“We provide two levels of verifications. You are asked to complete them one at a time, starting with the Basic Level. Main account holder should complete the ID Document verification process.”
If one is curious enough to compare THS sitters with THREE Levels of “Verifications” one discovers the meaning of the 3rd icon:
Standard Verification Criminal background check
I am suggesting THS
The CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK icon should be described somewhere on the website.
OR
The CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK should not be an icon, but spelled out
There should be NO BASIC Icon: a reference, email address, and phone number are simply conditions of membership
The STANDARD VERIFICATION should not be an icon, but simply spelled out.
Furthermore, in applying the “Verifications” to Search for sitters, owners should be able to narrow the search to those with CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS.
@Angela will clear this up I’m sure, but when I joined & was trying to get all the verifications done properly I wrote to ask how I could achieve all the levels & I was told that there was only one level now & that they had stopped using the advanced procedures.
@Saltrams@Provence we did have a third party provider who actioned member Criminal Background Checks globally because of issues with differing market costs and other considerations the service was discontinued. We are continually looking for solutions appertaining to strengthening member trust.
Hum. I paid something like a $100 CAD, for that criminal background check. I think it was a good way to show how much I cared to set a good and secure relationship between the owners and me. Not saying it would be impossible without. Just a little extra step. But the small icône on our profile prooving that is maybe not undestood by the majority. So I included the fact in my description.
We are looking at removing the current tiers of verification, as this will mean that members are not blocked from doing an ID check if, for example, they have not yet had their references back.
This would also simplify the process and reduce the need to educate members on the different levels of verifications. Currently, we display on users profile ‘ID check completed’ instead of ‘Standard verification’.
Regarding the third tier and the criminal background check, we currently don’t offer this as an option, as our supplier has stopped offering this as a service. We are struggling to find a worldwide solution and don’t want to offer an advantage/disadvantage to sitter applications by only offering a service to particular countries. So we are looking into other services and solutions.
Thanks,
I so agree with you @Brigitte. In UK it’s £22 (or was when I did it). I mention it in our profile too; I hope it demonstrates more about my attitude to caring for an owner’s pets & property than it actually really says about my lack of criminal convictions
Whist I understand your struggle, members who have paid for criminal background checks when they joined THS deserve what they were promised: To be in a category apart from members with no criminal background check (CBC
In addition, owners deserve to have a clear idea who has, and who has not been subject to a criminal background check.
For members without the option of the CBC, it would be only fair for them to offer owners some explanation within their online profile.
But to handicap those members who trusted their CBC would allow owners to make better choices is quite preposterous.
And good that you do describe it, because the little icon is meaningless. While we have spent time, effort, and resources to distinguish ourselves, THS “struggles.”
My option: Let those who have no criminal background check, for whatever reason, explain THAT in THEIR profile.
@Provence we used to offer criminal background checks to all members. We had a global criminal background check supplier, however, they stopped offering this service. (We had very small up-take of this offering when it was live)
We aim to facilitate and make it easy for owners and sitters to trust each other. So are always looking at opportunities to improve this.
I didn’t even know about it. In the country where I have official residence, no such certification exists. It’s nothing to do with paying for something or not. And I would certainly never explain this in an informal profile - goodness how disagreeable.
If you stopped offering the service, then why do you continue to show sitter’s with a different, badge with meaningless credentials listed with sitters who have badges that are defined?
Thank you so much.
We also were asked,how do I know you won’t take my dog.
My hubby laughed.
His sacarist reply if he could would be.
Free Driveway tarmacs and we provide our own .
I feel that the Enhanced Verification is needed and I was wondering what happened to it. Because of my background and the fact that I’m a tutor, I always maintain a current background check. When I first started with TH, I got the Enhanced Background check and feel that it’s helpful. It was only $30. On my HO profile I state that preference will be given to those who have had the highest level of verification. Please reinstate this option.
I’m bumping the thread, and advising you read the replies I’ve received to the OP. Apparently, there’s not a huge demand for the ENHANCED VERIFICATION CHECK. This is a little difficult to believe from a homeowner perspective.
The Enhanced Verification is not in demand because THS do not want to market it for several reasons: #1 Being, THS do not want to highlight the issue of Verified Security vs. Trust. They are, after all “TRUSTED” House-sitters, not, “We-Only-Trust-Them-Because-They-Have-Passed-Security-Screening” House-sitters.
#2, THS do not want to discourage THS membership among sitters who cannot obtain security screening because they are citizens of countries where screenings are not available.
#3. THS do not want to discourage membership among homeowners who would have a smaller pool of applicants from which to reply to there advertisements.
Hi Rose, I have the same CBC as you and while the badge is no longer on my profile I do have the information listed with verifications and references in the right hand panel of my proflie, yours will be the same. I hope that helps.
When I signed up it made the most since to get all of the verifications I could. I still put on my HO site that people with background checks get first preference. I can’t see why someone would accept “basic” as that doesn’t even verify the person’s identity. I hope TH finds a way to reinstate the tiers. I understand that every country has different rules but there should be a way to insure that the people you choose to come in to your home really are the people they say they are.
Yes, I’d expect CBC would be THE MOST IMPORTANT ITEM THS could offer homeowners, but here is the THS response :
We currently don’t offer this as an option,
We are struggling to find a worldwide solution and
We don’t want to offer an advantage/disadvantage to sitter applications by only offering a service to particular countries.
Rather than offer homeowners the “Peace Of Mind” that a CBC would give BEFORE a house-sit, THS is offering Insurance to cover damages AFTER a house-sit. Why? Because they cannot, and likely will never, find a Global provider of CBC services. Why not give sitters who can have CBC done in their countries a THS Verification? Because it would be unfair to sitters who cannot obtain CBC…So what is a HO to do? Assume a sitter without a CBC is not a criminal, but rather comes from a country that doesn’t allow CBC!!!
.