printer friendly version

Who’s on your estate?

Among the abundant lifestyle incentives and quality amenities, one of the key attractions of residential estates is the level of security they provide to homeowners. In South Africa, a country with one of the highest crime rates in the world, citizens who can afford the luxury of estate living find comfort in knowing that their properties and loved ones are protected from criminal activity.

With security being a top draw card, it is important to ensure that not only is the property well secured, but also that the estate employees pose no risk.

Rudi Kruger, general manager of risk management at LexisNexis Data Services says that it is for this reason that priority should be placed on screening estate security employees. “Background screening helps management make informed decisions by improving transparency and disclosure. It is imperative that estate security management run verification checks on all employees to protect residents from criminals in disguise, who could potentially use their positions to invade the personal space of unsuspecting residents.”

Nobody can predict the future but an evaluation of a candidate’s history will quickly give you an idea of their integrity and credibility.

Kruger added that the following checks could be included to form a complete picture of the candidate:

• ID verification

• Criminal checks

• Qualification checks

• Fraud listing

• Employment history

• Fit and proper screening

• Professional association membership

• Driver’s licence

• Bank verification

• Rapid personality questionnaires

• Business background search

• Professional driving permit

• Consumer Goods Council verification

• Citizenship verification

• Director/member confirmation

With the assistance of Lexis RefCheck, a hiring manager is in a more knowledgeable position when it comes to the hiring of estate employees, thereby limiting risk. Lexis RefCheck services include verification of tertiary and secondary academic qualifications held by the individual from registered local and international institutions, identity and South African citizenship validation, fraud history checks via the South African Fraud Prevention Services, credit history checks through detailed TransUnion and Experian credit bureau reports, criminal history check via AFISwitch (electronic fingerprint collection and processing), verification of local and international employment history and professional association membership, and matching of bank account against an identity number or registration number.

For more information, visit: http://www.lexisnexis.co.za/our-solutions/private-sector/risk-management/refcheck.aspx

Share this article:

Further reading: