Beware of the risks of using non reputable sitters
Posted on 29 August, 2016
![Caution](/assets/cache_image/assets/img/HSL_Image_Photopin_Caution_30.08.16_700x0_364.jpg)
A recent article came to our attention and we wanted to highlight the risks when employing a home and/or pet sitter that hasn’t been fully vetted.
The article[i] in Wales Online was about a business woman that had trusted someone she didn’t know very well to look after her home and walk her dogs when she went away. Unfortunately this person ended up stealing £10,000 worth of jewellery and designer clothes.
He has since been jailed for 17 months and asked to pay back £3,000 – all the money in his bank account; however this in no way makes up for the upsetting experience this lady had to go through.
Whilst incidents like this are rare, there is a huge risk in letting someone you don’t know well look after your home or in using online search engines and online agencies to find sitters. We’ve even heard of people letting someone they have only met a couple of times in their village or local pub look after their home and pets whilst they go away.
It’s very unlikely in any of these cases that proper references and checks will have been made. Also most of these people will be freelance workers and whilst some may belong to an agency, they are likely to be self-employed rather than employed by the company. Many may not even have insurance, especially someone you know locally in your village that may just be doing you a favour.
At Homesitters we have an extremely extensive and rigorous selection process for all of our homesitters and we carry out detailed background checks covering the previous 20 years. We take employment and character references from previous employers and people of professional or social standing who have known them for at least five years.
All our 1,000 homesitters are also employed directly by us. We conduct lengthy face-to-face interviews with all homesitters and their partners, where they meet at least two of our Head Office team and Homesitters is fully insured, holding Employer’s Liability, Public Liability and Professional Indemnity cover.
To find out more about why you should select Homesitters Ltd to care for your home and pets, please click here.
[i] http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/businesswoman-horrified-see-selfie-housesitter-11546930
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