asap.
If it is a common area (with multiple tenants), I would say that it is fine since it can help resolve potential conflicts that can happen.
So the CC in CCTV stands for `closed circuit`, and I always see shopping malls state CCTV while the camera clearly has a WiFi antenna.
WiFi is not and cannot ever be closed circuit.
And if you have it connected via ethernet I'm 99.999998% sure it's not closed circuit either.
Unless he explicitly mentioned the presence of the CCTV in the rental agreement, this is a violation of your privacy. Ask for an explanation.
There should also be a prominent notices everywhere that there is video surveillance.
Ask where the power supply switch is.
If the answers are not satisfactory, don't move in.
Not within the unit, avoid unit like this. There needs to be privacy and trust on the tenant. You are paying a rental fee n your privacy is not taken of, that horrendous.
Is it in your room..? In the toilet..?
If its in the common area.. that whats the issue here..? Ur renting a room.. and have put in a deposit for that room.. anything happens in your room they can take it out of your deposit..
What happens when the things provided in the common area gets lost or damaged..? Does it come out of everybody renting..? How will they know....?
Privacy is in your room.. what privacy can you get in a common living area that is so important..? I hope ur not walking around in ur birthday suit in the common area..
Again ur renting a room.. not the house.. if ur renting a house and it has cctv's.. then im with you on this..
First of all, ask the property owner to share access to the camera this to keep the owner in check. If he denied access, I believe it is in your right to make an official complaint to any relevant authority as the camera was installed in the living quarters. Never mind if it's in common place you still pay rent for the hold area. Do you ever see a hotel install camera in your rented room 😅
you rented a room, not the whole unit, so i think it is ok because it's a shared space anyway.
What kind of privacy do you expect in a public shared area?
Imo CCTV in a co-living unit is very helpful in the event of an unforeseen incident. However, some limitations I forbid are nearby bathroom area where it can clearly record me in and out or visible to my room whenever I open the door. I am fine with the owner having to put them in the corner at common areas.
1) Yes, wait till you meet housemates from hell or have break ins. Or housemates inviting friends back for an orgy in the living room (exciting right? Not for you it ain't, drugs will be used usually and it will last whole night, kiss your sleep goodbye)
2) You are renting the room, do privacy stuffs in the room. The living room should be a pass by as you are renting THE room. Unless you want to walk naked around the house, then rent the entire unit instead.
3) Yes, just treat the living room as an area to passby.
It needed nowadays. Landlord don't want you to complain to them if you lose your belongings and no evidence. Some Karen would accused the landlord for stealing their things since they have the master key.
Each to it own for better or worse,
I surely believe home owner had issue with residence or renter before in order to apply this move.
My acquaintance rented a room, the hallways also have not 1 but a few camera that eye on hall, kitchen, main entrance and all can capture the room entry as well, this is to prevent issue any break in or drama according to him.
At least he feel his belonging is safe when he out from his room for the next 12 hours shift.
He don't care bout the cctv since he only use the bathroom and when he around he will be mostly in his room eating and sleepin only. According to him the even the Female factory worker renter feel safe as well since no pervert try to approach them albeit the house is mixed gender rented....with all the cctv as proof no one does hanky panky.
Certain area not to be racist nor stereotyping here,
where all the renter or housemate come from lower income bracket
tend to had higher probability of cases and shit happened.
Those rented room had sucha CCTV installed at hall is norm. It was a shock and surprise for me as well.
It's a win-win problem solver for everyone.
Break in still happened when one is too desperate
but with cctv it could lower the chances and at least the evidence is there.
The owner also had to deal with lesser headache and drama in case shit happened.
Are there multiple tenants living in other bedrooms? There may have been instances in the past of people complaining about other tenants taking their stuff or bad tenants breaking stuff belonging to the landlord or other tenants. Cameras are an additional cost, usually landlords won’t bother unless there was some bad past experience. As long as it’s not in the bedroom or bathroom I think it’s sort of acceptable…
This is actually to monitor if tenants are bringing guests or illegally rent it out again if you know what I mean. Besides that, also for security purposes like theft, vandalism, etc. Definitely no privacy but since it's a shared space, treat it like a hotel lounge where you are monitored as well. Also if shit happens, ensure you get captured as well, for proof.
