Guided inspection checklist
A structured walkthrough of the objects and surfaces worth examining in an unfamiliar room, in an order that makes sense — because the most reliable inspection method available to you is still a careful look with your own eyes.
The guided inspection information is free. No subscription is required.
Why the checklist comes first
Every scanning method in Findy has a blind spot. A camera recording to a memory card is invisible to the network scanner. A device that is not advertising is invisible to Bluetooth. A lens behind a smoked panel may return no glint at all. None of those are invisible to a person who opens the object and looks inside.
The checklist exists because knowing where to look is the part most people are missing — not the willingness to look.
How the guide is organised
- Sightlines first. Stand where you would undress, sleep or shower, and note every object that has a clear view of you. Inspect those before anything else.
- Objects with power. Anything mains-powered or plugged in can run indefinitely. Chargers, adaptors, clocks, speakers, air purifiers, night lights.
- Objects with existing holes. Smoke and heat detectors, vents, speaker grilles, sensors, thermostats — a lens needs an aperture, and these already have one.
- Objects that are out of place. A second smoke detector, a decorative item facing the bed, a device with no obvious purpose, a fitting that does not match the others in the room.
- Reflective and concealing surfaces. Mirrors, glass panels, picture frames, dark plastic covers.
- The private spaces. Bathroom, shower, dressing area, and anywhere the door does not lock.
- Then scan. Once you know the room, the Bluetooth, magnetic and camera checks have somewhere specific to be aimed.
The places worth opening
Smoke and heat detectors
Note the position. A detector directly above or facing a bed rather than centred on the ceiling is worth a closer look, as is a second one in a room that only needs one.
Chargers and adaptors
Plug-in blocks, USB hubs and extension leads are a plausible housing, because they have both power and a sightline. Compare against a charger you brought yourself; unexplained weight or an extra aperture is worth noting.
Clocks and radios
Bedside devices have both power and a sightline. Look at the display bezel and any dark panel that is not part of the screen.
Vents and grilles
Extractor vents, air conditioning outlets and speaker grilles give an aperture without needing a new hole. Look through them with a light rather than at them.
Mirrors and glass
Check what is behind, above and beside a mirror as well as the mirror itself. Frames, mounts and the gap behind a wall-mounted panel are all cavities.
Decorative objects
Plants, ornaments, books, tissue boxes, wall art. The question to ask is not "is this a camera" but "does this have a reason to be pointed at the bed".
What a careful look actually involves
- Get to eye level with the object rather than glancing at it from across the room.
- Use a light and look for apertures that do not match the object's function.
- Feel for warmth on objects that should be cold — though many devices run cool, so warmth is a hint and its absence proves nothing.
- Look for cables that go somewhere unexplained, or an object plugged in for no clear reason.
- Compare matching fittings against each other. Two of the same item should look the same.
- Check what is behind you as well as in front — objects facing a bed are often mounted high and to the side.
A visual inspection cannot see inside sealed objects, behind fixed panels, above a solid ceiling or inside a wall. It also depends on time and light — a five-minute look in a dim room finds less than a thorough one. The checklist raises your chances; it does not make a room clear.
Stay within what you are allowed to do
Looking at objects, opening a lamp shade or moving a picture frame is one thing; dismantling fittings or damaging property in someone else's room is another, and it can leave you liable regardless of what you suspected. If you find something you believe is recording, the safer sequence is to stop touching it, photograph the object in place, and involve the accommodation provider or the police rather than confronting anyone yourself.
Related
How to check a hotel room and how to check a vacation rental apply this checklist to specific situations. See all five inspection methods.
Last reviewed 2026-07-23 · Written and reviewed by the Findy developer.