HouseMinders

Common questions

These are questions that are commonly asked by potential houseminders.

What are the factors influencing when I get an assignment?

There are many factors:

The preferences of the owner
Owners usually have a profile in mind of the type of houseminder that they prefer to care for their home. Eg. a retiree who enjoys gardening, a single man to walk the dog daily, a couple who are cat lovers. With our full service program, we will match these preferences as closely as possible when putting forward potential minders.
The number of assignments we receive in each area.
Some of these will be long-term, some medium and others of short duration. This changes on a daily basis.
The number of minders that we have registered in these areas.
Naturally, some areas are more popular than others. This also changes daily.
Your flexibility.
Generally, the more flexible you are, the more quickly you will be placed. This refers to:
- when you can start
- the length of assignments you are prepared to accept (ie. shorter assignments are less popular with minders than long ones)
- the area(s) in which you're prepared to housemind
- your interview skills
  As it is the owner who makes the final selection of the houseminders, you need to perform well when you are interviewed by the homeowner. You will need to convince them why you're the perfect minder
- the quality of your references
  As well as viewing written references, most owners like to be able to speak to someone about you. Make sure you have your references lined up
- whether you have had a police check done. Police checks give peace of mind to the homeowner. Click here for more information about police checks.

How long does it take to be placed?
This can range from days to months, for the reasons outlined above.

Who makes the decision to appoint the houseminder?
The choice of minder is solely that of the homeowner or resident. HouseMinders' role is one of an introduction agency.
HouseMinders accepts no responsibility and makes no endorsement, warranty or representation as to the qualifications, credentials or bona fides of any houseminder registering with us.

Am I guaranteed a houseminding assignment?
No. As mentioned above, it is individual homeowners, not the Company, who choose who will care for their home. Therefore, the Company cannot guarantee that you will be placed. However, it is our experience that most people who register with HouseMinders are successful in gaining assignments.

Do I have a choice of where I housemind?
Of course. You can politely decline a houseminding opportunity on whatever basis you choose. Registering with HouseMinders puts you under no obligation to accept houseminding opportunities. You decide where you go and when.

However, if you commence an assignment, you must complete it, unless you are prevented from doing so by ill-health!

Does HouseMinders provide minders for absences of any duration?
Almost. We cater for owners who are away from their homes from a few weeks to three years. As most minders do not care to move too frequently, we have a smaller pool of minders available for shorter assignments.

Is there a guarantee of moving straight from one assignment to another?
No. While you can get consecutive assignments, remember that each assignment is an independent event, where the minder is selected by an individual owner.

Wouldn't I be better finding my own assignments?
While you may be lucky in minding the homes of friends & family, most would-be houseminders who advertise in the classifieds of local newspapers generally have little success. Homeowners prefer the comfort of an organisation with a selection of minders.

Because HouseMinders is well known, homeowners come to us through word of mouth and through travel agents, pet stores and vets. We also invest heavily in advertising ? Yellow Pages, metropolitan and local newspapers d exhibitions like the Travel Expo and the Pet Show. Recently, we were featured in the Sydney Morning Herald and on radio 2GB.

My security. Who sees my profile?
Only owners registered with HouseMinders will see your profile. While we require your address for registration purposes, this is not given out to anyone! Only your profile and phone number are published in our directory listings and owner information kits.

Can I change my profile?
Yes, at any time. Simply write, fax or email us with your updated profile. There is no charge for this service.

Costs

How much does it cost to register with HouseMinders?
The cost of registration for 12 months is usually less than the rent you pay in a week!! Full details at "How much does the service cost?"

Are there any other HouseMinders costs?
No

Why do I need to pay first, shouldn't I only pay when I get placed?
No and for the following reasons:

HouseMinders is set up to find minders for owners who are leaving their homes unattended. We act for the owners and follow a brief to assist them to find their ideal houseminder.
It is individual owners who make the decision to select minders. Please note that while we do most of the running around in shortlisting candidates, HouseMinders is not responsible for selecting the minders.
Our prices are extremely competitive. The only minder fees payable to us is the annual registration fee and this covers any number of assignments for 12 months.
Like any business HouseMinders has costs - our people, computers, advertising, website hosting, postage & phone bills. Naturally, we need revenue to keep our doors open and to find the homes for you to housemind.

Are there any other costs?
Yes. You will need to allow for usual costs such as electricity, gas and phone.

Also you may need to allow for out of pocket expenses incurred in an emergency - eg. broken window, plumber, electrician etc. (although the owner may provide you with a contingency fund).

How much can I save with HouseMinders?
If your rent is $150.00 per week, you're saying goodbye to $7,800 every year. If you're a couple spending $325 per week, that figure is $16,900. You could save much of this money with HouseMinders. How much rent can I save?

