Tips for Extended Travel - How to Prepare the Home

[Nords]

A few weeks back when we had a lot of snow on the ground someone came a stole her and two neighbors' AC for the copper during the night while they were home! Then last week a neighbor was moving and left their pit bull in the house. It's a good thing they did because someone came while they were at the new house and drilled the locks out. The pit bull scared them so they left with nothing.

I think it helps if the neighbors have seen how your house is furnished and realize that you have nothing of value... particularly the neighbor's chatty teenagers.

But if you're the kid with the reputation at school of having all the really cool gadgets & toys then it's only a matter of time.

 

[walkinwood]

Make friends with your neighbors!

 

[zinger1457]

I'd have no problem letting a maid go if she didn't like the cameras...if she's doing her job, there are no issues. Employees everywhere are watched and monitored constantly. Try and count all the surveillance cameras at a Wal-Mart. You need some time to do this as there are many. My small business has 30!

Video surveillance is common in jobs that deal with cash or where theft of goods may be an issue. It's not commonly used in office environments to monitor employees work habits.

 

[M Paquette]

Video surveillance is common in jobs that deal with cash or where theft of goods may be an issue. It's not commonly used in office environments to monitor employees work habits.

Oh, you would be surprised. One of the minor annoyances in my last year at work was the installation of hundreds of cameras through BigFruityCorp's office complex. That plus the installation of card key access to each little building section, so our movement could be tracked, and we could be kept out of areas we weren't authorized to be in (like our meeting rooms, or labs where we were supposed to work on products, but couldn't get clearance for...)

It did make the retirement decision easier.

 

[kcowan]

One thing nice about Mexico is that our Mexican neighbors cover our backsides. Once you know them personally (and their families), they cover for you like family.

We went to the wedding of our maid and contributed generously. It is already paying dividends. Now she feels comfortable to goof off during the day but stays until she gets all her work done.

 

[Sarah in SC]

Keith, my dad spent about 5 years on a project in PV for a big company back when I was a young teen. He'd go there for a week every month establishing a farm operation.
He always remarked on how hospitable and trustworthy the folks were that he worked with, and that the project was received very favorably because of that.

 

[Alan]

Sell it or rent it.

When we came to USA on assignment we rented the house out. It worked great.

We are leaving next week to England where we will be renting a house for 7 months. The owners are in Australia on assigment so this is their solution as well.

In both instances above an agent dealt with the advertising and arrangements.

Next year we will probably do a house swap with relatives of DW's in Australia for several months.

 

[Bestwifeever]

When we came to USA on assignment we rented the house out. It worked great.

We are leaving next week to England where we will be renting a house for 7 months. The owners are in Australia on assigment so this is their solution as well.

In both instances above an agent dealt with the advertising and arrangements.

Next year we will probably do a house swap with relatives of DW's in Australia for several months.

Have a great trip! How many suitcases are involved?

What are you doing with your current US abode while you are overseas for seven months?

 

[REWahoo]

Alan, post your address and folks on the forum will keep an eye on your place while you're gone...

 

[haha]

I'd quit if I were the maid.

It's creepy.

It's especially creepy if she is stealing, or sitting down all day.

Like the guy says, there are cameras everywhere, observing us. Why shouldn't someone get to observe the person who is in charge of their home?

Ha

 

[Alan]

Have a great trip! How many suitcases are involved?

What are you doing with your current US abode while you are overseas for seven months?

Our son lives less than a block away and will be keeping an eye on the place, and driving our car to work for a few days each month.

We will be checking 2 suitcases each. We managed 10 weeks away last year with one suitcase each so it shouldn't be a problem.

Alan, post your address and folks on the forum will keep an eye on your place while you're gone...

Thanks for the offer, but I think I'll pass

 

[kcowan]

Why shouldn't someone get to observe the person who is in charge of their home?
Ha

I think that you don't understand the issue. It is not that the person is goofing of. It is that there is no trust.

We trust our maid to do the job. She might spend an hour with the neighbors but she still gets the job done. And the time she spends with our neighbors improves their perception of us as well.

 

[Bestwifeever]

It wouldn't bother me at all to have cameras where I worked as long as I knew they were there ("ready for my closeup")--I always assumed everything, such as internet use, was monitored anyway, even if it wasn't.

 

[haha]

I think that you don't understand the issue. It is not that the person is goofing of. It is that there is no trust.

We trust our maid to do the job. She might spend an hour with the neighbors but she still gets the job done. And the time she spends with our neighbors improves their perception of us as well.

Or at least we frame it differently. Since we are all under surveillance in developed contries much of the time, but with no announcement of that fact, what could be the issue with telling someone upfront, this house is monitored? Ethically it seems a step up from ordinary every day practice. Corporate employers do it all the time.

I do understand however that when well-to-do foreigners live in some one else's country, with likely partial understanding of the language and the customs, and take poor members of that host society into their homes, it is often a wise course to write off modest shrinkage to a protection fund.