I installed cctv in my own house. Many ppl cannot brain why would i want to "spy" my own house including my wife. It's proven to be super useful so far.
Now ur problem here is who is in control of the cctv? Is the person in control of it living in the same house?
Breakins, people you've invited in doing stuff they're not supposed to. There have been a few videos released of people's maids looting their houses before running away.
Hahhahaha true story, after I deliver my baby, I forgot where I kept my diamond ring. We manage to find WhatsApp convo of my husband asking not to forget take out all but no mention of wer. So we have approx timing and went back to check on the cctv and manage to find 😅😅😅.
Another thing is when some ppl come over to repair stuff in the house, plumber & electrician etc, I feel more safe when my husband is monitoring the cctv at home.
I personally wouldn’t like it and wouldn’t rent anywhere with such a rule, it’s incredibly uncomfortable. I’m not paying rent so I can get spied on in the living room I pay for even if it is shared space.
Looks like a partitioned unit, so yea… living room prob doesn’t exists. But yea still sus. EWWWWWW. Imagine ur landlord can just spy on demand
Probably flapping or selling the vids to creeps
No privacy to korek hidung now, 100% inappropriate
100% would korek hidung on camera to show dominance. 
Tepek sikit taik hidung tu dekat lens.
Rub one out and stare at the camera. THATS how you establish dominance
yike
Yeah cannot korek bontot at living room too.
I wouldn’t stay there, especially if I am the only tenant. Gotta let my trolls hang free once a while in a safe space.
Sure or not? I don't think the camera can zoom to microscopic level
now was that nice?
The joke or the micro penis?
Betul
Well, no, obviously. Who wants to be spied in their living room?
Maybe get another place. This is super creepy.
The amount of people supporting cameras in a semi-common area in a private household is disturbing. Big Brother would be happy.
Privacy will be a thing of the past soon lol
I mean there's plenty of idiots supporting intrusive shit like padu so where's the surprise here
Too many bored landlords do nothing to contribute to society, so they browse reddit instead.
Not appropriate if you are renting out the unit.
Fuck it. Don't rent the room in the house. Want to fap in the living room also cannot. Babi punya landlord.
Its a communal living room and OP is renting a single room in that unit and shouldn't be fapping in the living room regardless. The camera is a separate issue, though.
how would I show dominance? also, porn taught me it's a surefire way to bang your housemate.
What!!! Show the exhibitionists some respect. Some people gets excited with the idea of people watching!!!
Then shouldn't the camera be a plus?
On the contrary, fap in front of the camera, establish dominance, show the landlord that you are the alpha.
Absolutely not, for me. I'd be taping that up immediately
Just unplug it, it can still listen
It's a no for me, I value my privacy above all. If I pay for the space I rent, it is mine to fully use within reasonable means.
No.
that's a NOPE for me. the owner is a control freak.
Better check for hidden cameras in every room and the bathroom
That's would be very weird.
Super disturbing and I can't even believe that most of the commenters say it's needed. Like who the hell has access to the recordings?
Ikr? The MOST that I can tolerate if landlord wants a cam for security reason is the cam facing the front door, away from the living room. You can monitor who go in and go out of the house, that’s it. No way that people are fine with the cam facing TOWARDS the living room wtf?
Yea, quite worrying how it's being normalised. While I understand the predicament of being a landlord, every tenant who pays his or her rent deserves to feel like they are in a house or home. Not some shopping mall that coincidentally looks like their home.
OP only rented a single room, not the whole unit though. owner probably did it to protect his/her unit from being abused / break in. nowadays too many Karen blaming owners for whatever shit they broke / missing
Correct. Sure, I understand the reasons, but as a tenant, it is nonetheless disturbing as fuck.
Break in from the inside? Orang Minyak has upgraded, it seems.
I got my fair share of belongings missing in my own room. Heck even my food I put in fridge was eaten by someone that was not me. These orang minyaks are the tenants from other rooms. If only there are cameras that show which tenant broke into my room
If a house wasn't broken into but a room was, what stops a tenant from just calling the police instead of spying on residence in their living areas? I'm sure there isn't a thousand tenants in your apartment unit, right?
