What is House Sitting?

And What to Expect:

Have you ever thought, “What is house sitting”? That’s a great question. If you are away from home for an extended period of time, house sitters watch your home. If you travel out of the country or for a business trip, a house sitter can help. You may also need someone to look after your pets and/or plants. This is where house sitting benefits you. Hiring professionals like TLC is easy to do. Our team will stay in your home and care for it while you are away. House sitting includes the overall upkeep of your home. This can often include taking care of the plants, retrieving your mail and in some cases, looking out for burglaries.

However, as straightforward as it sounds, conflicts may arise if both parties have not clarified the terms and expectations. To make that clear, we’ve put together a list for both parties.

Home Owners – What to Expect

House sitting is a two way street, with both parties having their own expectations. As a homeowner, it is pretty clear that what they expect out of a house sitter:

1. Home owners expect you to be trustworthy enough to leave their home, property and pets in your care.
2. They expect you to look after their plants if they have any.
3. If it is a part of the agreement, they expect you to look after their pool, garden area and keep the house tidy without displacing anything in it.
4. They expect you to keep them updated on their pet’s health.

House Sitter’s Expectations

House sitters also have a set of expectations. These should be carefully laid in front of the homeowner during the agreement process.

1. House sitter expects the homeowner to give them complete information about their pet, their eating habits, if they have any allergies, about their temperament and how they like to be handled.
2. A professional sitters expects the homeowner to provide them with proper living accommodation in the house, with a bedroom, proper space for hanging clothes and a space to carry out their day-to-day activities.
3. House sitter expects the house to be in a clean and tidy state without any risk factors involved. They don’t expect to see any plumbing issues, leakages, infestations or any kind of damages.
4. If the house sitter is working remotely, they  expect  internet connectivity with all the downtime issues taken care of.
5. There should be no pending utility bills, electricity bill or internet charges that the house sitter might have to deal with in your absence.
6. If the house is situated in far and remote areas, house sitter expects to be provided with a vehicle to commute for getting groceries or for emergencies. If a vehicle cannot be provided, then at least a car rental services should be accessible nearby.