[CFrance]

Originally Posted by Barefoot

We've used Village Watchdogs for ten years, and we find them to be reliable and responsible.
We have a home up north, and we are therefore absent for extended periods of time.
Roger Hall - 352-430-3618

We did not have such a wonderful experience with them. They failed to restore appliances to working order or turn the water & water heater back on as promised. As a result my husband had to get up on a ladder to reconnect the microwave (not a good idea), and restore other things. They left the water softener unplugged, and the plug was hidden behind a number of items on a shelf in the garage, so we didn't notice it till every surface that water hits became spotted, necessitating a vigorous cleanup. Since the water had been turned off, I didn't even know they had turned the softener off. That was probably our bad, but still, it should have been turned back on.

They did not know how to use the Honeywell "smart" thermostat despite my leaving the manual out. I had to tell them to go in and turn it off to get it out of vacation mode so I could rework it from my cell phone.

There are two people at Home Watch, and the one who lives in our area took care of our house, so maybe you've had a better experience with them due to it being the other person taking care of your area.

[Villageswimmer]

Thanks to you all for the tips. CFrance, does the smart thermostat need to be connected to the internet for remote access? We usually put internet on vacation plan when we leave, but if this system is reliable, maybe we’d rethink that. The ac/humidity is our primary concern when we’re away.

[Spikearoni]

Originally Posted by Toymeister

Those are all very valid points and I agree. That said I have timed a home watch person in our neighborhood, from the moment she left the car until she returned to it 147 seconds. Of course MY home watch person would do better certainly with the weekly checks promised.

Well, no, not really. It's easy to see time of entrance (via the alarm system) to departure: two to four minutes. The weekly home checks are twice to once a month.

Now it doesn't take too long to walk through the home -that I can see- but two to four weeks of a plumbing leak would be a bad call to get. Point is there is room in this discussion for automating your home and mitigating the potential for damage to it. Now, I certainly understand that virtually no one will do this as THEIR home watch person checks the home all the time. But, as you say it is a liability to rely on someone else.

What system do you use? For example, Infinity?

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by Villageswimmer

Thanks to you all for the tips. CFrance, does the smart thermostat need to be connected to the internet for remote access? We usually put internet on vacation plan when we leave, but if this system is reliable, maybe we’d rethink that. The ac/humidity is our primary concern when we’re away.

Yes, you do have to have your internet on.

[Toymeister]

Originally Posted by Spikearoni

What system do you use? For example, Infinity?

No, I hate reoccurring fees. The smart lock such as Schledge Camelot series, or door sensors along with a smart hub. Wink or Smart things make decent hubs.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by CFrance

We did not have such a wonderful experience with them. They failed to restore appliances to working order or turn the water & water heater back on as promised. As a result my husband had to get up on a ladder to reconnect the microwave (not a good idea), and restore other things. They left the water softener unplugged, and the plug was hidden behind a number of items on a shelf in the garage, so we didn't notice it till every surface that water hits became spotted, necessitating a vigorous cleanup. Since the water had been turned off, I didn't even know they had turned the softener off. That was probably our bad, but still, it should have been turned back on.

They did not know how to use the Honeywell "smart" thermostat despite my leaving the manual out. I had to tell them to go in and turn it off to get it out of vacation mode so I could rework it from my cell phone.

There are two people at Home Watch, and the one who lives in our area took care of our house, so maybe you've had a better experience with them due to it being the other person taking care of your area.

I apologize because I probably gave you their name.
They haven't had a problem with our appliances or humidistat.
I certainly wouldn't recommend them if they hadn't done a good job for us for ten years.
Your comments are very much appreciated. Thank you.

[bovelsky]

Originally Posted by Villageswimmer

We’ve been told by our insurance company that anyone working in your home/yard for pay should provide the homeowner with a current certificate of insurance/workers comp for them and their employees. This protects them in the event of injury or death on your premises.

Your homeowners insurance will not cover what amounts to an employee-employer relationship.

Without this insurance, the homeowner could be sued should an accident occur. This is a real threat to protection of assets.

Can anyone recommend a reputable house watch company that can provide proof of insurance?

The Villages offers a service called Empty Nesters that will take care of your house for you. I used them while I was still living in Texas before I moved here full time. I was very satisfied and they were completely insured. Here is thier link Empty Nest Service | Home Property Management

[slamtennis]

We used Villagers Home Watch with Betty and Randy. I DO NOT recommend them! They resent the work. Turned off our sprinkler system without telling us. They never turned it back on. Grass died all the new bushes we put in died. They quit when we asked them to make it right. They never told us they had been to the house. The only thing they seemed to do well was have the clean house cleaned.

[denise273]

Wouldn't an umbrella policy attached to your auto coverage cover any person on your property, working for you, or not?

[Investment Painting Contractors]

Originally Posted by denise273

Wouldn't an umbrella policy attached to your auto coverage cover any person on your property, working for you, or not?

(NO) Always ask to see the Ins binder. I'm Len the retired half of IPC. Investment Painters carries a 2,000,000 Policy Plus Workers Comp Plus Has Bonded Employees. Always (LOOK) at the Insurance Binder. If you are self employed and working alone you shouldn't need Workers Comp.

[Toymeister]

Originally Posted by slamtennis

We used Villagers Home Watch with Betty and Randy. I DO NOT recommend them! They resent the work. Turned off our sprinkler system without telling us. They never turned it back on. Grass died all the new bushes we put in died. They quit when we asked them to make it right. They never told us they had been to the house. The only thing they seemed to do well was have the clean house cleaned.

We have a great home watch but it is stories like this that affirms that I made the correct decision to automate my home as a smart home. Sprinkler is off?, I turn it on. Home watch, have they been to our home? I can check that for myself.

No one has an interest in your home like you do, why wouldn't you have a means to verify things are done correctly?