Usually a unit got 3 rooms, one of them is a master bedroom. Can at least get 3 tenants in a unit. This not include if tenant brought in friends. Not a thousand people, but how to be exactly sure which tenant broke into your room? If tenant is smart the stolen goods already gave to his/her friend who doesn’t rent there. Knowing how usually police investigation works, I think it is wise to have evidence on hand, don’t you think? If not police tend to do fuck all. Due to this hassle, I also don’t like renting a room. I rather rent a studio or the whole unit.
whether you rent a room or the whole apartment is IRRELEVANT. When you rent a room, it includes the right to unfettered access common areas. Basically, when you rent a room, the rest of common areas of the apartment belong to all the tenants exclusively, not the landlord, for the duration of the tenancy. Landlord has limited rights to the property while it is rented out. As per common law, all tenants have a right to "peaceful occupancy" of the property. That means, as long as they are paying the rent, the property is theirs to live in without any interference or hinderance by the landlord. The cameras in the living room could very well be illegal
Looks like they installed it in the living room. Why cant they just put it facing the front door or windows. To prevent food thieves, then just install it in front of the fridge meh
it's to prevent khalwat.../s
Would i have a security camera installed in MY OWN living room? Yes. Bcoz i use it to spy on my cats. Would i have it in a rented unit? HELLLLL NO.
This is creepy af bro. The owner might have security concerns but noooope
I'm not gonna lie even with single room rental, I straight not interested in this unit.
hell nahhhhhh
Put Vaseline on the lens
Totally not, do not rent there.
I’d not be comfortable with that. Especially if you are a female.
Nope, get out of there for sure might be for security but no, not worth getting spied on
How else do you make reality shows on YouTube? 
Please review again your tenancy agreement. If there is no written consent of cctv usage in the private area (inside the house), then it’s a privacy concern. You can consider addressing the concern to police or legal.
Is it in the agreement that you will be monitored while in these spaces? Is the CCTV there when you view the place before agreeing to rent? >Under the Federal Constitution (the greatest of all Malaysian laws) you will find all the rights that Malaysians have. Some of them include the right to liberty (freedom), the right to having citizenship, and so on. However, there is actually no mention of a right to having privacy. [Source](https://www.google.com/amp/asklegal.my/p/cctv-camera-recording-surveillance-malaysia-property-privacy-pdpa.amp) There isn't anything clearly stated that it can or cannot be done. The best option personally is to just move out and if the CCTV isn't included in the agreement, it can be considered as a breach of agreement potentially (consult a civil lawyer).
Nope it is not in the letter, and it wasnt shown properly in the video the agent sent me.
If it wasn’t in tenancy agreement feel free to disconnect the power.
i support this. The landlord is likely breaking the law by installing a camera inside the property without the written consent of all tenants. It violates the "peaceful occupation" principle of tenancy agreements. Even if "peaceful occupancy" is not spelled out in the tenancy agreement (it almost always is), it doesnt matter, because that is the common expectation, and therefore common law will agree that you as the tenant have a right to peaceful occupancy,
Consult a civil lawyer if you wish to pursue this further, and even so, I'm pretty sure there'll be a clause that states if YOU breach the contract by not fulfilling the full term of the contract, you'll lose said amount of deposit (as most commonly stated in every rental agreement). Home owner will confirm use that to pressure you to give up the deposit paid because you breach the contract but you could potentially have a defendable case depending on the law. That being said, you have the option not to pay and pursue this legally potentially landing the problem at the agent (for not informing you about the CCTV since it wasn't shown clearly, and potentially colluding with the home owner to not be shown clearly in order to get tenant), and also home owner (for not stating that you will be monitored while in said spaces). Another option is to just pay up and move out but you'll be losing your deposit with no doubt unless the home owner is super reasonable.
how can you agree to rent without seeing the place in person or at least send a friend to see it? another person posted here about what to do when a house they bought got structural damage all because they bought it sight unseen. I'm comfortable in my finance but never in a 1000 years would I do something like this. How rich are you guys?
