FAQ’s
FAQ’s
General FAQ’s
What is a Home Watch Service?
The National Home Watch Association defines it as “a visual inspection of a home or property, looking for obvious issues.” A Home Watch service is designed to give you peace of mind while you are away from your home. Your home is inspected by professionals looking for any potential problems. Home Watch of CT, LLC designs a checklist based on your individual needs and concerns. If a situation does arise, you will be notified so the problem can be dealt with in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
Why do I need a Home watch service?
With so much invested in a home that you are supposed to visit and unwind, the last thing you want is to discover massive issues that went undiscovered and are now very costly. So many things can happen to your home in your absence: break-ins, water leaks, frozen pipes, electrical problems, insects, mold, and storms, to name a few. Conversely, measures such as storm preparation and proactive maintenance should prevent many situations from arising. Even if you have a trusted neighbor or relative nearby, having a professional who is insured, licensed, bonded and accredited acting on your behalf is a much more reliable and effective option. Would you hire your neighbor to manage your investment portfolio instead of a professional?
We already have an alarm company or neighborhood watch program, what value do you add?
An alarm company monitors entry and alarms but they do not monitor potential problems that can occur due to broken pipes, mold, pests or vagrants. We identify those problems or the possibility of their occurrence and notify you to offer guidance and recommendations. Additionally, when an alarm call does occur, with Home Watch of CT’s optional Alarm Response services we will answer the call and meet the local law enforcement to give them entry to the property to ensure its safety.
Neighborhood watch programs differ even more as they are passive by nature and do not provide the level of engagement with your property that Home Watch of CT provides. We provide checks of your property’s interior and exterior in far more detail than you can expect from a neighborhood watch program.
Are you a house sitter or house sitting service?
We are not a house sitter. The main service for Home Watch of CT includes periodic visits to your home where we follow a specific and mutually agreed upon checklist. We are in your home for less than an hour per visit and take great pride in making sure your home is as you left it for your return. House sitters live in your house with 24/7 access to everything in your home. They are rarely insured or bonded in the same manner that our services are.
Home Watch of CT FAQ’s
Who is Home Watch of CT?
Home Watch of CT, LLC is a professional insured, bonded and accredited Home Watch and Concierge Company serving the local towns of Roxbury, Bridgewater, Washington, Warren and northern New Milford. We also specialize in the Lake Waramaug & Merryall areas! We check your property and identify problems or potential problems that can occur while your property is un-occupied. We provide a physical presence that is not available through a remote alarm monitoring service. We can help with most requests you have by contacting us.
What other services does Home Watch of CT offer?
In addition to the normal Home Watch services, we also offer ‘pre’ & ‘post’ storm services, Keyholder and other vendor services as well as a whole list of other Concierge services to assist our clients while they are away. Ask us and we can provide an entire list of services that we perform.
Are your services expensive?
We think our services are reasonably priced for the value we provide. When you compare the possible damage due to a leak or damage by pests with the cost, our services are an excellent value. We are bonded and insured, for your protection, while many home watch businesses are not. We are part of a national association of professional home watch businesses. We will be happy to discuss our pricing for home watch and concierge services during a free consultation.
What if I have a situation or emergency after hours or on the weekend?
We rely on our professional experience and judgment which allows us to handle any situation with a calculated response. If the situation is an emergency, it will be handled in the fastest, safest, and most cost-effective way. In a non-emergency situation, you will be contacted to discuss and implement a course of action. Any calls to our after-hours emergency hotline will be connected to our on-call service. We will be notified via phone call, text message and email which includes your information and the message you left concerning the emergency.
If you find a problem what type of notification will I receive?
Home Watch of CT will send you a report upon completion of our visit to your home. Any problems identified will be accompanied by pictures and details of the problem. If we take any immediate action to prevent further damage, we will contact you immediately to discuss what occurred and consider what course of action is needed for the repair.
Can you help me with home maintenance and handyman services?
Yes, Home Watch of CT, LLC is a licensed Home Improvement Contractor in the state of Connecticut. We do offer maintenance and handyman services, but only to our Home Watch clients.
Are you a property inspector?
We check your property, but we are not property inspectors. Property inspectors are usually involved at the sale of a property to do a detailed inspection of the structure, plumbing, electrical and heating and air condition systems. Home Watch does visual inspections, looking for obvious problems or potential problems.
How often do you visit my home for a Home Watch Service?
We recommend weekly visits to your home while you are away, but this schedule can be modified to your specific needs. As many things can go wrong in a 30-day period in an unattended home, we do not recommend any less than two visits per month for your security.
What type of reporting can I expect from you?
Home Watch of CT will send you a detailed report by email with pictures of any problems identified upon completion of inspecting the interior and exterior of your home. We use HomeWatchIT for our inspection and reporting system. Our reports are generated with geolocation to show we were at your home and timestamped for the time we visited.
Do you offer Keyholder services?
Absolutely! We can coordinate access to your property for any situation at an hourly rate. If you need us to stay on site and monitor or wait until the technician completes their job, we are able to do this. All we need is your notification of date and time and any instructions you have. We ask for at least a 48 hours notification to schedule our personnel.
What are your credentials?
Home Watch of CT proudly displays the Accredited banner of the National Home Watch Association. We have been trained and vetted by this organization to ensure that we are bonded, insured and reputable, for your protection. We also continue to abide by the NHWA’s Code of Ethics and set of standards.
How do you maintain my car while I’m away?
We offer vehicle maintenance in which we will visually inspect and start the car during our visits. If the car has a service light we will report it to you.
If I need coordination with contractors doing work on my home can you help?
Home Watch of CT will provide access services and remain on-site for an hourly charge. We ask for at least a 48 hours notification to schedule our personnel.