You've found the perfect holiday home to rent for the week, there are enough bedrooms to fit all of your family members comfortably, and the location is great.
The last thing you need to ruin your peaceful break is to find a questionable camera tucked away in the corner of a room, with no idea what it's doing there.
Many holidaymakers have raised concerns online about iffy items they have found in properties, which they suspect could be recording devices.
One traveller posted on Reddit about a device they noticed in the bedroom of a place they were renting abroad.
They described 'a motion sensor with a built-in camera in a bedroom of a holiday rental in Spain'. In the end, they covered the tech with a towel just to be safe.
Another holidaymaker thought they discovered a camera inside a cupboard of a property they were renting for a trip.
They penned on the forum, 'Found this camera in my vacation rental,' alongside a photo of the device placed on a shelf.
Some of the suspicions may be completely wrong, but for those concerned about the possibility, David Jones, director of specialist private investigator agency Reveal Private Investigations shares his take.
He tells the Daily Mail, 'Incidents like this are rare, and most short‑term rentals are completely safe.
'It's just something to bear in mind - cameras are small and cheap, and being aware of the risk and checking your surroundings on arrival is enough to reduce the chance of an unpleasant surprise.'
David reassures holidaymakers that 'panic isn't necessary' and urges people to just be more aware, like they would when entering 'any unfamiliar environment'.
Some travellers have made headlines with their hidden camera discoveries, including Kriss Hardman who was on holiday in Perth with his wife Kate and their children last year.
'So we got to our Airbnb last night. It’s a nice place, but there’s one thing I’m not sure about, maybe you can help me out,' Kriss says in the TikTok video on @_thehardmans.
The father of three then shows what appears to be a camera attached to a wall in the corner of a room.
'Is that allowed in Airbnbs? Is that standard practice? I don’t reckon it should be allowed,' he adds.
In the end, Airbnb refunded the family and covered the cost for them to move to a different property in a similar location.
Some of the suspicions may be completely wrong, but for those concerned about the possibility, David Jones, director of specialist private investigator agency Reveal Private Investigations shares his take
'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,' a spokesperson told the Daily Mail at the time.
'Airbnb has provided the guest with a full refund and assisted them in rebooking alternate accommodation.
'In the rare event a host or guest feels unsafe or experiences a safety-related issue during an active reservation, we have a safety team that can be reached via our 24 Hour Safety Line, which is available to all users.'
For holidaymakers who might be concerned, seasoned private investigator David advises checking 'common hiding spots' as well as 'anything that has a clear line of sight to private areas like beds and bathrooms'.
He mentions spaces including smoke detectors, picture frames, clocks, mirrors, USB chargers and vents.
'Look for tiny lenses, pinholes, or anything that seems out of place or unusually positioned,' David adds.
'In low light, use your phone torch, which can reveal reflective camera lenses, and some "smart" devices might have faint red LEDs.'
There are plenty of sites that offer endless listings for holiday lets, including Airbnb, Booking.com and Vrbo.
Each have their own policies and regulations on the use of cameras and similar devices by property hosts, but most seem to emphasise the importance of transparency with guests.
Back in 2023, Ian Timbrell, from Cardiff, shared a photo of himself next to a camera placed between two sofa cushions in the living room of his short-term rental, saying, ‘My Airbnb has a webcam watching the whole living room. Am I wrong to have unplugged it? Seems like a huge invasion of privacy to me!’
Ian, who was travelling to the Welsh town in his role as an LGBT inclusion trainer, paid around £40 for the room in the private home, with one other person staying in the property at the time.
In the end, he decided to leave the property and find somewhere else to stay. However, it turned out the camera was actually mentioned on the listing beforehand.
An Airbnb spokesperson told the Daily Mail at the time: ‘The presence and location of the device was disclosed in the listing description before booking. However, we appreciate that our guest did not have a positive experience.
‘While the guest did not contact us about this, we have proactively reached out to offer support, and the Host has fully refunded them.
‘We enforce strict rules on recording devices and take action on rare issues brought to our attention.’
Since then, Airbnb has banned the use of cameras inside properties listed on the site completely, introducing the new rule in 2024.
Its policy states, 'We do not allow hosts to have security cameras or recording devices that monitor indoor spaces in homes, even if these devices are turned off.
'Hidden cameras have always been prohibited and will continue to be prohibited.
'Hosts are allowed to have exterior security cameras, noise decibel monitors and smart devices in homes as long as they comply with the below guidelines and applicable laws.'
Meanwhile, Booking.com's policy outlines how it expects hosts to 'proactively inform customers of the presence of any kind of surveillance or recording devices located inside or outside of their accommodation'.
A spokesperson explains,'We have strict guidelines in place about the use of surveillance devices to ensure our accommodation partners understand that they can only be used for safety and security purposes in common areas of buildings, such as lobbies, elevators, and dining areas.
'Importantly, surveillance devices are strictly prohibited in private areas, including spaces exclusively rented by guests and areas where guests have a reasonable expectation of privacy, e.g. bedrooms.'
What's more, when a guest has booked an 'entire property', indoor surveillance devices of any kind are not allowed, according to the rental site.
Online holiday rental site Vrbo tells the Mail it has a 'strict policy' on the matter.
The spokesperson continues,'Surveillance cameras capturing footage of the inside of a property are never allowed, and surveillance devices outside a property, such as external security cameras or smart doorbells, are only allowed under specific rules and hosts are required to disclose them on their property listing page.
'We take reports of surveillance devices very seriously, and hosts that violate this policy may be permanently removed from our platform.'
But even with all the regulations and policies, things can slip through the cracks, and private investigator David details exactly what you should do if you find a hidden camera in a holiday home.
He urges holidaymakers to not 'touch it or tamper with it'. Instead, he advises guests to take a photo of the item to document exactly where it was found 'without disturbing it'.
'Contact the property owner or platform immediately and report it to the police; in the UK, recording someone in a private space without consent is a criminal offence,' David continues.
'If you can safely disconnect power to the device without compromising evidence, that's useful, but the priority is preserving proof and alerting authorities.'