Responsibilities

Will I need to pay a bond?
Probably yes. Most owners require a bond to cover the cost of electricity, gas, phone and accidental breakage. This is usually far less than in a rental environment. When a suitable bond is negotiated we recommend the following arrangements be made:

A valid receipt should be produced
Homeowner and houseminder should agree who will hold the funds (usually the owner/ resident)
Homeowner and houseminder should agree under what circumstances the funds will be returned
The terms of the return of bond should be set out in an Agreement between the parties

Who is responsible for gas, electricity and phone?
The general rule of thumb is that the houseminder pays for all utilities. While this is a matter of individual choice, many owners/residents only worry about reimbursement of phone bills - particularly, on shorter assignments.

On longer assignments, Telstra, Optus and the relevant gas and electricity authorities can assist with temporary accounts and interim billing arrangements.

Both parties should agree whether utility bills are to be separately paid, or subtracted from the bond.

Whatever the details decided upon, the agreed arrangements should be written into the Houseminding Agreement.

When things go wrong

If things go wrong, what arrangements should be made for repairs etc?
In any home things can go wrong ? washing machines break down or the plumbing fails. It is strongly recommended that the minder comes to an agreement with the owner regarding the following:

Repairs - that the minder is left with a list of preferred tradesman
Payment of tradesmen
- that any trades work is billed directly to the owner/resident. OR
- that the minder pays any such bills & is reimbursed upon the owner's return.
OR
- that a contingency fund is set up and left with a neighbour or friend, to be accessed in the event of a mishap.

Does the owner's Home Contents Policy cover the home against break-in?
Most insurance companies will void a Home Contents Policy if the home is unattended for over 3 weeks. Fortunately, this situation can be averted if the owner places a houseminder in the home and notifies their insurance company. Minders should check with owners to ascertain if they are covered.

Is the minder covered against injury while on the owner's property?
Most Home Buildings Policies cover the owner/resident in the case of third party injury. This is generally extended to visitors, tradespeople and postmen as well as to minders. Minders should check with owners to ascertain if they are covered.

Children and Pets

Do homeowners prefer minders without children?
Some owners do not mind, others do. Minders with young children should realise that some homes are not child proof.

We're pet lovers. Will this help us get an assignment?
A sizeable percentage of our owners have pets and many owners use our service because our minders give better pet care than the kennels and catteries. While it does not guarantee an assignment, it is worth highlighting your love of animals on your registration form.

We have a dog/cat of our own. Can we take our pet on an assignment?
Some homeowners would not mind, others would. This would be a matter of individual negotiation with the owner.

We're keen gardeners. Will this help us get an assignment?
Many homeowners request a minder with a "greenthumb". While it does not guarantee an assignment, it is worth highlighting your gardening skills on the registration form.

Agreement

Is there a written agreement between the owner or resident and the houseminder?
For the security and convenience of both parties, it is strongly recommended that both homeowner and houseminder sign a written agreement setting out the arrangements. eg.

start & finish dates
bond
pet responsibilities
house duties
bill payments etc.

For the convenience of registered owners and minders we provide a proforma Houseminding Agreement at no charge.

Is HouseMinders a party to this agreement?
No. Any agreement is between the homeowner or resident and the houseminder(s) only.

Term of Houseminding

Can the houseminder terminate the arrangement before the owner returns?
No. The houseminder contracts through the signed agreement, to complete the assignment. In an emergency, such as chronic illness, Houseminders will exercise its best endeavours to assist the owner in finding a replacement minder.

Can the owner terminate the arrangement prior to the expiry of the arrangement?
No. The homeowner/resident also contracts through the signed agreement, to allow the minder to stay for the time specified in the agreement.

Can the owner extend the houseminding arrangement?
Yes. The minder in situ would be invited to extend. This would require a change to be made by both parties to the Houseminding Agreement. Where the existing minder cannot stay on, Houseminders would negotiate with the owner or his representative to find a minder for the balance of the absence.

Miscellaneous

Can I bring some of my own things?
Usually only clothing and personal items. Most of the homes cared for by our minders are fully furnished.

What about my computer?
Most owners do not mind if the minder brings his/her personal computer to an assignment. Where the minder requires an additional phone line for email, most owners do not object if an additional phone line is connected, temporarily, at the minder's expense.

Is it common for the owner to mark a part of the home off limits?
Some owners choose to lock away certain items in a spare bedroom, or part of the garage, leaving the rest of the home to be used by the houseminder.

If my plans change, can I cancel my registration?
Of course. We hope you don't and that houseminding works for you. However, if your circumstances change and you decide you don't need to use our service anymore, we will cancel your registration and remove your details from our database. We cannot refund registration fees.

Who is responsible for gas, electricity and phone?
The general rule of thumb is that the houseminder pays for all utilities. While this is a matter of individual choice, many owners/residents only worry about reimbursement of phone bills - particularly, on shorter assignments.