House Sitting FAQ’s

In Part 1 of How to Screen Applicants, I discussed how to get organized and attract, with the least effort, the best potential house sitting applicants while weeding out the others. Now that you’ve found one or more candidates you like, let’s delve into how to finish up the screening process.

THE INTERVIEW

After finding what appears to be a suitable house sitting candidate, the initial step in the screening process is, of course, the interview. The importance of this process can not be emphasized enough, as this is the way you get a real “feel” for the applicant. If you’re an intuitive person, or very “street-wise,” the interview may likely give you everything you need to make a decision. So this is the time to get to know your applicant as a person. This “acquaintance process” can be done via email correspondence, online chats, telephone dialogue or in person, depending on the location and budgetary restraints of those involved. Because of its importance to the selection process, I have written a full article on interviewing prospective house sitters which may be found by clicking the link in this sentence.

DEEP SCREENING

So you’ve found a person you like, who seems to have the skills and qualities that meet your needs. But is she as good as she seems? Your next task is to verify she is who and what she says she is. Here’s some ways to do that.

1. Look at the letters of recommendation

a. What do the documents look like? How are they written? The language and style of the writing lends clues to what kind of person may have written the reference. Are the letters written formally or in vernacular? Does the person sound young or mature? Are any written on professional letterhead

b. While these things in themselves are not sufficient cause upon which to build decisions, they may lend clues or red flags if combined with other clues.

2. Contact the references provided

a. If possible, speak to the references in person. If not, email will do.

b. Ask: How long has the person known this applicant? Has s/he witnessed how the applicant lives? Has s/he ever employed the applicant as a house sitter or entrusted him/her with anything of value? (This could include child care, dog walking, etc.)

c. Would this person hire the applicant for house sitting if needed?

3. Does the person have any rental recommendations?

a. Not everyone will have rental references. Some may have been in school or house-sharing situations, others own (or have owned) their own homes, while yet others may have been traveling or RV’ing for some time. If they do have some rental references, however, all the better, for this shows they can care for property and return it in good condition. Same goes for people with experience in property management.

BACKGROUND CHECK

Verify Identification

Make sure you get a copy of the person’s driver’s license and, if they have to cross borders to fill your position, their passport. Though it may not happen often, there is always the slight potential someone could be trying to enter, or remain, in the country illegally — of which you want no part.

CRIMINAL RECORDS CHECK

The easiest way to obtain a criminal background check is to have the person provide their own criminal records verification document. These can be attained, cheap or free of charge from local law enforcement offices. In the U.S. (for which I am principally writing), one can be obtained from both the Sheriff’s Office and the local Police Dept. The former will provide a check of the county records while the latter only checks arrests within the city limits. In evaluating these checks, it is important to know where the person has been living for the past 2-3 years. Obviously, if they just moved to a new state, the local check will have no meaning. So be sure the check is from the last place they lived for a good amount of time. You can verify residence by work history, rental recommendations, or even utility payment receipts. If they are at a new residence, they can call or write the previous county to get the records check, though it will be a little more trouble.

You can, of course, pay for a report from one of the numerous online sites that provides these services but, be forewarned, not all of them are as thorough as promised. And even allegedly good ones are not always correct. If a person has changed their name or marital status, among other things, in the last couple years, the check may come up empty or even provide erroneous information. (Because mental health workers are in contact with what is classified a vulnerable population, it is common in my field to have background checks as part of the employment screening process. One of my employers once told me it cost the agency over $1000 to properly check my background, due to my own legal name change and, even then, it noted me as having been in a state I’d never even driven through.) These paid reports are good, however, at showing if someone is on parole, a fact you would certainly like to know. Moral of this story: If you want a good records check, be prepared to spend good money. But if the person denies some minor aspect of a report then, all other things being equal, you might want to give him the benefit of the doubt.

CREDIT CHECK

In the past, the idea was that if a person didn’t pay her bills, she couldn’t be considered reliable. And that may be true IF you could ascertain the reason why the individual failed in his obligations. If he has irresponsibly run up debt and refused to pay (fraud) or failed to pay because of gambling, drug problems, or other addictions, then one would certainly have cause not to trust this person. But there are many reasons why an individual may get into financial trouble. Health problems, medical expenses, onset of a disability, extended unemployment through no fault of the person, and divorce are just some of the challenges which can crop up in life and ruin a person’s good credit. Personally, I think a credit check is the least valid way of assessing someone’s character or reliability and I wouldn’t waste my money.

IN CONCLUSION

If all the references check out and you feel good about this person, then congratulations – you’ve found yourself a house sitter. Now it is time to call him up and iron out the fine details and this will be the subject of my next article: The House Sitting Contract.

