Most people understand the need for background screening including criminal background checks for tenant and employment screening purposes. However, performing background checks on contractors is often over looked. Every day there are contractors entering people’s homes and sometimes completely unsupervised. Often time’s homeowners assume the contractor(s) have already been properly vetted before being sent into their home. Unfortunately this is not always the case and even if a company advertises that their employees/contractors have all undergone a criminal background check they may have not. A recent news story shows that even when a company states they have background checked their employees/contractors a malfeasant contractor can still slip through the cracks.
Recently posted on the CBC News site describes a couple in St. John’s that hired a moving company in New Brunswick. The company advertised that they have a policy of performing background checks on their employees. However, they ended up hiring someone with a criminal record to help do the job. Oftentimes it makes sense for a person to ask for proof that the contractor in question has undergone a thorough vetting process. And if they can’t get a copy of the criminal background check report then they can always use a third party background screening company to conduct the search on their behalf.
Hiring a contractor is almost essential for most families as the need for a plumber, electrician, carpenter or other specialist will inevitably arise. This is unavoidable for most families which is why checking if the contractor has a license and has been fully vetted is paramount. Employing a licensed professional is very important as that alone will reduce the risks involved in hiring a contractor into a home. Getting a contractor that has an official license and has been thoroughly background checked is the clear choice in protecting person and property.
Criminal background checks can discover a criminal past which, subsequently may inform to potential future behavior of an individual. Thorough background checks help provide a safeguard insomuch that they create a barrier to potential misbehavior. If an individual has a criminal history they should expect it to be discovered during a background check.
It is imperative to perform a thorough background check on any contractor or at least review a background check report already furnished on the contractor before granting them access to the home. This is most especially important for contractors that will have unsupervised time in the home. Making sure contractors coming to the home have a license and have been properly background checked helps give peace of mind to the home owners and also greatly reduces the risks associated with bringing strangers into the home.
To read more regarding the importance of properly background screening contractors especially those with access to the home view recent CriminalBackgroundRecords.com press release.