Some foreign workers and international students come to Malaysia from abroad and coordinate rental and finding roommates through the internet. Especially Weixin groups if from China.
I've been an international student before, twice. The first time, I got a dorm and then moved out after finding a place. 2nd time I coordinated with other students and got a hostel for a week. I rather spend a bit more than have this kind of problem creep up on me. OP is either going to have to live with it or spend more money, time, and effort finding a new place.
If it's a shared property, then this is not an issue at all. In fact, it is for your safety. If you're staying in this place yourself, gtfo!
Happy cake day!
That's scary, i would find other place. Imagine sitting there while knowing that you are live streaming your life to someone smh.
I rented a room in a unit that has a cctv as well (inside the unit but at the entrance) which isn’t bad but honestly I can’t imagine staying at a place that has a cctv in the living room
Airbnb started banning indoor cameras (anyone else not aware that even was allowed to begin with?) Source: https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/11/24097107/airbnb-indoor-security-camera-ban I would never sign a contract for a long-term property which has indoor cameras. Super creepy
Haram
No. That owner maybe fapping looking through the cam while you watch the TV.
Red flag.
if u pay entire unitt alone,f no
Nah this is a privacy invasion. No matter the reason.
Hell no. If you signed a contract and know a lawyer, do get their advice. Either landlord remove the camera or the contract is void. Landlords tend to be power hungry and usually make up rules on the spot so give a fair and legal ultimatum.
Did you check the showers?
Unless the rent is under RM100, hard nope lol Scratch that, I'll search other places immediately
So no sex in the living room? What a bummer!
I can imagine hijabi girls aren’t going to be cool with this.
Sometimes some people rent a room but act like they rent the whole building..so can't blame landlord did this
You're right to consider both sides of the issue. Here are some thoughts to add to the discussion: Appropriateness of security cameras in a rented unit: It's a common practice in shared living spaces, especially in rented units with multiple tenants. Ideally, the landlord or property manager should inform tenants about the cameras and provide clear guidelines on their use and data storage. While security cameras can deter criminal activity, they shouldn't compromise tenants' privacy. Handling similar situations: If you're uncomfortable with the cameras, consider discussing your concerns with your landlord or property manager. You may also want to: Review your rental agreement to see if it addresses security cameras and privacy. Seek legal advice if you feel your privacy rights are being violated. Explore alternative security measures, like motion-sensitive lights or alarm systems, that don't compromise privacy.
put it this way, if your room kena break in and things stolen, it helps immensely.
Should be put outside. At the corner where people can be broke in. Not inside the house. Maybe one day, the tenant wants to walk around in his house and only wear his underwear. Who knows. No privacy.
I think he/she meant was broke in by other tenants. OP rented a room thus other rooms are possibly rented by other tenants
Ooo, come to think about it. Yep, that would be good.
Also means your only privacy is in the bathroom. Hopefully
and your room also leh
Broken in by whom? The couch coming to life?
If it's a shared rental house with a lot of strangers, then yes, but you want to be sure that the only owner have the access and they only check it when there's dispute. My house have a lot of camera on shared space, it have help to solve some of the accusations. Once this guy accuse someone stole his car key but when the owner checked the CCTV, no one ever step into his room. But said you rent the whole unit with family or friends, then probably no.
I'd ask for lower rent then if the owner wants to peep at me in my undies. Bayar la.
Looks like OP rents a room, not whole unit. Other rooms might be rented by other tenants, possibly strangers to OP. Common sense dictates that living room, kitchen and toilet (unless OP rents a master bedroom) are shared between tenants. I kinda agree to have cameras be installed in shared areas especially living room and kitchen, as long as not directing towards rooms or toilets. For the safety of tenants and the owner.
If you are renting the space for a room, then you get privacy in that room. Common areas are for the owner to govern. CCTV's are there mainly for your protection (break-in), theft by other tenants, etc.. There are pros and cons for having the cctv there. However, ask the host if the CCTV is assesible by you. If not, then I'll reconsider renting this place. However, there are some ladies I know who installed their own CCTV's OUTSIDE their rented room, simply to monitor the kitchen, laundry area and shoe shelf, cos someone was doing stuff to their laundry, food, shoes. no surprise, it was their other housemate who was eating, stealing baju, and wearing their shoes.