In my last article, Can House Sitters Be Trusted?, I discussed what kinds of people house sit, touching upon the issue of trustworthiness. I’ll now delve deeper into that vein, providing the details you need to effectively screen your house sitting candidates.

How to Interview Potential Housesitters

Finding an appropriate house sitter is a little like a dating game. Both you and the prospective house sitter have needs and desires and the better aligned these are, the more “compatible” your house sitter. So the interview process is a little like a first date, a meal with a stranger if you will. You eat and chit-chat, all the while sizing up the other, deciding if you want to extend the date after dinner, have a second date, or run for the exits like the restaurant’s on fire.

The importance of the interview process can not be emphasized enough, as this is the way you get a real “feel” for the applicant. After all, this person will be living in your home, caring for your land and maybe even your precious pets. If you’re an intuitive person, or very “street-wise,” the interview may likely give you everything you need to make a decision. So this is the time to get to know your applicant as a person. This “acquaintance process” can be done via email correspondence, online chats, telephone dialogue or in person, depending on the location and budgetary restraints of those involved. But before the interview begins, you need to do some serious prep work.

Getting Clear about your Needs

In order to effectively interview prospective house sitters, you need to be clear on your needs and expectations. So, before you attempt to talk with anyone, take some time first to sit down and make a list of the following:

• What are your major needs? Do you have pets, a pool, a garden that needs care?
• How many hours of work a day, week, or month do you expect the necessary tasks to take?
• Are you willing to pay the house sitter for any of these tasks?
• Do you have any additional tasks you would like to see done, if possible? How much extra are you willing to pay to see these things accomplished?
• What are the most important qualities you would like someone who is staying in your home to have? These could include cleanliness, non-smoking, handyman or gardening skills, a love of dogs, etc.
• What is the time frame of this position? What is the date you must have someone there by and when do you expect the position to end?
• If the position is open-ended (as in a possible long-term caretaking position), what kind of notice will you give the person if the situation changes and they must vacate?
• What amenities will you provide for the house sitter? (Utilities, internet, pet food, groundskeeper, etc.)
• Do you want a security deposit? How will you guarantee it will be returned? (It is not only home owners who run the risk of being ripped off. House sitters can be scammed too.) Some people use online escrow accounts for this purpose

Provide Solid Information

Now that you have your needs more organized and your feelings clear, it is time to contact the candidate(s) with some information. Send a clear email stipulating the situation, the duties, and the requirements. Put all this information into a document you can send to every potential candidate. Be sure to include:

• Exactly what your needs and expectations are concerning the individual. This would be things like non-smoking, no drugs, specific skills required, etc.
• A thorough job description. If it involves grass cutting, say how often. If pets are involved, state exactly how much care and attention they need. Be specific.
• A clear picture of the situation. Is it in a smoggy city in the bustling downtown area right on a busline, a 20^th floor condo in a high-rise building, the jungle where howler monkeys screech all night… Is there a mosquito problem, frogs on the walls, hazardous weather? Is it very hot and humid with no air conditioning? Does the person have to carry firewood for heat?
• Next, state your financial criteria. Will you expect the sitter to pay any of the bills? Do you want a deposit and, if so, how much?
• Is the candidate willing to sign an agreement?
• Is the house sitter willing to provide a criminal records check and/or references?
• End the letter by asking that only those who can imagine living in the given conditions and who agree with your terms respond, as well as inviting any questions the person may need to ask to clarify the terms or situation.

Often, home owners get so focused on screening would-be house sitters that they neglect to provide important information which could assure a good match. Remember, it’s not just you that has to find the right person. That person also has to find the right situation. Remember the dating game? Don’t forget to look for compatibility on both sides. The more you can tell candidates up front about the situation they would be getting themselves into, the more success you will have at screening out inappropriate candidates. This greatly reduces your risk of having a housesitter walk out in the middle of an assignment — a nerve-wracking and sometimes costly event, especially if it happens on long-term assignments.

Taking the time to get organized and follow the steps above can save you a lot of time and headaches going forward. In this way, you can be sure the potential sitter is okay with all your conditions before wasting much of your time. You can even use this document, which we’ll call the DOS (description of situation), as the basis of any ads that you run. This helps filter people out right from the start to cut down on the number of responses you have to make. (To further cut your screening time, you can also request that people send a photo, a resume, or any pertinent experience right up front.) But if your description is very long – such an unusual homestead situation or a job that may potentially pay — you will still need to send out a longer letter with all the details after people respond to your ad. If it’s not too long, you can make a thorough ad and skip straight to interviewing the respondents that look good.

