5 tips to stay safe with workers in your home
When we have work done on or inside our home, I prefer my husband be there, but with his work schedule that isn’t always possible. Since I work from home, it’s much more likely I’ll be there alone.
Here are five ways to stay safe when you’re having work done in your home.
1. Check reviews and verify the company is licensed and bonded.
Checking reviews is a given anyways to make sure you’re going to have quality work done and not get scammed. It’s also very telling as many people will comment on the nature of interactions they had with the workers.
A reputable company that wants to stay in business and protect its assets is less likely to send a criminal out on jobs. Of course, this doesn’t mean it never happens. People slip through the cracks and as we’re seeing so many staffing issues now, it’s a concern. But this is a good place to start.
2. Put away any identifying or sensitive information. Lock up all valuables.
I know your mail is sitting on your dining room table like mine. Put it away! Anything that has your personal information should be out of sight. It’s very easy to grab a piece of paper or envelope and not be noticed.
Put away any jewelry or other easily grabbed valuables as well. Our home only has access to our furnace through our master closet which is terrible for homeowners. Every year we have it checked I have to move my jewelry and other valuable items into our safe for the day.
It goes without saying, but make sure your firearms are in your safe as well, aside from the one you’re carrying that day.
3. Carry concealed and never leave anyone in your home alone.
I don’t carry on-body at home unless a stranger is inside my home. This is a non-negotiable.
Never leave anyone alone inside your home either.
Last year someone in my neighborhood left a couple of workers in their home alone. The workers went to lunch, “forgot” to lock the door, and amazingly someone happened to “break into” the home during that specific hour. Totally preventable, in my opinion.
4. Limit access to only the rooms they need to work in.
Close and lock (if possible) doors to any rooms they don’t need access to. They don’t need to see your entire home if they’re working in one room.
5. Stay where you can see the worker. Even if it means following them room-to-room.
Yes, I follow them around from room-to-room. It’s MY house, not theirs. This might feel awkward at first, but you need to get over that. You have every right to take all the safety precautions.
If something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. Act accordingly.
Better safe than sorry, always.
