What are people’s views on the rightness/wrongness of installing video doorbells on people’s apartment doors? I’m in a coop with a doorman, guests are announced (though they’ve gotten a bit lax about that lately), and delivery people are not permitted upstairs (building staff will bring the delivery to your apartment, and they’re not lax about that) and so can’t imagine why one would to surveil... [more]
What are people’s views on the rightness/wrongness of installing video doorbells on people’s apartment doors?
I’m in a coop with a doorman, guests are announced (though they’ve gotten a bit lax about that lately), and delivery people are not permitted upstairs (building staff will bring the delivery to your apartment, and they’re not lax about that) and so can’t imagine why one would to surveil whomever is standing in front of your door. My neighbor has just stuck a video doorbell on his front door, and beside the fact that he got it on crooked and it doesn’t look very good, I don’t like the idea that my and my friends comings and goings are potentially recorded and trackable.
I know that there is video surveillance of virtually every street in midtown, and most every store, and office building knows one’s every move when you’re in their space. Is it fair to expect that I have some privacy in the hallways of my apartment building?
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Yes. A rebuttal will be that they can always peak through the "eye" and see the neighbor's door or put a camera inside the apartment where the "eye" is. That can't be restricted.
Your coop should have a policy. Is there someway to limit the view to just the apartment door? Guessing that is hard to monitor.
" Is it fair to expect that I have some privacy in the hallways of my apartment building?"
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Response by steve123
almost 2 years ago
Posts: 895
Member since: Feb 2009
Only tech bros think this is a good idea
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Response by George
almost 2 years ago
Posts: 1327
Member since: Jul 2017
Some sort of security system can be good in an apartment even with doormen and supers. A neighbor had a pied a terre which the super and staff used for a break room and to do laundry. (I saw them coming and going.). I asked the neighbor if they agreed and it turned out they had no idea.
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Response by Aaron2
almost 2 years ago
Posts: 1693
Member since: Mar 2012
@steve123: And indeed, the neighbor is a tech bro.
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Response by steve123
almost 2 years ago
Posts: 895
Member since: Feb 2009
@George - so put a camera inside your own unit aimed at the door (I have). I don't think people have the right to monitor common areas (halls) with their personal security systems.
@Aaron - techbros, the worst. One took over our board after feuding with the prior board and is now doing wtf he wants because he stacked the board with friends/family so bylaws no longer matter. The first sign he didn't respect his neighbors a communal partners was when he immediately installed a video doorbell on move-in.
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Response by stache
almost 2 years ago
Posts: 1292
Member since: Jun 2017
Aaron you should write to your board about this.
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Response by pinecone
almost 2 years ago
Posts: 143
Member since: Feb 2013
There might be bylaws about what can and cannot be installed on the exterior of the door and hallways. Many co-ops expressly prohibit hanging or installing personal items on doors or common walls, or changing the style of exterior door hardware (like knockers and number signs).
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Response by RichardBerg
almost 2 years ago
Posts: 325
Member since: Aug 2010
In my experience, any exterior customization of any kind was against house rules in both condos and coops. Even things like door mats and mezuzas. (Though tasteful ones could be overlooked)
At the same time, those big staffed buildings had their own cameras in every hallway and common space. So if it’s surveillance itself that bothers you, rather than a particular neighbor and/or what he does with footage, you may need to consider a smaller building.
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See here: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/18/realestate/ring-doorbell-camera-aparments-nyc.html
creepy
Yes. A rebuttal will be that they can always peak through the "eye" and see the neighbor's door or put a camera inside the apartment where the "eye" is. That can't be restricted.
Your coop should have a policy. Is there someway to limit the view to just the apartment door? Guessing that is hard to monitor.
" Is it fair to expect that I have some privacy in the hallways of my apartment building?"
Only tech bros think this is a good idea
Some sort of security system can be good in an apartment even with doormen and supers. A neighbor had a pied a terre which the super and staff used for a break room and to do laundry. (I saw them coming and going.). I asked the neighbor if they agreed and it turned out they had no idea.
@steve123: And indeed, the neighbor is a tech bro.
@George - so put a camera inside your own unit aimed at the door (I have). I don't think people have the right to monitor common areas (halls) with their personal security systems.
@Aaron - techbros, the worst. One took over our board after feuding with the prior board and is now doing wtf he wants because he stacked the board with friends/family so bylaws no longer matter. The first sign he didn't respect his neighbors a communal partners was when he immediately installed a video doorbell on move-in.
Aaron you should write to your board about this.
There might be bylaws about what can and cannot be installed on the exterior of the door and hallways. Many co-ops expressly prohibit hanging or installing personal items on doors or common walls, or changing the style of exterior door hardware (like knockers and number signs).
In my experience, any exterior customization of any kind was against house rules in both condos and coops. Even things like door mats and mezuzas. (Though tasteful ones could be overlooked)
At the same time, those big staffed buildings had their own cameras in every hallway and common space. So if it’s surveillance itself that bothers you, rather than a particular neighbor and/or what he does with footage, you may need to consider a smaller building.
>cameras in every hallway
too much