The Interview

Hopefully you’ll get a few (maybe even a lot!) of responses from people interesting in helping you out with house sitting. Answer each of these with an email requesting a time and date they can be interviewed by phone or online chat. Be sure to provide what days and times you are available for them to choose from. If you don’t require a “live” interview, then emailing some interview questions works well too. Here are some things you may want to ask:

• Tell me a little about yourself.
• Why do you want to house sit?
• Do you speak the language here or are willing to learn?
• Are you available on the date needed, for the full time frame?
• Do you have any experience house sitting or with any of the tasks that need to be done, such as plant care, pet care, etc.? (Note: You may already know this from their initial contact with you.)
• Do you have the skills listed for the job? (You probably already know this too but, if it involves serous work, such as electrical, you may want to delve into their experience here.)
• Do you have a source of income to live on during this time? (Make sure your candidates know this is not a paying job, unless it is.)
• Can you provide references?

Again, make sure you provide plenty of opportunity for the person to ask questions, being honest about the situation and any drawbacks. The interview process could go back and forth a number of times via email or phone. The important thing is that it continues until each party is satisfied s/he knows everything necessary to feel good about accepting the person or position.

If, after the interview(s), you’ve found someone you like, who seems to have the skills and qualities that meet your needs, then great! You’re three-quarters of the way there! Now it is time to dig deeper to see if he is as good as he seems. And that is the topic of my next article: How to Screen Potential House Sitters.

House sitting is a win/win proposition. As a homeowner, you get free security and other benefits while the housesitter receives, among other things, a free or cheap place to live. But you may be asking yourself, “Can house sitters be trusted? And how can I assure I have a reliable person?” After all, our home is often the biggest investment of our lives and we wouldn’t leave it with just anyone.

First of all, let’s look at what kind of people house sit. You may have wondered about this and it is certainly a primary concern. House sitters tend to fall into three main categories: people in transition and retired persons or travelers.

Retired Persons

Let’s face it: once we’ve been “chained” to a job, a desk, or other lifestyle for a few decades, we deserve some adventure. And, today, more retired people than any time in history are selling their homes and hitting the road. Among their strategies, these people are buying RV’s, taking jobs as campground attendants, and house sitting to see the world and supplement income.

Retired, semi-retired, and older self-employed people present many advantages to the home owner and may represent the best in housesitting candidates. First, they are often former home owners themselves. As such, they have a deeper appreciation of the investment involved than a younger person may. They have also seen their share of broken pipes, leaky toilets, septic tank back ups, pest incursions, bad tenants, security issues and the like. This experience, combined with their broad life background in general, enables this group to respond to unexpected situations with a wealth of knowledge and confidence that may be lacking in someone with less experience. Just make sure, in hiring a retired person, that their health is good enough to do what is required. But this is generally not a problem, since people in poor health don’t usually choose to gallivant about.

People in Transition

It is not uncommon for people moving through various changes in life to require temporary housing. This could be due to a change in schools, a period following graduating while looking for a job, a marital separation necessitating a move; a job transfer. Sometimes, people want to check out an area before deciding to relocate. Writers wanting a retreat, RV’ers needing a break from the road, vacationers, and academics on sabbatical are but a few of the many groups constantly in transition. These are usually intelligent and productive people who are simply in an “in between” time on their journey. Most are highly motivated people looking to move on in their lives in productive ways, any of whom may serve your house sitting needs well.

Travelers

“Travelers” is a big category, as these can range from young people back-packing around the world to retired people enjoying the “golden years.” The latter is discussed below. Here, I wanted to say something about “young” travelers.

I have known many people who have traveled the world with little more than a back pack. At first glance, this may seem a bit scary to a homeowner. When looking for a stable person to watch over your possessions, a backpacker may not elicit a particularly positive response. And certainly not all back packers are appropriate. However, it’s also good to look at why these people travel and how they travel. Many back packers are creative, independent people, and highly self-reliant people who have accepted the challenge of finding ways to both work and play according to their own unique vision of what life should be. They often have their own businesses, which they can do several months on and several months off, or they have work they take with them wherever they go (stock traders, massage therapists, yoga teachers, etc.) They are not necessarily drop-outs, druggies, or whatever other negative label we may conjure. One of the good things about this group is that they tend to be strong and healthy and can often be contracted for heavier work while you’re away. Having said that, however, I would certainly use a good screening process and check references when contracting young travelers.

Thank you for reading my house sitting blog. In my next post, I’ll discuss how to locate and interview prospective house sitters.