Is this legit and I'm too cynical?

[settlethisdebate]

This is more of a who's right than AIBU, but I'm going to come straight out and say who's who.

Going on holiday next week, and booked a cat sitter to come and feed the cat. We actually messaged a few different ones and struggled to find availability - our usual one was booked up. Anyway found this lady who used to help us out, she said yes, no problem.

She came to do a visit to sort arrangements etc and brought a couple with her, they are going to help her do the cat visits. They said they might not be able to do two per day (which is what we wanted), so I said oh ok it may not work out then - to which DH said it's ok we can make it work, i.e. With friends/parents helping out. I thought if we could do that we wouldn't need a cat sitter in the first place but I let it go.

So fast forward DH goes to drop keys off and gets chatting, this guy says that the original lady who helped us no longer lives in the area. I said (to DH later when he's telling me) well why not just say no then, but apparently she wanted to help us, despite not having seen us in years (and only then for cat sitting, we didn't know each other). So the couple are going to be doing all the visits as they live closer. They agreed to do it as a favour to original lady (their friend) but have now told DH they're happy to do it for free! We have never met these people. Obviously we won't be allowing that and will be paying them for the visits they do.

DH feels they are just nice people, I agree with that and they seem lovely but I was brought up with "if it seems to good to be true it probably is" and to be more wary? I just don't know why someone would do that or behave like that. Is it me and I'm too paranoid or is DH too trusting?!

If they are genuinely this lovely then great, and it's nothing about them personally, as they do seem nice. I just feel like it's a bit strange... And I have handed my house key over to them.

Thank you, this is DH's line of thinking

I'm only asking. I realised in replying to a previous PP that people mean DBS in terms of are they going to rob me, not are they going to do anything to harm the cat. In terms of theft etc, without going into too much detail, it's not really an issue

Yeah that's all very strange. We use a cat sitter but he runs it as a proper buisness, he also does dog walking etc. Was the original lady a proper cat sitter or did she just do it here and there? The new couple are obviously just doing it as a favour to her so they probably feel a bit wierd about you paying them. They probably assumed you were close friends with her or something

No one can tell you what to do as we haven’t met the couple in question and everyone is different anyway. However I have found that life goes a lot better when I make decisions that I am comfortable with. I wouldn’t enjoy the holiday if I was worrying about the cat sitters.

Yes she is a proper cat sitter and the couple used to be also, they don't do it any more. (Well I suppose now they are doing)

The original lady is very well known in town so yes very possible they thought we knew her (they know now that we didn't)

A few have asked over the years - I always take copies of both my DBS and insurance to and meet and greets (which are obligatory before taking on new clients).

My insurance covers everything from accidentally losing your keys, to accidental injuries in my care (mainly this is for dogs but I guess it can apply to cats too) and accidental damage to your home (by me or your cats). I also have public liability cover though again, that doesn’t really apply to cats!

Am I correct in thinking, that the cat sitter brought along this couple to do the job on her behalf, because she knew she'd no longer be living in the area? If that's the case, did she make that fact clear to you from the start? You knew this couple would be looking after your cat, after that first meeting? I assume that the cat sitter is DBS cleared and has insurance, because she's running a business?! In which case, she shouldn't be passing work onto other people who aren't. It sounds to me, as if this has now become a 'neighbour nipping in to feed the cat' type of favour, rather than a business transaction. The difference being, this couple aren't your neighbours, and you don't actually know them. It does give a different slant on the situation. My neighbour feeds my cat whilst we're away, but I know her, and trust her in my home and with my cat. You are handing your house keys over to strangers, who you've met once. You don't want to put your cat in a cattery, which I completely understand, I wouldn't with mine either. He's a rescue, and being in a pen again, would upset him. However, you have two choices, go with this couple or find someone else.

Thank you

This. DBS covers convictions to stop people with those getting jobs with kids or vulnerable people. It doesn’t cover pets.

If I've understood this right, the original cat sitter said she would do some visits, but she isn’t doing any (and never intended to because she's moved). She’s handing it all to the other couple, who said they weren’t sure they could provide the twice daily visits needed.

Now they offer to do it for free. My interpretation of that would be “we aren’t necessarily going to do two visits a day but if you don’t pay us you can’t complain”. So however nice they seem, I would not be confident they are going to do the job you want them to.

(I’ve used cat sitters in the past, via an agency.)

Yes I agree. DH says I am cynical

A DBS shows if you have a criminal record. An enhanced DBS will indicate if a person has any convictions and/or is on the barred list for vulnerable adults or children and a basic DBS will indicate if you have anything on your criminal record so if you have been prosecuted for animal cruelty or burglary for example (crimes that many be pertinent to pet sitting) that will show on the certificate.

A DBS certificate is like an MOT- it is only accurate on the day it was issued which is why you have to renew it regularly or go on the update service which gives people the ability to check your DBS in real time online.

Anyone can get a basic DBS - you dont even have to be working, you can simply apply and pay for it online and you dont need to give a reason why you need it, its about £20 as someone said upthread

This isn’t true. Anyone can apply for a DBS.

No one should be asking to see anyone's DBS certificate!

I have a position where I have to DBS check people. I'm not entitled to see their actual check when it comes through. I am just alerted if there's anything on it I need to know about

The last DBS certificate I had come through for myself even said "do not share this with anyone"

Yes, because you are their employer and have a GDPR responsibility for confidentiality so you get notified if there is anything of concern.

For a self employed pet sitter with their own business- who advertises that they are DBS checked they would have to show customers their certificate because otherwise how else is the customer to know they are telling the truth? the customer isnt legally their "employer" so noone is going to inform them there is nothing on the certificate. The only way they can check is by asking to see it.

You’re speaking as an employer, though. It’s very different when you’re self-employed and it’s your own information you’re sharing.

You said it better than me 🤣

I said my own DBS check says "Do not share this with anyone else"

I would not be happy with anyone asking to see it

And if they are employing your to pet sit then you are also their employer

Id rather use a platform like trusted house sitters than this. At least you can see reviews and are covered by the platform.

If you are employed then why would some other random person need to see your certificate in the first place? that would be odd.

Secondly, if the customer was in fact their "employer" then they would have employer responsibilities like submitting wages through PAYE wouldnt they? if the customer is the "employer" then they would also need to register themselves with HMRC as an employer and why does the self employed person need to do their own tax return if this is the case?

Thirdly, if you are arguing that the person with the pet is the "employer" then it would be beholden on THEM to apply for and pay for the DBS which would mean that the pet sitter would have to ask every single customer to apply for a separate DBS for them and wait for it to come back which is patently ridiculous.

You seem very confused about employment law.

It would be a no from me , if you have doubts, how are you going to relax while you are away.

Yes. They may well come into contact with kids and vulnerable people and have a position of trust. You need it to work with sensitive data from the government etc as well. It's not just for working with children etc.

That’s not how being self-employed works 🫣

Do you think they might move in?