Table of Contents

A. Introduction

B. All Users

C. For Diners (Additional)

D. For Caterers (Additional)

Introduction

Your safety is very important to us. We do what we can to address your online safety, whether it's protecting your personal details or monitoring for suspicious activities. But some of the responsibility of keeping safe is down to you.

It doesn't just involve keeping your password safe (although that's of course important too). It extends to all of your personal details, and (particularly when you attend a booking) you personally. Fortunately, most of it is common sense, but there may be things you are not aware of.

We'll take you through some of the main things to be vigilant about, to minimise the risk to you and make bookings the fun experience they are supposed to be.

Please note: We are not a legal body. This page does not represent legal advice. Instead, we aim to keep you informed about some of the the main dangers, and suggest ways you can handle them.

All Users

In-app

Never share your log-in details with anyone, particularly your password.

Be wary of "phishing", where someone attempts to trick you into giving them your personal details. Never give out any of your details in the app unless they are necessary.

• The other party does not need to know your address, phone number or other contact details until the booking is confirmed (although Diners may need to tell Caterers which general area they live in, so the Caterer knows how much travel time to plan for).
• Do not give specific payment details, such as your bank account number (Caterers) or credit card number (Diners), until payment is due. (However, more generally, you may need to agree up-front on your preferred payment method (e.g. via bank transfer).
• Verify any web links that you are provided, to ensure that they are not for bogus sites that may attempt to collect your information. CateredAtHome web links will always start with "https://www.cateredathome.com" or "https://cateredathome.com".
• We will never ask for any of the following. If a communication appears to come from us, asking for any of these details, or claiming any of the following, then it is not genuine:
  • Anything from SMS or WhatsApp messages. (We don't send them.)
  • Your log-in details.
  • Your full credit card number or your bank account details.
  • Anything related to the process of payment between Diners and Caterers. (We handle Caterer subscriptions only. Other payments are a matter for you and the other party directly.)
  • Confirmation of booking details. (This is a matter for you and the other party directly.)
  • The employment of Caterers. (We are a marketplace, and do not employ Caterers.)
  • The endorsement of Caterers or catering companies.
  • Firms or people offering a third-party

Keep all communications through the app, to ensure that there is a single, easily-traceable record in case disputes.

If you feel uncomfortable with someone and feel you can mention it to them, then politely but candidly do so - after all, they may not be aware of what they are doing, and most are reasonable and understanding people.

If they persist, or it's something you don't feel you can't talk to them about, then you can block them from contacting you, although:

• You will need to cancel any bookings with them first.
• If they have access to your phone number or email address, then you will have to handle those separately.

You can also report users by logging in, going to their profile page, and clicking the "Report User" link.

Not everything turns out to plan, and you should expect to be reasonably flexible. Before the booking is due to commence, verify what was agreed and discuss anything that has changed. If there are material differences that you are not happy with, either party may want to cancel the booking.

During a Booking (In Person)

Personal safety is the priority. If you feel that you are in immediate danger, call the police on 999.

If you feel uncomfortable with someone and feel you can mention it to them, then politely but candidly do so - after all, they may not be aware of what they are doing, and most are reasonable and understanding people.

For Diners (Additional)

In addition to the All Users section:

In-app

Before considering making a booking:

• Read their user reviews, to see what others have to say.
• See how many bookings they have had in the past, to get an idea of how popular they are.
• Follow up on any details they give in their profile, e.g. qualifications.
• We recommend that you insist on paying during or after the booking, not before.

When a booking is confirmed, but in good time before it commences:

• Agree the time and payment method. Keep the payment process simple, and avoid (and treat as suspicious) links to payment websites. Choose a secure payment method, such as a bank transfer (rather than, for example, PayPal), because it minimises the risk from fraud and scammers. Credit cards may also provide consumer protections, but you would need to contact your card provider about this.
• Confirm how many people will be attending your house, and who they are. If you are uncomfortable about the number they give you, then cancel the booking.
• If the Caterer has said that they have a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate, which is a copy of their criminal record, then feel free to request a copy and check it over.

During a Booking (In Person)

Take pictures or footage of your kitchen before and after, to ensure that items and the condition of your kitchen is the same before as afterwards.

Ensure that others are with you from the beginning, so that:

• You can feel safer and more comfortable.
• You have back-up in case things go wrong.
• There are witnesses who can vouch for you.

Ask for proof of ID (e.g. driving licence or passport) to verify that they are who they claim they are, and keep a note in case things go wrong.

If there's anything you thought about that you have not yet mentioned, chat about it before they start, so that there are no lingering misunderstandings or omissions.

Stay in the room with the Caterer, and monitor their activities (while maintaining a respectful distance and without making them feel uncomfortable).

If you are not happy with the Caterer's conduct, then politely warn them and ask them to stop.

In irreconcilable circumstances, you can ask them to leave - it's your house after all. You should try to obtain evidence of their conduct, in case they formally complain that you agreed the booking and then reneged on it after they had arrived.

When the time comes to pay:

• Be wary if you are directed to a website to pay. Ensure that website is legitimate.
• Only provide the details necessary to make the payment.
• Pay only by the agreed method. Do not allow the Caterer to insist on a payment method that was not agreed on and that you are not comfortable with.
• In the case of multiple payments (e.g. a deposit followed by the remainder), always pay to the same bank account, using the same payment method and card/account, for all transactions. This minimises the risk of fraud.
• Beware of overpayment scams, where a user claims to have overpaid, and asks you to send back the excess. When you do this, they cancel the original payment, leaving you out of pocket. (More details are on this Wikipedia page.) You can protect yourself against this by:
  • Using a safe and secure payment method, such as bank transfer and not PayPal.
  • Paying back using the same payment method as the original payment.
  • Waiting to see that the money is in their account, and confirming the overpayment, before refunding the difference.

For Caterers (Additional)

In addition to the All Users section:

In-app

Consider carrying out a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check to get a copy of your criminal record. More details are given on the government website. You can then advertise its availability on your profile to give Diners an extra peace of mind. However, be prepared to provide a copy on request.

Keep a list of things you want the Diner to provide. In good time before the booking is due to commence, ask the Diner for those things. For example:

• Whether they want to provide the ingredients.
• That they are happy to pay at a certain time.
• That they are happy to pay in a specific manner, e.g. by credit card or bank transfer.

Before the booking is due to commence, when you have the Diner's location and phone number, check that:

• The Diner's address exists (e.g. by looking it up online).
• The address is valid (e.g. it's not an impossible address, such as historic public building).
• The phone number is valid (e.g. by calling the Diner to verify details).

During a Booking (In Person)

Keep evidence of what you have prepared, and ensure that you keep details of any payments in case of payment or service disputes.

Before concluding the booking, check your account to see that payment has been transferred successfully.