What does a house sitter do?

A house sitter lives in someone's home while they're away, looks after their pets, keeps the home safe and running, and keeps the owners in the loop. Here is what that involves on a Home Tales sit, from agreeing it to handing back the keys.

Before the sit

The host lists their home with the dates, the pets and what they'd like help with, and sitters apply with a message. The two talk, often by video call, and agree the details in writing through Home Tales messages: arrival and departure times, house rules, pet care, use of a car, visitors, and how often the host would like updates. Once the host accepts and the sitter confirms, the sit is booked.

The host then writes a welcome pack, which the sitter reads before arriving. It covers:

• Arriving: getting there, parking, and how the handover will work.
• Keys, codes and alarm: kept private, and only shown to the sitter from a week before the sit until three days after it ends.
• Pet routines: feeding, walks, medication, habits and the vet.
• The home: heating, appliances, bins, plants and anything with a knack to it.
• Emergencies: who to call, where the stopcock and fuse box are, and what to do if a pet is unwell.
• Leaving: what the host would like done before the sitter goes.

Hosts writing their first welcome pack can follow Getting Your Home Ready for a Sitter, a 15-minute course for hosts.

Arriving and the handover

Ideally the host is there to show the sitter round: the pets and their routines, the keys and alarm, and the quirks of the house. Notes in the welcome pack are useful, but meeting the pets with their owner present helps everyone settle in.

Every day

• Pets come first. Feeding, walks, play, medication and company, keeping to the routine the pets know. Many pets can't be left for long, so the sitter's day is planned around them.
• Looking after the home. Keeping it secure, locking up and setting the alarm, watering plants, putting the bins out and keeping things clean and tidy.
• Treating the home with respect. Following the house rules, and not having visitors unless the host has agreed.

Keeping in touch

Hosts choose how often they'd like updates. If they want them, Home Tales schedules a "Settling in" update on the first day, a check-in every few days during the sit, and a "Handover" update on the last day, and reminds the sitter when one is due. Sitters can also share moments at any time: a photo of the dog asleep on the sofa, or the first tomato from the greenhouse.

When things go wrong

A good sitter stays calm, follows the welcome pack and tells the host. That might mean taking a pet to the vet, turning off the water at the stopcock after a leak, or calling a contact the host has listed. If anyone is in danger, call 999 first.

Leaving

The sitter leaves the home as they found it: clean, tidy, bedding washed if asked, bins out, pets fed, and keys returned as agreed. A "Handover" update on the last day lets the host know how everything is before they get back.

After the sit

Once the sit has ended, the host and the sitter can review each other. The host can also tip the sitter, or a guaranteed tip is paid when the sit is complete. See how much to tip a house sitter.

Learning the role

Every Home Tales sitter passes House Sitting Basics, a free course covering everything above, before they can apply for sits. Pet Care & Safety, Home Guardian: Homes & Emergencies and Rural Sits: Horses, Poultry & Livestock go further, and each qualification shows on the sitter's profile.