There have been a lot of car and garage break-in’s recently in our part of town. One thing to keep in mind: the service providers in our neighborhoods are largely unknown. Even if you are familiar with the company, or know the owner… do you trust the employees who will be driving on your street, entering your home, or working in your yard?

Here are seven questions to ask the service company to help screen out the sketchy ones: 

1. Does your company carry liability insurance? Who is your insurance provider? 

2. What are the first and last names of the employees who will be coming to my house? 

3. How will they identify themselves? 

4. What vehicle will they be driving? 

5. Do your employees have criminal backgrounds involving violence, fraud, or theft? 

6. Do your employees use illegal drugs? 

7. Would you personally trust these employees to work inside your home unsupervised? 

Think twice before hiring a contractor or service provider if they cannot confidently answer these questions to your satisfaction. When you do find a contractor (lawn care, landscaping, painting, handyman, etc.) that meets these standards, be willing to pay more than the bare minimum for their service. It is not easy to find, hire, and keep a high caliber, trustworthy team. You won’t regret building a relationship with a trustworthy service provider.