While watching The Rental might make you never want to rent an Airbnb ever again (or maybe never even leave your house), chances are you’re still going to use the service as it’s so convenient. While you might have heard some terrible tales of truly gross and dangerous properties or getting charged way too much money, there seems to be no end to what could go wrong.
Even so, we can’t believe this video, in which TikTok user @brynnfofo is disgusted and shocked to discover that her rental bathroom might be hiding a camera in the ceiling vent.
Brynn said “I need someone smarter than me to tell me if I’m overreacting” about this potential discovery. She explained that she’s a travel nurse staying at a short-term rental with Furnished Finder, a company similar to Airbnb. After showing the “poisonous tampons” that she had near the toilet, she showed a red blinking light in the overhead vent… and what she thought could be a camera lens.
Brynn asked for an electrician to comment and let her know if she was right. TikTok user @kagedblaze said her electrician husband encouraged Brynn to find a ladder so she could see inside the vent, and several people agreed. TikTok user @danstefani wrote, “I work in HVAC with these fans all the time. I’ve never seen one with a red light ever.” While some think that it’s a humidity sensor, others believe it could definitely be a camera.
The idea of a short-term rental host spying on people in the shower is just too creepy for words. But that doesn’t seem to be what happened after all. Brynn updated everyone who was watching this situation in horror and explained that the police came to see what was going on. After thinking it could be a motor, the consensus seemed to be an indicator light. A cop thought she should buy a product that can sense hidden cameras, which we agree with. She shared that since she stays in these places by herself, she wants more peace of mind.
Unfortunately, it’s fairly common for rental properties to have secret cameras. In March 2024, The Daily Mail reported that Airbnb said it was illegal to use cameras inside a property. However, if an owner wants to use one, it can be in the living room if it’s “clearly visible” and needs to be on the property listing. All we know is we’ll be checking for cameras the next time we take a weekend off.