A family vacation in Perth, Australia took a bad turn when guests found a large video camera recording inside their Airbnb rental. The device was not hidden but sitting openly on a bookcase with a blinking light showing it was recording.
Kriss and Kate Hardman, along with their three young children, had just arrived at the four bedroom property when they saw the camera. The family decided to leave the rental right away and check into a hotel instead. TikTok user @hardmanfambam, believed to be a family member, shared what happened in a video that quickly got a lot of attention online.
In the video, the guest asked viewers for help about the situation. “So we got to our Airbnb last night. It’s a nice place. There’s one thing I’m not sure about. Maybe you can help me out. Is that allowed in Airbnbs? Is that standard practice?” The camera’s blinking red light clearly showed it was recording the family in what should have been a private space.
Airbnb responds after viral attention
The family contacted Airbnb customer service to report what happened and ask for help with rebooking. At first, the company agreed to help find similar accommodation and give them their money back. However, according to the family, things got tricky when Airbnb realized new accommodation would cost a lot more because of school holiday rates. The other place was about $6,000 more expensive than what they originally booked.
Things changed after the TikTok video went viral and followers started tagging Airbnb in comments. The company then gave a full refund for the hotel stay, covered other expenses, and gave them a coupon to help the family move to a similar Airbnb property in Perth. “They got us an alternate property in a similar location, and they’re reimbursing everything,” the family member said in a follow up video.
An Airbnb spokesperson told the Daily Dot that the platform does not allow indoor cameras. “Airbnb does not allow hosts to have security cameras or recording devices that monitor indoor spaces in homes, even if these devices are turned off,” the spokesperson said. The company also said that guests who feel unsafe can contact their 24 Hour Safety Line for help right away during their stay.
Many people in the comments told the family to report what happened to local police, as recording guests without permission in rental properties may break Australian privacy laws. This incident has added to growing worries about cameras in short term rentals, even though Airbnb banned all indoor cameras globally in April 2024. This is not the only case, as other guests have reported finding scary things in their Airbnb rentals.
Published: Oct 2, 2025 04:05 pm