ID & Background Checks: FAQs
Read on for general questions about mandatory ID & background checks, FAQs for US-registered sitters, FAQs for non-US registered sitters, and questions about Evident, our third-party verification partner.
General FAQs
Why are we making it mandatory?
We want to make our community the safest place it can be. Having mandatory ID and background checks in place will help us to do this, and ensure the safety and security of our members.
Why are existing members now being asked to complete either an ID and/or background check?
We know the vast majority of you have used our service for years and you might feel that this is completely unnecessary for you personally. We completely understand that frustration of course, but after introducing mandatory ID and background checks for new sitters, we have to ensure we maintain continuity across our platform.
Why are background checks only available for US sitters?
Background checks are currently only available for US sitters as this is where Evident offers their services, and as we have not yet found a suitable provider who offers background checks in our other main markets.
Do I need to pay for an ID or background check?
No, your ID and/or background check is free of charge and included in your membership.
Shouldn't it be cheaper for a non-US membership, as these don't include a background check?
Our feedback indicated that owners prefer sitters to have a background check, and this previously prevented them from joining our platform. Therefore, we have decided to absorb the cost of the background checks to help with the growth of our platform and community.
I don't trust uploading my ID to a third party. Who is Evident?
You can find out more about Evident, our secure third-party provider, by reading our blog post here. You can also find some more specific answers about Evident’s processes further down below.
Why is it mandatory for sitters but not for owners?
We are committed to making the platform as safe as possible for everyone. We have made this mandatory for sitters because owners are opening up their homes and entrusting sitters with their beloved pets.
We recently made it mandatory for owners to disclose their full addresses and we continue to look at further ways to increase both owner and sitter safety.
I’m a Combined member - how does this affect me?
Your ability to find a pet sitter won’t be affected by these changes. However, if you want to use the sitter side of your membership then you will need to complete your ID document check (and background check, if you're in the US) to apply for a sit, if you haven’t done so already.
What happens to any confirmed sits I have booked if I do not complete my necessary verifications?
You are still able to fulfil your existing sit arrangements, however, you will not be able to apply for new sits after the 16th March if you have chosen not to complete the mandatory checks.
What happens if I leave on the 16th March?
We really don’t want to see you go, but if you choose to leave you will lose your member privileges and access to your account.
What does this mean for owners?
Owner members will not need to do anything, however, if you have a sit booked after the 16th March, your sitter will be required to update their ID and background check (if/where necessary) to benefit from welcome guides and insurance products. If you have any concerns, we recommend reaching out to Membership Services.
Why isn't it up to the owner whether or not to accept a sitter based on their ID?
Owners will still be in full control of who they select to take care of their home and pets. Many owners often asked for this additional information upon confirming their sit, and this mandatory step now means they will no longer have to manually request this information, as Evident will have already securely confirmed the sitter's details.
FAQs for US-based sitters
What do I need to do as a US sitter?
If you are a US registered sitter, you will need to complete both an ID document check and a background check.
If I've already completed an ID and background check, do I need to do it again?
If you have already completed both of these, you do not need to do anything else. However, if you haven’t yet completed an ID document check or a background check (or both), you will need to do so by Wednesday 16th March in order to continue using our platform.
What happens if I don’t complete an ID and background check?
If you do not complete your ID and/or background check by Wednesday 16th March, you will no longer be able to apply for a house sit.
What's the difference between an ID check and a background check?
An ID document check involves uploading a visual document - such as a passport, a driving licence or National Identity Card - which will then be checked for validity and to ensure your ID has not been reported as lost, stolen or compromised.
A background check is a different screening process that confirms the following:
- National Criminal Records search has come back clear
- No county-level adverse policy violations are found
- The sitter is not on any sex offender registry
- Social Security Number (SSN) Trace & Address History has been completed
- The sitter is not on the Domestic & Global Terrorist Watchlists
Background checks are currently available for US sitters only.
How long does the background check last?
The background check is a required one-off check upon joining the platform.
How long does it take?
ID document applications are usually approved within 24 hours, but please bear in mind that it can take up to 3 days. Background checks are also usually approved within 24 hours, but in some cases can take up to 7 days.
What if I have a problem completing my background check?
If you’re having trouble completing your background check, you can contact Evident’s Support Team by visiting this link.
Why do we only check one member’s ID and background, even if it is a couple/two people travelling?
We identified the account holder and the payment provider as the consistent sitter. In the future, we would like to make improvements on how we display information on a partner or friend travelling.
FAQs for non-US sitters
What do I need to do as a non-US sitter?
If you are a non-US registered sitter, you will need to complete an ID document check only. If you have already completed this, you do not need to do anything else.
What happens if I don’t complete an ID document check?
If you do not complete your ID document check by Wednesday 16th March, you will no longer be able to apply for a house sit.
How long does it take?
ID document checks are usually approved within 24 hours, but please bear in mind that it can take up to 3 days.
What if I have a problem completing my ID check?
If you’re having trouble uploading your document or completing your ID document check, take a look at Evident’s handy troubleshooting checklist here:
https://evidentidsupport.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360053391253
If you’re still having difficulty, you can also contact Evident’s Support Team by visiting this link.
Why do we only check one member’s ID, even if it is a couple/two people travelling?
We identified the account holder and the payment provider as the consistent sitter. In the future, we would like to make improvements on how we display information on a partner or friend travelling.
Evident FAQs
Is the data we submit to Evident covered by Personal Data and Information regulations?
Evident is a security and privacy first platform that is compliant with both GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act).
How long is data kept by Evident?
Data kept for 7 years as required by FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act) guidelines.
How does Evident ensure that our data is safe? Can our members be sure that a data breach, similar to that of Equifax (a credit-scoring agency that was hacked in 2017), won't happen with Evident?
Upon submission of your personal details, Evident utilises end to end encryption (between the browser and the server) to protect and secure your data. When saving to their servers, Evident split up each piece of personal data, encrypt it, and store it separately. If a data breach were to occur, it would be impossible to re-connect these pieces of information e.g. which first name relates to which surname, therefore keeping the overall user identity secret. This distributed data model is completely different (and an order of magnitude more secure) than the implementation employed by the likes of Equifax, where identity data was stored together in a single place. Additionally, your personal data is never processed or stored by TrustedHousesitters; we're simply notified of the outcome of the check which we then record against the relevant sitter profile.
Will Evident sell my personal data to third parties?
Evident never sell personal data to third parties. They only provide “aggregated” (or cumulative) data, which is purely statistical and completely anonymous.
A good example of the data they would share would be: 'over 50% of a particular industry shows a result of XX'
Why is a Social Security Number necessary for an Evident background check?
Providing an SSN is necessary to Evident's process, as it's the most accurate way for them to return a check.
For example, there may be hundreds of John Smiths with the same birthday, living in the same state - by providing an SSN, Evident can be 100% certain that they are returning data on the correct individual.
