Security for Short Stay and Airbnb Properties
Guest turnover without key handovers, what you may and may not record with guests present, and how to protect a property you are not living in.
- Keyless access per booking
- What you may and may not record
- Protecting an empty property
- Strata and building rules
Two problems at once
Access You Cannot Control, and Privacy You Must Respect
Short stay properties have a problem ordinary rentals do not. A new set of people arrives every few days, you are rarely there, and every key handed over is a key you cannot account for afterwards.
At the same time, the obvious solution to not being there, which is cameras, runs straight into privacy obligations that are stricter for paying guests than for anyone else.
The two have to be solved together, because solving one badly creates a problem with the other.
Not in a living area, not in a hallway, not anywhere inside. Interior cameras in short stay accommodation breach guest privacy expectations and most platform policies, and no reasonable installer will fit one.
What actually works
Six Things That Suit Short Stay
Each one solves a problem specific to guest turnover.
A code that changes per booking
The single most useful thing on this list. A new code for each stay, expiring at checkout, removes the key handover entirely and means a previous guest cannot return.
An access log
Knowing when the door was opened and by which credential settles most disputes about arrival, departure and whether a cleaner attended.
Exterior cameras only, clearly disclosed
The entry and any external approach, disclosed in your listing before booking. Most platforms require disclosure of any exterior camera, and doing it properly protects you as much as the guest.
Noise monitoring rather than audio recording
Devices that report a decibel threshold without recording conversation address the party problem without creating a privacy issue. This distinction matters legally and practically.
A separate guest network
Guests on your own network is a risk you do not need. A separate guest network takes minutes to set up and keeps your systems out of reach.
Something that works when the internet does not
If everything depends on a Wi-Fi connection and the connection drops while you are elsewhere, guests are locked out and you are not there to help. Offline capable entry matters more here than in a home.
The privacy line
What You May and May Not Record
Guests in short stay accommodation have a reasonable expectation of privacy inside the property, and it is stronger than most hosts assume. Recording inside is not a grey area.
Outside is different, but it still requires disclosure. Most platforms require any exterior camera to be declared in the listing, and a guest who discovers an undisclosed camera has a complaint with the platform as well as with you.
Audio is stricter again. Recording a conversation you are not part of is restricted under the Surveillance Devices Act 1999 in Victoria, and a camera with audio enabled at an entry can capture exactly that.
- No interior cameras. Not anywhere, not in any room
- Disclose exterior cameras in the listing before booking
- Audio off on any camera near an entry or outdoor area
- Noise monitoring, not recording, if parties are the concern
- This is general information, not legal advice. For a dispute, get advice on your situation
By property type
What Changes by Property
The access problem is the same everywhere. The constraints are not.
Apartment in a managed building
The street panel and lobby are common property, so you cannot change them. What you can usually change is the door to your own lot, which is where the keyless entry goes.
Townhouse or standalone house
The most freedom and the most exposure. Entry coverage, a gate if there is one, and keyless access on the front and rear doors.
Granny flat or studio behind a home
Guest access without giving access to the main house. Usually a separate entry credential and a clear physical separation.
Multiple properties
One system across several addresses, with a log per property and codes issued centrally. This is where consumer smart locks stop being enough.
Regional or holiday property
Distance is the problem. The property is empty most of the time and you cannot attend quickly, which changes what is worth fitting.
Property managed by an agency
The agency needs its own credential, separate from guest codes and revocable independently. Worth setting up properly rather than sharing one code.
Recent work
Short Stay Properties We Have Fitted
Three properties, three different access problems.
A lockbox code everyone knew
The same lockbox code had been in use for two years and appeared in old booking messages. Keyless entry with a code per booking, expiring at checkout, and an access log.
More on St Kilda ›The building panel was off limits
A managed building where the street panel is common property. Only the lot door changed, which needed no committee approval, and guests reach the lobby through the building system as residents do.
More on South Yarra ›Three properties, one system
A host running three addresses with three sets of keys and no record of who attended. One system, codes issued centrally, a separate permanent credential for the cleaner at each property.
More on Brighton ›Questions
Short Stay Property Security FAQs
Can I install cameras inside a short stay property?
No. Guests have a reasonable expectation of privacy inside, it breaches most platform policies, and we will decline to fit interior cameras in short stay accommodation. Exterior cameras at the entry are a different matter and are generally acceptable when disclosed.
Do I need to disclose exterior cameras?
Yes. Most platforms require any camera on the property to be declared in the listing before a guest books. Disclosure also protects you if a guest later raises it.
What about recording audio at the entry?
Turn it off. Recording a conversation you are not part of is restricted under the Surveillance Devices Act 1999 in Victoria, and a doorbell camera near an outdoor seating area will capture exactly that.
Can I monitor noise without recording?
Yes. Devices that report when a decibel threshold is exceeded, without recording or transmitting audio, address the party problem without creating a privacy issue. That distinction is the important one.
What if my property is in a strata building?
The street panel, lobby and corridors are common property and you cannot change them. Your own lot door usually is yours, and that is where keyless guest entry goes. Our strata guide explains the split.
Is this legal advice?
No. It is general information from an installer about what we will and will not fit and why. For a specific dispute or an unusual arrangement, get advice on your own situation.
Where to next
Related Services and Guides
For the hardware see access control installation and CCTV installation. Guest networks are covered on Wi-Fi installation. On what Victorian law allows you to record, read security camera laws in Victoria.
Get a Short Stay Property Assessed
Tell us the property type and whether it is in a managed building. A licensed technician works out what you can fit, what needs approval, and what you should not fit at all.
Borderless Solutions. Licensed and insured. 81 Junction Rd, Nunawading VIC 3131. Monday to Saturday, 7:00 to 20:00.