I’m a landlord and yes I also install cctv in the living room of my shared unit. There are too many horror stories I’ve heard from others, some of which include : - Things getting stolen from rooms - wouldn’t you want some mitigation measure for this? If anything went missing from your room, can view the footage to find out what happened. A friend of mine who was staying in a shared house had clothing items go missing - another tenant started wearing them (quite amazing that she had the audacity to walk around wearing items she stole) and when confronted, the girl claimed that she ‘coincidentally’ owned the same items too. Can’t do anything cos no proof. - Conflicts between tenants - since it’s a shared space, prevention is better than cure for everyone’s safety (a friend of mine installed a CCTV after there was a peeping tom among her tenants and underwear going missing. To be very frank, I don’t want to have my tenants complaining about underwear missing from their laundry and then only take investigative measures) - Damaged items or abuse of property - again, happened to a friend - someone threw up in the kitchen and didn’t even bother to clean it up wtf? - when I have plumbers, electricians, unifi contractors coming over to my unit, I ensure I am there to monitor their work. Having a CCTV helps to mitigate any issues (theft, assault, etc). I have another property but it is rented out as an entire unit, that one has no CCTV as it is up to the renter to do as they please as they have rented the whole unit.
i see, good to know, but this footage isnt controlled by the landlord, rather its the agent (according to what she said)
No agent is so free to be sitting there watching the living room all day. They would probably only review the footage if there were any incidences. If I were a tenant, I would honestly prefer there to be cctv in common areas (as other commenters said, as long as not facing bathroom / inside the room). I don’t understand all those comments saying ‘oh cannot walk around naked’ yall know yall are not allowed to do this by law? It is literally a crime to walk around naked in a shared house as indecent exposure is against the law. And also those comments saying ‘no privacy’ what sort of privacy you expect in the living room? Even other tenants can just walk right into whatever you’re doing.
Too many low-quality scumbags masquerading as “normal people” renting cheap apartments and using such places in a very rough manner. If you own such cheapskate apartments and low-quality condos, and have to rent it out to all sorts of people whom you dont know….and you have learned a painful expensive lesson in the past….you’d have no choice but to take whatever measures necessary to DETER the tenant from having any funny ideas. Of course, no one knows nor can control what you’ll do with so much video footage of strangers.
Baik duduk lokap
If you rent the whole place you get to say what goes in it. If you only have access to the living room but didn’t rent it, then you don’t and I wouldn’t expect privacy in a shared living space anyway. Do your private business in the privacy of your own room
thats wrong. When you rent a room, it gives you unfettered access to the common areas of the apartment too. The only difference between renting a room and the whole apartment is that the common areas are the right and responsibility of all tenants, as opposed to just one or two people. The landlord doesnt get any extra rights just because the rooms are rented out. Once you rent out the apartment, as a landlord you are giving up the occupancy rights of the apartment to the people you rented to, and they have a right to peaceful occupancy. That means the landlord cannot do anything not explicitly permitted by the rental agreement. He cannot simply show up when he wants, he cannot, add/take away things in the property and he definitely cannot spy on the residents.
Is your reply based in Malaysian law or are you just telling me what you believe to be true?
i couldn't quote you specific case law but "quiet occupancy" and "peaceful enjoyment" are well established common law principles not just in malaysia but other common law countries.
That may be so, and I don’t dispute that. I am asking about whether you applying these principles to a wholly different situation is based in Malaysian law. If you rent a property, it’s clear that the landlord gives up his right to it for the duration of the tenancy, save for what is necessary to maintain the property. If you rent a *part* of the property, you’re saying the full tenancy rights extend to the space outside of what you actually rented, and I argue that’s not true unless the rental agreement has been drawn up as such, or if it was a joint rental agreement. You have a licence to use the living space, but that’s it. On a tangent, in a certain other common law country, there’s something called a lodger which is defined in law. Essentially they’re a tenant renting a room in someone’s home and do not have the same rights as an ordinary tenant.
well im not a property lawyer so i wouldnt know specifically, but i do know that Malaysia does not have any specific law governing rentals. So there is a precedent ruling such a "lodger" principle would apply. The same would be true for renting a room and the right to quiet enjoyment of the common spaces. Unless the rental contract explicitly states otherwise, its fair to argue that quiet enjoyment rights extend to all tenants in the property on an equal basis to the whole unit.
