Things To Consider

Important things to consider before you hire a home watch service:

are they insured/bonded and what limits do they carry?
- insurance and bonding protects YOU and your property this is very important and must not be overlooked!
- if you own a $400k home and the limits of liability are $300k you may want to consider another service or at very least ask you agent what is your exposure should there be a total loss.
how can you be sure the insurance and bonding is still in force?
- get a copy of the certificate so you may call the insurance company/agent to verify the coverage is still in force.
- it is important to understand an unprincipled company can pay a minimal fee up front to receive an insurance certificate then fail to continue payments which will lapse the coverage.
- these types of documents are easy to forge, you have every right to verify coverage.
are they licensed if required in your area/state?
- in Florida the home watch industry is not required to be licensed by the state however some counties and municipalities may require a license.
do they carry a local business tax license?
- a city/county business tax license may be required in your area, proof comes in the form of a certificate that generally has to be placed in a prominent location within an office/store front. Since the home watch service industry comes to your home many times you never enter their offices, asking to see this certificate is your right and legally their obligation to provide.
do they subscribe to or are they members of any 3rd party associations (local/state or national)?
- while being a member of a 3rd party association can be a good indication of how professional and stable a business may be, it is important to keep in mind many times it only takes a few hundred dollars to become a member.
- what the organization requires of their members AFTER the initial membership payment is probably more important than the simple fact they are a member.
will they/can they provide references?
- what current customers/clients of a home watch company say about the service and their people is probably one of the BEST pieces of information you may receive during your vetting process.
- many companies will have on file testimonials of what a customer/client has said about them in the past but actually having a very recent endorsement is better than past accolades.
- if you can communicate directly in “real time” with a few current customers/clients even better.
do they provide a comprehensive inspection list?
- it is important for you to know exactly what will be checked and reported upon during the inspection process. Ask for an itemized list or a copy of the report so you can be sure everything you are concerned about will be addressed.
what type of reporting system do they provide?
- online reporting systems are best, especially those that archive all past and future inspections/reports.
- while paper reports or emailed reports are adequate in today’s electronic world you may want to ask yourself why?
- no reporting unless a problem arises – it is our opinion you should not consider hiring this company!
will they or can they provide inspection photos upon request?
- photos of damage or problems that arise are critical for you to see exactly what is happening with/to your home.
- photos just to show they were there inspecting your home is your choice, but would be unnecessary if you have hired a company that you trust. If the company can answer all of these hard questions to your satisfaction trust should not be an issue.
how far away is the home watch company’s base of operation?
- hiring local businesses is always best for you and your community, but hiring locally for this particular service will more than likely save you money too.
- Local home watch companies will not have to charge for or pad their prices for travel time if they do business on a regular basis in your area.
- if the company’s base of operation is more than 15 miles from your home the next question is KEY in determining whether your inspection fee is padded with travel costs.
how many clients in YOUR area do they service?
- if the home watch company has less than 7 homes they inspect in your area/community you may be hiring a company that will be charging a little higher fee than others to help with travel related expenses.
- if the home watch company has less than 7 homes they inspect in your area/community may not have enough of a customer base to provide service into the future and if so you may be looking for another company all over again very soon.
is the company large enough to support at least one full time person?
- many home watch businesses are part-time work and income which is fine if the person providing the service is a retiree that is looking for additional income.
- if the business model has a full time plan but has yet to reach the full-time income status, be cautious or you may be looking for another service sometime in the near future.
just who will be providing inspections in your home?
- it is important to ask who will be in your home. Many times it will be the owner/manager of the home watch company however larger companies will probably have more than one inspector.
- if it will be someone other than the owner/manager finding the answer to the next few questions will be important.
what is the background and/or training of the individual(s) that will be inspecting your home?
- while the home watch business in theory is to check on and report back to the home owner on the condition of their home, it is not always quite that simple.
- the training or background of inspectors is very important in that they need to be looking at all the basics but also be on the look out for things that have a “potential” to be a problem into the future.
  - things such as a slow filling toilet, a leaky faucet, a small bead of water on a sink trap, dust at the base of a cabinet or baseboard, higher than normal humidity levels, tiny dis-colorization at or near ceiling fixtures and AC vents, etc.
do they require background checks/drug testing for employees?
- a simple question to ask yourself here is, “would you comfortable with a complete stranger in your home without knowing a little more about them?”.
have they ever been involved in litigation with regard to home watch services?
- while being involved in litigation happens to even the best of companies, knowing they have been and how many times may be something you may want to consider before hiring a company.
have they had any insurance or bonding claims against them?
- have they? how many times? for how much, and why? All good questions to be answered.