Most families choose who comes into their home the same way: a warm smile, a good feeling in the interview, a reference from a neighbour who “swears by her.” It’s informal, it’s personal, and it feels like enough.

But think about what you’re actually handing over. A nanny, gardener, carer, cleaner, or driver doesn’t just do a job in your house — they learn your routine. When you leave, when you’re alone, where the valuables are kept, who’s home and who isn’t. They’re around your children, your parents, your pets. More often than not, they end up with a key, an alarm code, or both.

None of that is a problem, on its own. It’s the deal you make when you hire someone to help. The problem is when it’s handed to someone based on a feeling instead of a fact.

When the feeling doesn’t match the record

We’ve seen it happen more than once: a household hires someone on a strong first impression, only to find out later that the ID didn’t check out, the references were never real people, or the “clean record” they mentioned wasn’t clean at all. By the time that comes to light, the harm — to belongings, to safety, to a family’s sense of security in their own home — has usually already been done.

That’s not a reason to distrust everyone who walks through your door. It’s a reason to check before they do.

Vetting isn’t suspicion — it’s what responsible hiring looks like

A good candidate has nothing to lose from being screened. A bad one is far easier to catch before they’re handed a key than after something’s gone missing, or worse. Either way, checking isn’t an insult to the person you’re hiring — it’s simply due diligence for the people you’re protecting.

At Credence, we help families verify who they’re really letting in: criminal record history, ID and work permit authenticity, and confirmation that the references and employment history actually check out — handled discreetly, the way anything to do with your home should be.

Your home is your sanctuary. Know who’s holding the key to it.