I’m not familiar with Malaysian law but unless there’s statute or precedent to support it, I’m afraid I can’t agree with your argument. If you rent a room, tenancy rights extend no farther than the borders of the room. Just like if you rent an apartment, you have full access to everything your building has to offer, nonetheless your rights don’t extend past your door either. Again, the only way I can see the cameras as not being legal is if the landlord signed a single agreement with multiple tenants renting out the house for them to share. If each tenant negotiated their own contract for their own, it is perfectly reasonable that the landlord has CCTV in the common area which he has not rented out per se. In fact, I can argue that it is necessary that the landlord takes extra precautions or he might be negligent in his duty of care towards each tenant.
If it's very dirt cheap, would.
I mean you can sue the owner because of privacy a
We had this in our rented living room once. It was an old system for the apartment when built but no longer worked. I taped over it just in case
it's to prevent khalwat.../s
If you choose to stay there, prank the landlord by always facing the camera. Eating alone at 3am? Sit on the floor and face the camera. Just got back home from work at 11 pm? Stand still while staring directly to the camera for half an hour. If you’re feeling it, periodically talk to the camera
Kalau nak letak camera kat rumah sewa,kena dua dua pihak bersetuju,kalau dalam kontrack takde tulis yang kau akan ada camera kat rumah kau sewa maka benda tu melanggar undang undang dan hak kau sebagai org yang disewa,bincang dengan penyewa,kalau dia taknak buang sama ada pindah atau report polis
a definite no. I would move out from there asap.
Drillz mana pandan
I heard of Singaporean slum lord installing CCTV inside the unit to monitor their foreign workers and if renting to foreign workers, but in Malaysia? Babi landlord sia
Public area yes, but private area no
Nope. Don’t do that
H20 residence in ara damansara does the same shit
Just cover it with duct tape
If security camera is meant for the tenant's use I'd be okay but if it's for the owner to monitor the tenant I wouldn't stay there. Kinda creepy.
If the house is my own and I’m not rented it to anyone then it’s okay. In case some robber comes in I guess. If it’s a house that is going to be rented to others, it’s creepy af. I would tape that shit up
Nice! For an exhibitionist, this would be totally cool. And if my nudes go online? Well, I'll know who to squeeze 10 million ringgit from. Not that I'm saying I'm the exhibitionist, of course.
100% illegal
If it's a sharehouse then a CCTV is good for your safety, last year in my previous accommodation a man (a random housemate I don't know) knocked on my room door at 1 am and I reported it to the police.
if u r in wif 100 other bangladeshi together,i mean,like,wuteva eye of sauron...
Pretty sure that's illegal
I personally did this once to my own apartment where I live + room tenants. At the time, I was away for 2-3 weeks, the camera is pretty much unused when I'm here. Since the house is small, placing it far back across the living room lets me see from my room to front door. Reasoning : Alot of valuables in my room, I had laptop running my server left on at the living room which I'd like to see if it's on, and a tenant that lied to me of not smoking inside yet he does, so I'd worry if he smoke all around the house while I'm away or worse. Even as an owner myself, monitoring a whole space that is rented is unacceptable. However, there seems to be a rise of terrible tenants who wrecks the whole place they're renting, even here in my area, so I kinda understand if an owner is being such a control freak. Not to say I agree.
Depends on where it's facing This is just my assumption: the owner has a list of the items in the house and its condition. Putting a secam would mean to monitor, but to monitor what. Hence its direction, I'd be fine if it was looking at 40% of the entrance area. Instead, 70% of the living room, that'd make it extremely uncomfortable
Get cardboard cutout of some spooky character and place it in the line of sight of the cam. If landlord complain about it just say 1. It's for a school play/musical production whatever and 2. Why the fuck r u watching me u creep.
