The Parade April 2013 | Page 41

How safe house maid? Tips & Advice Wishes Chauke I s your maid someone you trust? Is the name you call her, her real name? Who are her friends? Where does she go to when you give her some off days? Should you be concerned about all this? YES, you should because your loved ones, your treasured possessions and your general safety are important. The girl working in your house could be working contrary to your intentions because you do not know what she will be up to when you are not at home during the day. We have heard several horrifying stories of the actions of these women such as giving information to strangers, stealing and kidnapping and even food poisoning. At the time you feel you can trust them, you end up being disappointed and I mean very disappointed. Imagine leaving her at home when you and your kids leave in the morning for school and work, only to realise that she has combed your house and has taken all your priceless posessions. You may want to have them apprehended but who will you hold responsible? Not your friend who introduced her because she does not exactly know her, and at that same moment you discover the person you had put your trust in is not who you thought she was, you end up disappointed, enduring losses of properties and, maybe, lives. It is important to give the security of your life and property a priority. It begins by being careful who opens your door for people. She could open i t to invite harm indoors. What to Do Next? The smart way to guarantee the safety of your home from the nefarious activities of criminal- minded house maids - as they are popularly called - is to hire trusted people. Get your house maid from registered agencies and make sure you have their full details, so that in case anything happens, you know who to hold responsible. Get professionals to be your housemaids because professional maids are not just ordinary men or women; they are employees of registered companies. Meaning, in the event of theft or any other loses; these men or women can be traced back to their parent companies. They are not freelancers who don’t have corporate entity to hold responsible. They are trusted because they are ambassadors of their parent company. Don’t be penny wise and pound foolish; security is not an expense, but an investment against loss.TP The Parade - Zimbabwe’s Most Read Lifestyle Magazine April 2013 Page 41