PHOTO: Real estate agent. FILE
A tenant has shared an email advising them of the body cam policy, sparking a heated debate about the legality of the move.
A controversial move by a real estate agency has been brought into question after a Queensland tenant shared an email she received from her agent online.
Staff from the unnamed agency would now be required to wear body cameras at all rental inspections moving forward, the email says. “This is not only for the safety of our staff but the protection and peace of mind of you and our property,” it adds.
The tenant questioned if “this is a new thing” and wondered what led to the drastic move — one that’s both “problematic” and “concerning”, experts told Yahoo News Australia.
The email said “camera recordings will be active during all routine inspections to ensure public and staff safety” and footage would be provided to police should an incident occur. The proposal sparked outrage among tenants on Facebook with its legality being questioned.
Renters divided over controversial move
“Surely a tenant is within their rights to decline body cam recordings in their own home; I already think photos are invasive enough,” one said.
“Surely you have a right to say you don’t want to be recorded,” another agreed” — but others suggested it’s a “great idea” and can benefit both parties.
“Honestly, it’s probably not a bad idea. The thought of going into strangers’ homes, even on a professional basis, is a scary one. I’m sure 99% of their clients are brilliant and wouldn’t be a problem at all but the others,” one said.
“I’d hate to see what has happened for them to bring this in,” the added. “I wouldn’t mind if my real estate brought this in at all.”
Another said they “wished” their own agent wore a body cam during inspections. “Just so they could hear how a certain person spoke to the tenants,” they said. A third said it was a “fantastic idea”.
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