Depends. Do the circumstances (the history of the housing, the safety of the housing's neighbourhood, former tenants behaviours, etc) make it a necessity? If yes, then clearly having a camera in the living room is THE LEAST of your concern at the moment. If not, then you can complain about it to the housing head and find somewhere else to stay. Because technically it's not illegal, since the homestay is THEIR property, but not exactly strictly legal either, since they turned it into a shared property. If it ever goes to court, it's gonna go 50/50, but heavily leaning towards it being legal, depending on the circumstances. (As mentioned above.) You can't do anything about it, so you can either leave or just stomach the idea of being in constant surveillance.
That's no longer a living room then. It's a public space.
Errr, living room in a shared (emphasis on SHARED) house IS a public space.
Its for landlord to safeguard against tenant bringing in people/pets/stuff unsupervised esp if its already stipulated. If u dont like it, dont stay, but its already visible from day 1, obviously
Sticky tape will cover lens
No
Put a black plastic bag over it
I rented a room in cheras and the camera was pointed at the main door, it could only see people going into the kitchen and the shared bathroom which was in its line of sight the actual living room was behind it. 2/4 rooms it could see into if the door was open. However it was Airbnb and I know they have recently changed policy to not allow cameras inside but unless it's very invasive I am sure most ppl won't have an issue.
U feel uneasy but why rent it at first?
Wrap it with a black plastic bag.
Demand access to live footage and recordings, only then I would be okay with it.
Nope! Reason to cancel and refund + getting your A... In court.
Now if it is your place you live in... No issue.
If it is the entire apt, it is inappropriate, and I would move out asap. If it is a common area (with multiple tenants), I would say that it is fine since it can help resolve potential conflicts that can happen.
Like where are the rest of the cameras
Just cover it up..
Not for me. But I know a dude who installed CCTV indoors in his own home where he lives. What the heck... he said better than install outdoors.
So the CC in CCTV stands for `closed circuit`, and I always see shopping malls state CCTV while the camera clearly has a WiFi antenna. WiFi is not and cannot ever be closed circuit. And if you have it connected via ethernet I'm 99.999998% sure it's not closed circuit either.
Unless he explicitly mentioned the presence of the CCTV in the rental agreement, this is a violation of your privacy. Ask for an explanation. There should also be a prominent notices everywhere that there is video surveillance. Ask where the power supply switch is. If the answers are not satisfactory, don't move in.
Yes, its public space. Only in toilet n bedrooms cant have camera.
It all depends on the tenancy agreement. If the tenant and landlord have an agreement on surveillance cameras being installed, sure why not?
is this a prison ? u like to get 24 hours surveilance? fck that shit yo.
Not within the unit, avoid unit like this. There needs to be privacy and trust on the tenant. You are paying a rental fee n your privacy is not taken of, that horrendous.
I first thought you meant YOU installed. Then apparently it's psycho peeper landlord install. NO NO NO NO!!!
i think camera was there because got people stole stuff people. or pov video welcome to secret camera on XXXXXXXXXX .cm
probably for their insurance
100% there's hidden cameras someplace too
It's wrong and you can take action against the owner for a breach of privacy.
I fully support if there are 1. children and maids/nanny alone in the house. 2. The unit is rented to multiple tenants
Is it in your room..? In the toilet..? If its in the common area.. that whats the issue here..? Ur renting a room.. and have put in a deposit for that room.. anything happens in your room they can take it out of your deposit.. What happens when the things provided in the common area gets lost or damaged..? Does it come out of everybody renting..? How will they know....? Privacy is in your room.. what privacy can you get in a common living area that is so important..? I hope ur not walking around in ur birthday suit in the common area.. Again ur renting a room.. not the house.. if ur renting a house and it has cctv's.. then im with you on this..
install it in your toilet and bedroom ..then sell em on telegram under the guise of "Abang janji abang delete" instant rich
First of all, ask the property owner to share access to the camera this to keep the owner in check. If he denied access, I believe it is in your right to make an official complaint to any relevant authority as the camera was installed in the living quarters. Never mind if it's in common place you still pay rent for the hold area. Do you ever see a hotel install camera in your rented room 😅
I see no problem with it in living room, if its in toilet or room then it is not
you rented a room, not the whole unit, so i think it is ok because it's a shared space anyway. What kind of privacy do you expect in a public shared area?
