As a homeowner I agree that I’m far more likely to read people’s reviews and take notice of my gut feelings with Zoom meetings and messages than to bother about ID checks and such…
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Hi @Boodie which checks are you referring to, the sitter verification checks?
The difference is that until now they have been optional, although most sitter completed their verifications as this was a level of trust which added to their success in applying for sits, if there is something else you would like to know on this please Direct Message me.
I was referring to the ones that these new rules pertain to as per this thread. I realised that as a HO I obviously would not have received the emails or understood the differences or the impact on Sitters, and reading through this thread wasn’t making it clear. I should have made my self aware well before now! Now you have explained that it is simply changing from optional to compulsory, it makes sense to me. Thank you for that.
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Sadly, a timely example.
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Verifiying ones’ identity does not mean that person is “caring” - as I said in another post I’m sure Kurt Zouma can prove his identity on this site - it doesn’t mean I’d want him looking after my cat!
A few bad apples as you say is not reason to have all our personal data under threat of major security breaches in foreign countries.
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they might build trust in the community but I have read nothing on their own website that gives me any ‘trust’ that our personal data won’t be handled incorrectly via this third party company; EvIDent
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Rob I truly feel the title of this thread is mis-leading - all that this EvIDent company does is verify you are who you say you are and keeps all your personal information pertaining to that.
A “Background Check” as you state would really be what the whole DBS; Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB checks) - this is what checks that you have no criminal background activity / convictions etc,
Quite frankly if I was a Home Owner - I would want this verified as priority over someone’s actual identity.
I mean to put it one way - wouldn’t you want to know that Kurt Zouma for instance had been charged with animal cruelty, rather than know that he is who he says he is!?!?!?
Home Owners - please back me up here! This is truly insane. What would you rather?
I feel that many sitters with leave the site due to this - there is already enough uprising about future Digital ID’s etc., as said I am 100% happy to pay for a DBS certificate (as I already have my own public Indemnity insurance).
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Hi everyone,
I am still seeking clarification as to whether this process has been successfully used by any Australian members. I can successfully upload but Evident is unable to verify my Australian Drivers Licence. I emailed member services and while I received their general explanation about why they are doing this, and the requirement to do this by 16th March, they did not clarify if this process/company can successfully verify international ID’s.
Has anyone on Australia been able to do this?
Regards
Fran
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I agree with the two previous replies. The HO can always reject sitters that don’t have the background check completed. I would be ok if a HO told me that is why I wasn’t selected. I’m not ok with providing a 3rd party data company with all my personal information and hope they don’t have a data breach. Even doctors cannot request a SSN anymore.
Also, keep in mind the sitters have to TRUST the HO’s too. Are there hidden camera’s in the house? Have they left a dangerous situation the might cause harm to the sitter? (just one example: do carbon monoxide detectors exist? do they work?). Once the HOs leave, the sitter is responsible for everything you may or may not have done. If something happens while you are gone…WE (the sitter) will be responsible (until proven innocent). So, there is a lot of TRUST in both directions.
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You’ve obviously not (yet) been a victim of a data breach or ID theft.
So while you’ve voluntarily agreed to the background check, it should not be mandatory for all (my, and several others, opinion). The ‘voluntary’ part was working just fine I think.
As other posters have said, this paradigm that we choose to participate in, to a large degree, is about Trust.
There exist several vetting mechanisms to help BOTH the owners and the sitters to feel comfortable. Reading profiles and reviews, the pre-sit interviews and discussions etc… Note that none of these are mandatory but should be done as the owner and sitter find necessary to feel comfortable that this is the right decision.
Maybe AirB&B or Uber will now require a full background check?
The homeowners should be comfortable by looking at reviews and asking to see IDs if they would like to do that. Just as the sitters should be comfortable going to someone’s home and being responsible for all the homeowners pets & belongings and ‘assuming’ there are not hidden cameras watching them during private moments. Hence…‘Trust’
There will always be a few bad apples but generally, the ‘trust’ system works here and has worked for a long time.
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Not sure but we NZ/Aus sitters need further clarification 
. If you’re applying just for Oz or NZ sits, a police check should be ample.
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Thanks Runner C,I will let you know if I get further clarification from THS. I have police checks and have never previously needed this additional information but the issue is going to be that we will be unable to apply for sits without the ID verification. Given that the Evident information states they are unable to verify state licences in the US, I doubt they will be able to do a Tasmanian licence.
Cheers
Fran
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I’m a HO. I have the option to accept / decline sitters, including if they are background checked. From my point of view, the current optional system worked very well. Now, excellent, trustworthy sitters are leaving because of this and I don’t blame them a bit. Sitters, I share your concerns and back you up.
It is increasingly clear that THS is breaking something that was not damaged.
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I share the concerns of many in this group. I think they are fair and earnest concerns.
So my question for THS is, what are you going to do about it? Many of your members have expressed concern and many are saying they will leave. Responses have been basically company rhetoric.
When in comes to building trust, this is your time! There are plenty of members who don’t mind this added step. And those who it is not a fit for but have been with THS for many years with excellent reputation.
What solution to propose (other than, too bad, see you later?)
Thanks!
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So…Evident ID is a globally recognised, secure and safe verification provider.
Great! I believe Equifax might also describe themselves in a similar way. Now google ‘Equifax data breach’.
Also, they might be based in Atlanta but guess what the office in Krakow Poland is doing? Yep…IT/Engineering (check out their ‘Careers’ page). Why? because labor is cheaper there! (but that’s a whole other issue!) Do you think they have access to your data…yup! Do you think it could be sold to the dark web? Yup. Ok, what do I know…I’m just an engineer working in this field. Bon chance!
Again, you don’t need a SSN to rent an AirB&B (I’m verified there with an ID), to rent a car, or go to the Doctor in the US.
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@Trustedsitter we’ve actually both been victims of identity theft, and recovered from those situations. We’ve also both had high security clearance in our past employment positions. Neither of us take a hard stance against providing personal information, when the need arises. There are, however, security measures in place to protect our personal info. There is nothing that is ever 100% guaranteed in life, therefore we place the value of our privacy at a comfort level that suits our needs. I respect all sitters decisions on this matter. At the end of the day, each of will find what serves us best.
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This is interesting:
Meta has threatened to shut down Facebook and Instagram in Europe if it is not allowed to transfer, store, and process user data on its US servers…
Apparently there are rules about keeping information about certain countries citizens info on servers in the US. As TH is a platform with users globally I honestly don’t think they’ve considered all this!?!? I certainly don’t want my info stored on servers in the USA or Poland.
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I’ve been a sitter for years, with a classic membership. I got an email (well, 3 in a row actually) from THS saying I needed to have my ID verified/checked
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You don’t ask for the Uber drivers background check details etc when you get in his/her car, and you certainly don’t know whether the company have requested that!?
You are 
right - it’s all about TRUST
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Actually the company does a pretty extensive background check and has stringent requirements
https://www.uber.com/us/en/drive/requirements/
I don’t mean to be contrary to anyone’s thoughts or feelings on this. My own stand is that THS is a private independent company, therefore they can rightfully change the requirements of its members whenever they see fit.
The company is growing. The demands for these services is growing.
Everything changes, it has to in order to survive.
And as @Joanne so eloquently states
I am comfortable being a trusted, verified premium THS member. My HOs have demonstrated to me that they value that.
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