A new Charlottetown company is taking care of business when you’re not home

MANY TRAVELLERS FORGET to pack one thing when they go on vacation: a clear conscience. Forgetting to water the plants or feed the fish can cause fretful moments when you’re sitting on the beach, so Rick Milsom decided to have your back by starting PEI Home Check. When Milsom retired from the Toronto Police Service in 2013, the 35-year veteran was looking for a new adventure and decided on a whim to move to Charlottetown. It was on a trip back home to Ontario for his daughter’s graduation when Milsom realized he didn’t have anyone to look after his two cats. “That planted a seed: there must be other people in that position who might not have that network in place who travel,” Milsom explains.

Most homeowners believe paying monthly premiums for home insurance covers them while they’re away, but that’s not always the case. If you don’t have someone come and check on the house, you may have to pay for the damage caused by the leaky pipe that flooded your basement. Policies vary (some need daily check-ins, while others cover seven-day vacations) so Milsom advises homeowners to check with their insurance companies to see how they are covered.

PEI Home Check’s services scrutinize the house on a predetermined periodic basis, ticking off elements of the checklist (like watering plants and watching for plumbing leaks) and take timestamped photos of the interior and exterior that are sent to the clients in the moment. He also makes sure to collect any mail or flyers overflowing from the mailbox to make the house look lived in and, for an extra fee, will feed your cats, birds or fish. Greater Charlottetown snowbirds no longer need to worry about ice-clogged gutters, and summer travellers can enjoy family vacations without wondering if their house is infested with skunks.