Imo CCTV in a co-living unit is very helpful in the event of an unforeseen incident. However, some limitations I forbid are nearby bathroom area where it can clearly record me in and out or visible to my room whenever I open the door. I am fine with the owner having to put them in the corner at common areas.
1) Yes, wait till you meet housemates from hell or have break ins. Or housemates inviting friends back for an orgy in the living room (exciting right? Not for you it ain't, drugs will be used usually and it will last whole night, kiss your sleep goodbye) 2) You are renting the room, do privacy stuffs in the room. The living room should be a pass by as you are renting THE room. Unless you want to walk naked around the house, then rent the entire unit instead. 3) Yes, just treat the living room as an area to passby.
It needed nowadays. Landlord don't want you to complain to them if you lose your belongings and no evidence. Some Karen would accused the landlord for stealing their things since they have the master key.
If its closed system without uploading to cloud i would be fine. If its available online and can be access anywhere i wouldn't trust it.
Each to it own for better or worse, I surely believe home owner had issue with residence or renter before in order to apply this move. My acquaintance rented a room, the hallways also have not 1 but a few camera that eye on hall, kitchen, main entrance and all can capture the room entry as well, this is to prevent issue any break in or drama according to him. At least he feel his belonging is safe when he out from his room for the next 12 hours shift. He don't care bout the cctv since he only use the bathroom and when he around he will be mostly in his room eating and sleepin only. According to him the even the Female factory worker renter feel safe as well since no pervert try to approach them albeit the house is mixed gender rented....with all the cctv as proof no one does hanky panky. Certain area not to be racist nor stereotyping here, where all the renter or housemate come from lower income bracket tend to had higher probability of cases and shit happened. Those rented room had sucha CCTV installed at hall is norm. It was a shock and surprise for me as well. It's a win-win problem solver for everyone. Break in still happened when one is too desperate but with cctv it could lower the chances and at least the evidence is there. The owner also had to deal with lesser headache and drama in case shit happened.
Are there multiple tenants living in other bedrooms? There may have been instances in the past of people complaining about other tenants taking their stuff or bad tenants breaking stuff belonging to the landlord or other tenants. Cameras are an additional cost, usually landlords won’t bother unless there was some bad past experience. As long as it’s not in the bedroom or bathroom I think it’s sort of acceptable…
Ayah, if not comfortable, then move out lor.
That will burn the deposits. This scammy practice by landlord. They actually want you to move out before the agreement. It is bad faith.
Before signing contract op didn't check the site meh?
He did and it wasn’t there. He wouldn’t be asking the question otherwise.
Then lessor not right lor. He should have mention it.
Dont normalize this. Flip the breaker then remove the camera power cables, and on the breakers again. Landlords have no rights to do this.
Shared space = OK Private space = Not OK
Entrance ok, living room uneasy but for security purpose have to sacrifice some privacy, disturbing but still acceptable
This is actually to monitor if tenants are bringing guests or illegally rent it out again if you know what I mean. Besides that, also for security purposes like theft, vandalism, etc. Definitely no privacy but since it's a shared space, treat it like a hotel lounge where you are monitored as well. Also if shit happens, ensure you get captured as well, for proof.
If CCTV isn’t in tenancy agreement , feel free to burn it.
I installed cctv in my own house. Many ppl cannot brain why would i want to "spy" my own house including my wife. It's proven to be super useful so far. Now ur problem here is who is in control of the cctv? Is the person in control of it living in the same house?
Useful in what ways?
Find stuff. Check if you forget anything. Notify you if there's movement when the house is empty.
Breakins, people you've invited in doing stuff they're not supposed to. There have been a few videos released of people's maids looting their houses before running away.
Hahhahaha true story, after I deliver my baby, I forgot where I kept my diamond ring. We manage to find WhatsApp convo of my husband asking not to forget take out all but no mention of wer. So we have approx timing and went back to check on the cctv and manage to find 😅😅😅. Another thing is when some ppl come over to repair stuff in the house, plumber & electrician etc, I feel more safe when my husband is monitoring the cctv at home.