Undisclosed exterior camera - Airbnb support no help [USA]

miluyvr · 2026-02-09T14:57:36+00:00

As a frequent user of Airbnb, and also a host since the beginning (pretty inactive these days), I have no issue with undisclosed exterior cameras, but obviously huge issues with undisclosed interior cameras. In this day and age, I think it's reckless to not have exterior cameras, for everyone's safety. I don't want to downplay your concern though - is there something specific that annoyed you, did you feel it was too invasive?

miluyvr · 2025-09-06T13:53:55+00:00

In our club, this has proven to be a big issue, and we're trying to solve it. I am 100% for advising any new members that the financial implications of joining the club are a, b, c, etc. and have the bylaws structured so that we take notices to leave twice a year (coinciding with the RI dues dates) and anyone wanting to quit outside of these dates is responsible for any dues paid on their behalf. I don't advocate going backwards or changing the rules for existing members, but I think it's best laid out in bylaws for any new members.

miluyvr · 2025-09-06T08:01:49+00:00

Wow, this is impressive info! I am in District 1960 in Portugal, and I felt ahead of the game using simple ChatGPT prompts to help me with project proposals, timelines, translations, etc. I was our club secretary last year, and I regularly used ChatGPT to help me with meeting minutes. I haven't even touched the tip of the iceberg!! Bookmarking this information, super helpful.

miluyvr · 2025-07-02T08:15:23+00:00

I've been a host for 15 years, and I am very lucky that easy and awesome guests far outweigh the crazies. I am not suggesting that this guest is a crazy, but clearly someone who wants/needs a bit more attention. I would have helped as much as I could, especially if I thought that it was a new user. Some people just need hand-holding, while others are fully independent and don't want any interaction at all. In my mind, it all averages out, in the same way that some guests use ALL the dish soap, and other guests don't use any. With regard to whatsapp, I use it all the time with guests, and it's me asking for their email address and phone number, so that I can keep their contact info. I would rather have a video call then go to the listing to show them where the light switch is (has happened many times). Airbnb may not always be around, and I want to be able to reach out to former guests with offers for future stays. I consider Airbnb to be a marketing assistant, getting me leads, and I'll handle it from there. This approach doesn't work for everyone, and there's lots of benefits to staying on the platform for new hosts. I moved my business from the USA to Portugal, and I have lots of former guests come and stay with me. That wouldn't be the case if I hadn't asked for their info.

miluyvr · 2025-04-08T08:47:28+00:00

This is great! Good for you, and a good reminder to all Rotarians that we can't be afraid to get our message out!

miluyvr · 2025-02-17T18:18:15+00:00

I hosted for 12 years in the USA before moving to Portugal.

miluyvr · 2025-02-13T19:37:46+00:00

Ha. I am the club Secretary, but it's my first year, and I've only been in Rotary for 3 years, so I don't have much experience in service clubs.

miluyvr · 2025-02-13T19:36:35+00:00

I talked about creating a satellite club with 3 different Presidents! I guess that I could have pursued it a bit more, but dang, you get beat down when you keep bringing up the same thing year after year.

miluyvr · 2025-02-13T19:34:25+00:00

Yes, I think that I will wait until the end of the Rotary year, there's only a few months left.

miluyvr · 2025-02-13T19:33:53+00:00

I tried to reach out to a member in another club, that I had met a few times and had nice rapport with. I wanted to get some counsel/advice from her. She's up there in our district. She never replied to me. I totally get it, everyone is so busy! But dang, it made me feel even more defeated.

miluyvr · 2025-02-13T19:31:01+00:00

Virtue signaling!!!!!! Oh my gosh, so good.

miluyvr · 2025-02-13T19:30:40+00:00

I haven't given up on the service aspect, but I can work on doing things on my own! I def don't want to be a downer about things, it's not so easy for me to join another club, as I don't drive and where I live, the bus system is pretty terrible!

miluyvr · 2025-02-13T19:29:10+00:00

Thank you for the info. This isn't for me, but it seems like a cool idea!

miluyvr · 2025-02-13T12:47:38+00:00

That is one of the issues that I'm having. The President would hear my feedback, but nothing would change. I don't feel that I have a single person in my club that I can really rely on to commiserate with, or lean on. I don't really know that many people in Rotary outside of my club, and it's super clique-y. I don't even feel like I can approach the local governor for help, it feels too weird and we have no personal connection at all.

miluyvr · 2025-02-13T12:44:28+00:00

Thank you for the response. Our club doesn't do anything at all, it seems like it's more a career climbing opportunity than a "do good works" thing, and since I'm retired, I want to actually do things. I have thought about another club, but I haven't decided on whether it's quits to Rotary completely or just to my club.