Ha

 

[W2R]

It wouldn't bother me at all to have cameras where I worked as long as I knew they were there ("ready for my closeup")--I always assumed everything, such as internet use, was monitored anyway, even if it wasn't.

Hidden cameras were installed in the lobby of the building where I worked. Supposedly they were there for our protection, but many thought someone was checking on people sneaking out during working hours.

I didn't resent the cameras, but blew a kiss in their direction sometimes when nobody was looking...

 

[Bestwifeever]

Hidden cameras were installed in the lobby of the building where I worked. Supposedly they were there for our protection, but many thought someone was checking on people sneaking out during working hours.

I didn't resent the cameras, but blew a kiss in their direction sometimes when nobody was looking...

Sometimes I say "Hi, Mr. Banker!" to the president of the local bank when I use the drive-through and look at the camera over the ATM.

 

[e86s54]

I think that you don't understand the issue. It is not that the person is goofing of. It is that there is no trust.

Agreed, but the fact is that the majority of theft in businesses come from employees. It could be something a simple as theft or services (skipping out early or taking your home trash to the work dumpster), to stealing truckloads of inventory, to intellectual theft.

I find it funny if not naive that people say such things as "I'd quit if they installed cameras". They must be the same people who also don't realized that the phone/cell companies 1st issue when starting up, buying new equipment or launching news services is the ability to be intercepted. Yes our government requires all communications companies as a condition of license, to have lawful intercept abilities. I am prohibited to provide more specific detail as to how it was implemented where I worked, but it goes much deeper.

Today, industrial spying is widespread. Companies & governments now face an onslaught of intellectual theft. I worked for and with a few of the majors and let me tell you, they are scared s#itless over the inherent openness of a work environment. One company had to fire a couple of high level technical people who were later found to be spying for the Chinese. Upon further reflection, they knew when they hired one of them, that the person was "too good to be true" with regards to his experience and education. It was like he was pre-molded to fit within that company! Think about that next time you walk by a camera or use your pass-card at work.

 

[HFWR]

A video depiction of entering my building. However, the parking situation is much different...

YouTube - Get Smart

 

[Sarah in SC]

Some of work out here in the boonies with a key to the front door, e86. And we can pick up and go to work somewhere else if we decide whatever is ailing us (too much supervision or cameras or what-have-you).

I had to laugh about the trash in the dumpster comment--I have never worked anywhere where that might possibly trouble my boss!

Megacorp with the cameras isn't the only place to work, I promise.

 

[powerplay]

A video depiction of entering my building. However, the parking situation is much different...

YouTube - Get Smart

You work in the Tardis?

 

[calmloki]

Hidden cameras were installed in the lobby of the building where I worked. Supposedly they were there for our protection, but many thought someone was checking on people sneaking out during working hours.

I didn't resent the cameras, but blew a kiss in their direction sometimes when nobody was looking...

Worked at a car repair shop with cameras mounted high looking down the row of mechanics. Hated it. After a couple weeks I took a buried fuel tank level checking stick and pushed the camera closest to me up to look at the ceiling. Was fired shortly thereafter, based on that action, which suited me just fine.

 

[kcowan]

We had an employee spending too much time surfing the internet. We found it during a routine scan of internet activity through our server. Her boss challenged her and she quit shortly after (probably preferring a less diligent employer).

After that we developed a fair use policy for company resources so that people knew that a little bit of surfing was fine!

 

[e86s54]

I had to laugh about the trash in the dumpster comment--I have never worked anywhere where that might possibly trouble my boss!

Megacorp with the cameras isn't the only place to work, I promise.

Sarah,

Once again, there i more to it than that. Depending on the jurisdiction and type of service, trash can be expensive. For example here for businesses, the bylaw says that all waste needs to be separated, some trash is strictly prohibited and subject to fines. So when a company signs up for the service it generally needs to disclose the type of trash and they are told what is prohibited. Unauthorized regulated waste is subject to fines and surcharges.

I have worked for Mega, medium and small businesses and also owned two. To varying extents, this stuff applies to all. The difference now is that small companies can afford to buy and use this technology. Thus the proliferation.

E86

 

[e86s54]

A video depiction of entering my building. However, the parking situation is much different...

YouTube - Get Smart

Loved that show! Watch the following from the 1st episode at the 30 second mark! Who would have thought in 1965 that this would become a regular occurance (and one of the big reasons I no longer go to movie theaters.
YouTube - GET SMART - Episode 1 - Mr. Big (1965 TV Show) part 1 of 3

 

[Sarah in SC]

So you're saying I should be happy about working in a place I can bring my trash? Excellent! We also have a spacious back yard where I can practice hoopdancing at lunch, even if it is right next to the dumpster.

Maybe I just don't take all of this quite so seriously. All in good fun, sir.