No, arrangements would need to be made separately. Some of our House Guards have their own dogs, but these are not allowed inside the properties.
Yes - because of the way we work, a fully winterised caravan or motorhome less than 10 years old is an absolute prerequisite of a position with us. There are occasions when our clients give permission for the House Guard to stay in the property, but this cannot be guaranteed, so you must have your own accommodation. Applications from non-caravan owners can not be considered for this reason.
Absolutely - it is now law that anyone working within the security sector and performing security duties (including keyholding) must be trained, vetted and licensed by the SIA (Security Industry Authority). The SIA are a government appointed body and they have powers of regulation and enforcement - if a person should be found working in a security role without a licence (or have an application being processed) the penalties are severe for the guard and his/her employer. Beware of companies who offer any kind of security service (including 'house sitting')if they are not employing licensed personnel.
No, for insurance and safety reasons, children are not permitted on an assignment.
No, not unless specifically requested to do so. Normally they will live in self-contained accommodation within the grounds of the property.
There are certain basic requirements that we request – a 13 amp 240v power supply (mains where possible, or can be a generator), a clean drinking water supply (again, mains if possible, although certain remote sites have had to use water bowsers), sewage disposal facilities (this may include use of toilet facilities where they exist), a level hard standing for the House Guards' vehicle, and a set of keys for the property. A secure perimeter with a controlled access point is preferable.
All House Guards are in regular contact with the office and local authorities, so any situations that arise can be quickly and efficiently dealt with.
Not normally, no. Our insurance covers us for vacant unfurnished properties, and we do not normally cover short term assignments either (4 week minimum). When we first started, we used to do holiday cover on furnished houses, but it led to complications, so a decision was made to guard only unoccupied unfurnished premises.
No, our security service is based on daytime patrols from early morning until late evening, but our House Guards are expected to be asleep at night. The presence of their vehicle normally provides sufficient deterrent to nocturnal visitors.
Houseguards have checked several times with the Data Protection Act to ascertain whether we need to register, but I have always been told the same thing - because we only handle information internally, and it is not available online, publically, or disclosed to any third parties (domestic or foreign), then we are not required to register, although we must comply with the requirements of the act. Any information provided by you will be stored on a secure internal database and used solely for conducting our business. As to a privacy policy on the website, this is linked to the Data Protection Act, so strictly speaking it does not seem to be required, but in the interests of assurance for website visitors, a privacy policy page is being prepared as we speak, and should be live soon.
The House Guards service is very cost-effective. You get a highly visible presence on site for roughly the same price that other security companies would charge for a patrolling guard on an 8 hour shift (who may not be exclusively at your property, but travelling between several others at the same time). The deterrent factor is higher due to this, making your property safer from unwanted occupiers or vandalism.
We normally have guards on standby so can react very quickly should you need our services - within 48 hours in most instances (or possibly sooner should the need be really urgent and we have personnel available in the area)
No, some of our assignments have been running for years. There is a minimum assignment period of 4 weeks, but no maximum.
Obviously we need to be able to gain access to the property – if there is any restriction we need to be advised of this, and we will decide at an inspection visit which size of vehicle will be most appropriate. As far as possible, we will send the house guard who has the best suited vehicle for the job. If access restrictions are such that vehicular access is not possible for any reason, this will be a deciding factor as to whether we can accept the assignment. Very rarely do we have to refuse.
House Guards can be from all walks of life, but many of them are ex services, retired or semi-retired, and all are seasoned ‘caravanners’.
As the client / property owner, you will be responsible for all service charges relating to the property, whether they be gas, electric, council tax, water rates or ground rent etc.
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