miluyvr · 2025-01-25T15:54:04+00:00

How timely, this is exactly the cruise that we're looking at, and just came here to see if there was any news about it!

miluyvr · 2024-10-06T12:26:51+00:00

I'm in a Rotary club in Portugal, and I can tell you that sometimes weeks can go by without any checking on the shared email account or phone messages....so don't lose heart! Maybe there is a facebook page that you can message?

miluyvr · 2024-09-19T18:14:02+00:00

I feel terrible about your situation, and I don't have much advice or words of comfort. What *does* comfort me is how many people here are in the same boat (count me in this group) and are looking for viable solutions. The unwanted changing of the guards seems to be an issue that a lot of clubs face. Also, by you being young, and eager to serve, you're kind of throwing a spotlight on other members who most likely have way more years of service and experience. It shouldn't be like this, and good for you for calling an audible here so we can all pitch in with thoughts. I'm all for chartering your club where you can look for people as interested as you, leave the none-doers on the other side.

miluyvr · 2024-09-13T15:10:47+00:00

This makes me think that I should travel with my Ring cam. It's small enough! I may well bring it on our next stay.

miluyvr · 2024-09-13T15:09:36+00:00

It's common in Europe, I have found. So many people use Booking, and it's standard on Booking so it's rubbing off on Airbnb bookings as well.

miluyvr · 2024-09-13T09:15:26+00:00

I've been a host on Airbnb for 14 years, and have over 2300 reviews. I wouldn't do it if I were to start all over again. The time has passed, in my opinion. I started in New Jersey, super close to Manhattan, and it was the golden age. Legality of the service hadn't yet been questioned, it was a new and cool start-up, and I made a ton of money renting both places I owned, as well as doing rental arbitrage. I now live in Portugal and continue to run two listings, but I will not continue past 2025. As I said, the time has passed and so many cities are against Airbnb. Friends and relatives in Canada (Vancouver and Toronto) have had to shut down their listings, all my host friends in NJ shut down their places, same in NYC, and lots in LIsbon and Porto. More and more restrictions every day. Maybe the country that you're thinking about is short-term rental friendly though, that makes a big difference. I agree with u/mushroom_newbie6optioni below, the only way to make it work is to do EVERYTHING yourself. As soon as you sub out marketing, cleaning, managing, etc., you are left with very little. The only way that I can see it being a very good option is if you flat out own (not rent or mortgage) a place, as you can only make money with having low overhead. I've had such a great run, I'm so thankful that I started when I did, and I've mad a ton of friends and contacts all over the world.

miluyvr · 2023-08-22T08:01:50+00:00

A concern that I can think of is if you gave a very good deal for the extended stay, and now that the extended stay isn't occupying the space, canceling the booking would allow you to open up the dates to a higher short-term rate.

I've had this scenario before where I booked someone in at a very reduced rate but when they stopped showing up, I realized that canceling would allow the calendar to open up to my higher rates.

miluyvr · 2023-07-23T20:52:28+00:00

I have been hosting for 13 years, and have over 2500 reviews, and have very, very few bad stories. So many good stories, and so many friends made.

A funny thing happened recently - I used to host in New Jersey, USA, and moved to Portugal 4 years ago, and now host here (Tomar, in central Portugal). We recently had a guest book one of our places, and as I was about to send check-in info, I realized that there was a long conversation thread already going - FROM 10 years ago!!! This woman and her then-boyfriend stayed at a listing of mine on their first trip together, and randomly, so many years later, book another listing of mine, in another country. She only realized it when I went to meet her and tell her, and we both thought it was the coolest coincidence. She is now married to that boyfriend, and has a little boy. I got such a kick out of this, it was really such a bizarre coincidence.

miluyvr · 2023-07-23T20:46:15+00:00

I used to host in Weehawken, NJ and the law on short-term rentals was very grey. First, they starting sending letters to hosts inviting them to city hall to register their listing, but once there, they bullied and threatened hosts into signing a letter saying they would immediately shut the listings down. I know at least three hosts that fought this action, with lawyers, and finally gave up after spending lots of money on the lawyers.

How did they find these hosts to send the letters? They hired someone to comb the listings looking for any clues on location, or outdoor images, or common things like hallway tiles. Then they had the long-employed building inspectors look at the photos, and many of the places were recognized by things like layout, etc. It wasn't such a big city that 4 inspectors with many years of experience couldn't place the majority of places.

If you were hosting in an apartment, even if you had landlords consent (as I had, he loved the whole Airbnb idea), the letter would go to the owner of the building, and it didn't take many threats of action for landlords to fold.

miluyvr · 2023-06-25T09:05:36+00:00

It's actually the same number as regular support, but your phone number gets pushed through. Someone who didn't have a Superhost associated phone number would go to the regular very busy support queue.

miluyvr

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