What Happens in a Homestay Inspection?
If you’re looking to become a host family with HFS London, you might be wondering what to expect when a homestay inspector comes to assess your home.
This process is simple and shouldn’t be anything to worry about – but here you’ll be able to read a little about what we might look for – or ask you – during the inspection.
How Long Does the Homestay Visit Take?
This can vary from host to host, and it also depends on the size of your property too. We recommend allowing 60 minutes for the inspection though.
Who are your Inspectors?
Our inspectors are all very friendly and professional. Some of our inspectors have also been hosts with HFS, so they should be helpful in answering any questions you might have about the process and the experience.
What does an Inspector do During the Visit?
The main aim of our homestay visit is to understand why you’d like to host students in your home, and also to inspect that your home meets all the requirements of the educational institutions that we work with.
Gaynor, an experienced host and inspector, says:
“When I come to visit, my role is to get to know you a bit, understand your motivations for hosting and answer any questions you may have. It’s also an opportunity for me to provide you with some information about hosting and what our requirements as a homestay provider are”
An inspector will also take a look around your property and home to ensure that it is suitable for a student to live in, and that facilities are in working order as well as assessing the safety / accessibility of the local area too.
The inspector will also take photographs of the student’s room, and any common living areas, as these images will be provided to prospective students, clients and agents to show what the property looks like. For this reason, it’s always good to make the house tidy and clean before an inspector visits – so that your home is shown in the best way possible.
Your Inspector is There to Help you too
The reason we do a face-to-face visit, isn’t just for our benefit. It’s to help you, as a host, too. We understand you might have lots of questions about becoming a host family, and we’ve had great feedback from host families that their time with the inspector helped them ask questions and clear up any confusion.
It’s a fantastic chance to ask everything you need to ask, so we recommend writing down any questions you have – so you don’t forget anything on the day.
Our Inspections Officer will also take this chance to run through certain things with you, such as your expectations, what the booking procedures are like, the different boards and meal plans you could offer, setting Ground Rules for your home, and general procedures.
When the inspector leaves, you should feel confident in the process and excited to accept your first homestay student and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a homestay host family.
If you’re reading this and are interested in becoming a host family, then do get in touch with us. Once we’ve had a chat and we’re both happy to go ahead, then we’ll organise a visit on a date that suits you!
