House sitting is where you arrange for someone else to stay in and care for your home while you are away.
A house sitter is the person who lives in your home during your absence, and takes care of everything for you.
House sitting assignments are varied. Every home owner has different needs, and different expectations of what their house sitter can/will do for them. There is however a generally accepted "standard".
As a starting point, most house sits involve the house sitter moving in to your home when you go away. The house sitter assumes the total responsibility of caring for your home, property, gardens, and pets. The house sitter is expected to care for and maintain ALL aspects of your home, with the standard of care being no less than your own.
Your house sitter is expected to maintain the security of your home, and to take all reasonable steps to ensure the safety and security of your home and possessions.
Your house sitter is usually expected to pay for any/all utilities, such as electricity, telephone, gas, water etc, that they use while staying in your home.
Your house sitter is not usually paid for house sitting your property. In exchange for caring for your home, the house sitter simply expects to receive rent-free accommodation while you are away.
House sitters come from all walks of life. Young people to retirees, single people, couples, and families. Anyone who would like to find alternative, temporary accommodation may look to house sitting as an option.
A house sitter will take care of all the usual everyday tasks involved with running and maintaining a home. These may include cleaning, gardening, lawn mowing, garbage disposal, pool maintenance, general security, and caring for your pets.
In addition, you may wish to have your house sitter pay regular bills, readdress mail, or other similar tasks.
Business persons who work from home often find that a house sitter with suitable aptitude can be invaluable in helping to keep things running efficiently while they are away.
There are many benefits associated with having a house sitter. The most obvious of these is convenience, not having to dismantle your household in order to rent, or avoiding the complications of imposing on friends, relatives or neighbours to care for your pets.
Having a house sitter also affords you flexibility. If you need to come back early your home is not tied up in a lease, as it would be if you were to take on a tenant, so you can actually settle back into your own home whenever you return.
Having a house sitter living in and caring for your home is also great for security. It is infinitely better than leaving your home empty, or just having someone drop by every now and then. Having your home occupied is a natural deterrent, and a good house sitter will ensure that the integrity and security of your home is vigilantly maintained.
Pet care is often the major concern for people when going away. A house sitter cares for and pampers your pet/s in their own home, reducing stress to the animal, and saving you the hefty fees involved in boarding, or the hassle finding someone else to care for them.
For house sits lasting more than a couple of weeks it is common for the house sitter to pay for what they use (electricity, telephone, gas). Fixed bills such as land rates, mortgage payments, and so on are not usually the house sitters responsibility.
It is very important to ensure that you have a current Building and Contents Insurance Policy covering your home for the duration of your time away. You should also contact your insurance provider to discuss a house sitter and their view on this.
Many insurance companies prefer you to have a house sitter providing security while you are away. Some companies actually offer reduced insurance premiums if you use a house sitter any time you go away.
If you would like your house sitter to sign an agreement with you, we are here to help. We have an appropriate House Sitting Agreement available, which is similar to a standard rental agreement and covers the terms and conditions under which a house sitter may occupy your home.
We believe that by focusing 100% on home owners is the key to a healthy house sitting community.
Professional house sitters are house sitters who charge a fee for their services and are generally willing to take on short assignments.
To save you time.
We only send you details of people who have expressed interest in your actual position. They know the particulars of your assignment and have asked to have their details sent to you. We'll also include a link to their private house sitter profile for you to view.
