Why choose a professional Caretaker

Why choose a Professional Caretaker?

I have added some brief comments on Professional caretaking due to concerns raised in various online communities, commercial sites offering unpaid workers and other forums.

One commercial fee-for-registration site, charged both the sitter and the Client to register and network.

They managed to monetise advertising the house-sitting service, but discouraged anyone charging for the actual service, or paying anyone to do it!

Brilliant!

Pay for the advertising... but not the service advertised!

Imagine not charging a fee for a service? Like advertising...

Fee for registration sites and insurance

They also stated that they provided insurance as part of the registration. But the fine print clearly stated,

'... that homeowners had to have their own insurance cover to be valid.'

So property owners gained no more benefit than a Craigslist or Gum tree ad, and of course, no further due-diligence.

These "clearing house sites" are usually based in the US or UK, so what more they can do to vet a local, beyond what you can do, is unclear.

We also know that trade practices law is different across countries, so who knows the tangled jurisdictional wrangling over what could be trade practices law, Professional indemnity law, international insurance and Workplace Law?

Do your own checks

Simply ask your potential sitter for a volunteer workers National police check and number (it's free for volunteers), a license and you'll already be way ahead of any international networking site!

Professionalism

Professional caretakers take their jobs, and your property seriously. Some “unpaid worker sites” and forums regularly have the personal opinions and comments about their placement, the owners, pets, neighbour's and other aspects of the "sit". Very unprofessional!

This is the age of "social media", so check your unpaid sitters’ online posting history... just a tip!

Another issue with unpaid sitters, appears to be some just don't show-up.

I know for sure, many unpaid sitters are reliable and take pride in their ability and flexibility to sit your house and pets. They trade-off a short period of rent, for some basic house sitter and pet feeder duties. But if you need someone, to “get things done”, a professional may be the best resource.

One notable comment in discussions about caretakers and sitters regarding, ‘… why pay at all…?’, was the reply and discussion along the lines of,'... you get what you pay for!'

There is a time and a place for unpaid workers, to look after domesticated pets and pet-stock. The lines start to get hazy when professional producers and businesses take risks with their businesses, and take advantage of unpaid workers. The main issue with Professional versus Unpaid workers occurs when something goes wrong.

So why choose a professional caretaker?

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Legal Issues ... mostly!

Without going into the finer details, and each individual case is different.

... Please consider.

On a number of social media sites and groups related to unpaid workers (sitters, retired travellers, grey nomads, back packers) questions of legal responsibility are coming up.

There is a difference between feeding the cat and watering the garden, to actual work. if they perform "work" other authorities get involved when something goes wrong.

What if I get hurt? What if an animal dies? What if an emergency happens? What if I damage plant & equipment, property or stock?

Smart “Unpaid-sitters” are becoming aware that they really are responsible for what happens on their watch.

Smart property owners understand the risk of having unqualified people on site.

Did you do a safety / emergency talk? Cover any WHS issues at all...?

Industry related insurance

Reputable service providers like dog walkers and house sitters like any service provider, anywhere, will have an industry standard business insurance… does your friendly unpaid traveller have cover? The standard cover these days is for $20 000 000! The dodgy networking site mentioned above, claimed $1 600 000 in cover. That wouldn't allow you to run a lemonade stand!

Take for example major bush fires.

Some, we have found, have been caused by accident. Yet litigation aimed at the worker's, their employer or property from which the fire started, may be taken.

You may be considered an employer (by litigating counsel),regardless of pay, you may be held liable for everything from, not training your employee adequately, not providing appropriate supervision, nor providing on site emergency equipment and procedures... the list can go on.

where an individual can not pay for damages, the next in line will be approached... the volunteer by nature wont have many resources... but you and you property may be held liable for financial restitution.

Workplace relations / Industrial Relations / regulators / taxation / legislators & other authorities are starting to deal with issues related to “work” being done by “unpaid workers”.

So if your business normally has people on site drawing a wage, but you take a holiday and get unpaid workers to "keep the place going"... you may even be breaking the law.

Also in the headlines these days, are issues of Workplace responsibility and duty of care being of chief concern. Breaches regarding “workers” rights and responsibilities, unfair pay, stolen wages and illegal payment practices, unsafe work practices, legal rights to work, Indentured labour practices, health care, insurance and mental health, loss and damage, and emergency situations coming under scrutiny.

Check Your Liability....

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Insurance

A major area of concern is insurance. Australia, whether we like to admit it, is a leading country regarding litigious action.

Just look at loal and national headlines and the massive class action claims against Tourism, Hospitality, agriculture and construction businesses.

The numbers of class-actions involving for example fire, workplace underpayment, workplace health and safety and other restitutional insurance claims against businesses is increasing and exceeds most countries..

It won’t be the individual grey nomad, or the backpacker, or travelling family, foreign worker that you have come to a "friendly agreement" with, that will sue for compensation if they come to harm, it will however be the individuals' or families' health, income, Worksafe (Work Cover) or other insurer, that will take action to mitigate their own losses, especially if performing "work" at a workplace.

Class actions will also be instigated if damages extend beyond your boundary fence. That escaped fire could be blamed on the unpaid worker and guess whose asset class is relied upon for compensation... yours.

Claimants seek those with the greatest available assets! Not the unpaid worker, looking for a nice place to stay for a while.

Individuals' Health & income protection insurers would love to make a claim under workers compensation, it means they don't have to pay-up! Even a traveller’s health insurer or credit card company may make counter claims simply to recover even part of their costs.

They will argue that your unpaid worker was "working"... therefore it may be a worker’s compensation claim, a claim under your own professional indemnity & public liability insurance or other jurisdictional claim under Australian Law ...

Your grey nomad or friendly volunteer may be covered for income protection, personal injury, or medical, but are you covered for loss mitigation actions?

Check your own insurance? It all changes as soon as they do “work”.

Ask yourself if an unpaid worker causes loss of stock, damage to plant & equipment or cause or result in other losses unintentionally or maliciously… who will pay? They are effectively uninsured labour, requiring cover under your PCBU, and not covered individually by standard professional indemnity insurance as professionals, or standard liability insurance as professional service providers will be.

Technically they are employees, your employees, whether you pay them or not. Technically you are responsible for their work cover / health bills if injured on site, or cause damages off-site, unless otherwise arranged.

Get your Caretaker On-Call... a professional entity with their own ABN and insurance.

Check out your Insurance Cover!

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So while you're on vacation...