If you have been trying to talk a parent through the same problem over the phone, a visit is usually quicker and less frustrating for both of you. One known local person, in person, at their pace.
Things I can help with
These are the things that usually come up when a family arranges a visit.
- Getting to grips with a phone or tablet.
- Photographs and messaging.
- Email, and keeping on top of it.
- The NHS App, online forms and government services.
- Passwords and two-factor authentication.
- Recognising the warning signs of a scam.
- Wi-Fi, printers and setting up a new device.
- Moving everything across to a new phone or computer.
Arranging help for a parent
If you have been trying to talk a parent through the same problem over the phone, a visit is usually quicker and less frustrating for both of you. You are welcome to arrange it and to pay for it.
- One person, and the same person every time You will know who is coming, because it is only ever me.
- The visit is with your parent They are the customer. Their consent is needed before I touch any device.
- An update only if they agree to it If they would like you to have a short summary, I will send one — within whatever they are happy to share.
- No access to their accounts for you or for me Booking a visit does not give anyone access to private account information.
After the visit
Your parent gets a short written note of what was covered and what to try next. That is theirs, and it is written for them rather than about them.
If they would like you to have a summary too, I am glad to send one — within whatever they are happy to share. If they would rather you did not, that is their decision to make, and I will not go around it.
Your accounts stay yours
A lot of people reasonably want to know what happens with their passwords before they let anyone near their device. Here is the whole of it.
- You type your own passwords. Always. I will show you where to type them, and then look away.
- I do not keep your passwords or recovery codes. Nothing is written down, photographed or stored.
- No banking, no money, no decisions. I will not operate your online banking, move money, buy investments or make financial decisions for you. I will never ask for a banking password or a card PIN.
- Remote access is booked, temporary and closed afterwards. You start the session, it uses a fresh code, and I check the connection is disconnected at the end. I do not keep unattended access to your computer.
- If anything about consent or authority is unclear, I stop. That applies to family bookings too.
How I help with passwords, two-factor authentication and scam awareness
What it costs
Prices are per appointment, not per hour, and travel is included across the published core area. There is no charge for the introductory call.
£89
Home appointment, 90 minutes. For a first visit, several problems in one go, setting up a new device, or a proper teaching session.
| Returning home appointment | £59 | 60 minutes, for a focused follow-up once we know each other. |
|---|---|---|
| Remote support, short | £30 | 30 minutes, booked on a Friday. |
| Remote support, longer | £55 | 60 minutes, booked on a Friday. |
| Introductory telephone call | Free | Up to 15 minutes, to work out what you need and whether I can help. |
Where I visit
Home visits take place across Loughborough and nearby villages, Monday to Thursday. I keep ordinary journeys to about 20 minutes from north-west Loughborough so that more of the appointment day is spent helping people, not driving.
Travel is included when I confirm that your address is within the area. Journey times change with traffic and the exact address, so I check the postcode before agreeing a visit.
Places I normally cover
- Loughborough: Thorpe Acre, Dishley, Knightthorpe, Garendon, Storer, the town centre, Ashby Road, Nanpantan, Forest side, Shelthorpe and Woodthorpe.
- Nearby villages: Shepshed, Quorn, Hathern, Long Whatton, Cotes, Stanford on Soar and Normanton on Soar.
Close to the boundary — please ask first
Barrow upon Soar, Woodhouse, Woodhouse Eaves, Sutton Bonington, West Leake, Kegworth, Diseworth, Belton and Burton on the Wolds can fall inside or outside the limit depending on the address and traffic. Send your postcode and I will check it before booking.
Who you would be inviting in
I am Si. I have spent 30 years working in professional IT, and I now do something more useful with it: helping people one at a time, in their own homes.
Most of my working life has been about explaining technical things to people who did not want to become technical. That is the part I am good at. I will not talk down to you, and I will not pretend something is obvious when it is not.
The approach is the same every time. Solve the immediate problem. Explain what happened in plain language. Let you practise it while I am still there. Leave you a short note. Agree what to do next, if anything.
You stay in control of your devices and your accounts. You type your own passwords. I do not keep your passwords or recovery codes, and I will not take control of your banking or make financial decisions for you.
Tell me what you would like to sort out
The business telephone number and enquiry form will appear here before bookings open.
Home visits run Monday to Thursday, in slots through the day. Remote support is booked on Fridays and is currently for customers I have already visited.