Every home service hire is really two decisions: will the work be good, and is the person safe to let inside your home? Most advice covers the first and ignores the second. Here's a framework for both.
The five checks that actually matter
1. Identity verification — non-negotiable
Anyone working inside your home should be identity-verified — government ID collected and checked by someone accountable. A phone number on a sticker is not verification. This is the single biggest advantage of organised platforms over the informal market: on EliteCrew, every professional completes KYC (Aadhaar, PAN, selfie match) before their first job.
2. Price before, not after
The oldest trick in the informal market is the quote that grows at your doorstep: "sir, the part is different for your model." Insist on prices fixed before the visit — a rate card or an app-listed price. If a job might need parts, the diagnosis charge and parts policy should be clear upfront.
3. A trackable record
One person's recommendation is a sample size of one. Look for a track record across many jobs — ratings that can't be deleted, a job history, and a platform that removes chronic bad performers. Ask the informal electrician for references and you'll get his two happiest customers; a rating system shows you everyone.
4. Accountability when things go wrong
Ask one question: "If this breaks again next week, what happens?" The right answer involves a redo, a warranty period, or a support channel — not a switched-off phone. Digital invoices matter here: they're proof of what was done and paid.
5. Payment after work, through a record
Paying cash in advance removes your only leverage. Pay after completion, digitally where possible, and keep the invoice. On EliteCrew, jobs even start with an OTP you share only when the professional arrives — so the person at your door is provably the person assigned.
