When it comes to trust, home watcher options will put you to the test.
You probably wonder if you can entrust your home and pets to someone you have never met before. What peace of mind does a stranger you found on the internet instill to look after your house, all your worldly belongings, and your beloved pets while you are away? Do you have faith in their dependability, honesty, and integrity?
The fear of house-sitters from hell is one of the main reasons people opt to sign up with a professional home watch company.
Checklists
At Gardens Home Management Services, we are mad about lists! We suggest that you create your own comprehensive checklist to ensure that your home watch experience is one of the success stories:
- Take a lot of photos of the home and the pets.
- Leave an information kit or a home book with useful details for your house sitter to refer to in case of an emergency.
- Set house rules for “dos and don’ts” ahead of time to prevent misunderstandings.
- Trust your instincts and be aware of any red flags.
- Give yourself plenty of time for a detailed personal handover.
Always Use A Professional, Reputable House-Sitting Platform
As much as the internet has put information into the palms of our hands, it has also muddied the waters. How can you be sure of the ethics written in an online mission statement?
One of the best practices to avoid obvious issues is to use a platform that represents professional home watchers. Look for the following criteria:
Coverage
- Are they local enough to provide regular home checks of your most valuable asset?
- Are they familiar with home watch needs specific to the Palm Beach region of South Florida?
Safety and Security
- How established is the company?
- Is there proof of their reliability and credibility?
- What police background checks do they do on their employees?
- Will your privacy be respected while you are on your annual family vacation?
User Experience
- Do they offer customer support around the clock?
- Are the professionals they use licensed, bonded, and insured for great peace of mind?
- Is the sitter to owner ratio conducive to availability, even at last minute notice?
- Is communication part of the excellent services? For example, weekly updates that are both date and time dated, indicating all completed services, using technology. Are you kept up to date with regular emails? Can you submit requests via website or app?
- Is the service at a reasonable price?
Extra Services
- Are technicians, plumbers, and other home watch professionals available to take care of any potential damage such as storm damage, burst pipes, or water leaks.
- Are visual inspections of a home charged as an additional fee?
Make a List of All the Essential Skills Needed to Look After Your Home
Apart from the basics, think about the quirks of your home, and how they need to be taken care of when you are away for an extended period of time.
Drawing on your experience as the homeowner will make monitoring easier and more focused. Each home watch visit will be sure to include anything specific to your home, be it an infestation of ants or a temperamental hot water heater.
Be Honest About Your Own Expectations
When creating your listing, be completely honest. Consider what you’re leaving the house watcher: would you be happy in their shoes?
Discuss the criteria for cleanliness.
Discuss your pet’s disposition and behavior, and be open about any past or current violence, fear, or medical problems. Specify whether they are allowed inside of your home or not.
At Gardens Home Management Services, we go out of our way to be accountable to our clients. For more information on how we can keep an eye on your unoccupied home – knowing that when it comes to trust, home watcher services managed by us are a great decision – contact us today.