The simple answer to this is, ‘No’, but let’s face it, things are rarely as simple as they appear.

Australia offers a variety of Clearances or Checks, for example there’s one for Volunteer work, another for Working with Children, all of which are designed as written proof from the Government of a person possible criminal record. The standard Police Clearance details any court outcomes or pending charges that the holder has within Australia.

Not surprisingly a lot of home-owners feel more comfortable if a house-sitter they’re not familiar with has a Police Clearance. After all, they are entrusting everything they hold dear to the care of a complete stranger. 

Having said that, though, I don’t have a Police Clearance and have never been asked for one by anybody we’ve sat for. Something that leads me to believe that holding or requesting one is really up to the person involved.

If people want to be reassured that I’m honest and reliable, I believe this is shown through our growing list of reviews, blog posts and Facebook discussions.

To truly guarantee a person’s honesty the Clearance needs to be constantly updated, because let’s face it, it only shows you haven’t done (or been caught for) anything dishonest up until the time it was issued. Who knows what you did the day after it was issued…

A lot of our bookings are through referrals and rebooks, and in most cases a friend’s recommendation will always negate the need for a Police Clearance.