Security Cameras
I own a 2 family building , and have had disputes between current tenants. I want to install a security system with remote video monitoring . Does any one know the law and if permits are required to install? Thanks, Rob
I own a 2 family building , and have had disputes between current tenants. I want to install a security system with remote video monitoring . Does any one know the law and if permits are required to install?
Thanks,
Rob
As someone licensed to install fire and security systems, I can tell you there are no permits required as it is a low voltage system (however the install must meet code). Video is legal in all common areas. Audio is permitted if conspicuous signage is posted.
Highly recommend a video system if you have problems with tenants. From experience, I can tell you that not only are they helpful (if not instrumental) should you end up in Housing Court, they are a serious deterrent to drug dealing, false harassment accusations, mail theft, vandalism and other behavior. No permit is required for video monitoring in common areas. Audio recording, however, is not legal in common areas unless you are part of the conversation. Do not, under any circumstances, attempt to monitor private space – that’s creepy anyway. Again, talk to your lawyer, but I can tell you that cameras have solved a number of problems with bad tenants.
Wouldn’t it be cheaper not to renew the lease of the offensive party(ies)? Say you have a camera in the hallway and catch one of your tenants spitting on their neighbors’ mailbox, then what?
and I meant to say “but not inside someone’s living area” in my first response. See this could get costly.
what we were also told about installing a video monitoring system was it can be a liability to the owner in this way: in the event a crime occurs on the premises and you had the foresight to predict that (as evident by installing the camera) and did not have someone monitoring that camera to prevent a crime, you can be responsible for not stopping it.
Again, that is what we were told, I am not a lawyer and as what edifice rex says above, free legal advice may be more expensive than you think.
Steve
In commercial real estate, video recording was ok so long as it was done in an open area. It was not ok in an area where one could expect some measure of privacy; a bathroom or even an office where the occupant could close a door.
If I were to apply that to residential, I would interpret that do mean it is ok in the common hallways and staircases and the exterior but inside someone’s living area.
We never pulled permits in commercial.
This can all be monitored over the net now.
Steve
Video recording in public areas is legal, audio is not. But really call the AG or a lawyer. Free legal advice on a blog may end up being more expensive than you think.