House sitting is one of the most underrated professions. The house sitter is trusted with the home, the personal items within, and even the furry members of the house if any. Basically, the owner wants the sitter to impersonate him/herself while they are away.
For those who do not know what house sitting is, it means to live in and look after the house, while the owner is away for day(s) for several reasons. Every house-sitter wants to make the homeowner happy post-return. If you want to do that too, you need to be more informed and take your job more seriously.
That being said, below, we have rounded up seven things that you must know if you are looking for a career as a house sitter!
1. The contact information of the homeowner
You may think, isn’t it obvious? As a house sitter, you are supposed to have the contact information of the owners, but most times, house sitters think that this means only the cell number of the owner.
As house sitters, you need to have the information of the hotel the owners are staying at, and also a copy of the travel itinerary. This way, in case of a crisis, you have multiple ways at hand to reach out to them.
2. The emergency numbers
This one is a must-have (MUST-must have!). You need to always be prepared for the worst, and you can never predict what can happen during your house-sitting hours.
So, seek access to all local emergency numbers. This also includes you having the numbers of the neighbors and the family members of the owners who can lend a helping hand in crunch situations.
3. Seek access to all alarm codes
Even though this point is not applicable to all house owners and house sitters, if you have an alarm, at the front door, or anywhere else in the house, the house sitter must have all the codes related to it.
As house sitters, you need to know how to override the system and it can be really embarrassing if you don’t. So, make sure to have all the alarm codes for the property you will be responsible for during your house-sitting hours.
4. Respecting the house rules
Every house has its own set of rules, and even if there is no one looking after whether you are following them or not, you should respect them. Depending on the house owner, the rules can either be too rigid, or soft.
For instance, some owners don’t mind you around the property walking with dirty shoes, some owners would. Some would like you to use the sauna, some won’t. So, make sure you have listed rules and regulations from the owners that you are expected to follow while on their property.
5. Your guests are not welcome
Sometimes, as house sitters, when no one’s around, you might get tempted to allow some visitors inside. I never recommend it as this might open up a whole new set of potential issues. Besides, most homeowners consider it a breach.
So, it is always nice to respect your job and even if there is no one watching over you, you should not invite anyone. Even for the owners who are considerate, it’s wise to not to do it as in case any trouble arises, you will be held responsible for it.
6. Taking care of the pet
If you are house-sitting Australia that has a pet, there is added responsibility. If you are pet- friendly, it might be easier for you but if you are not, it’s going to be a tough task.
You need to be one hundred percent clear on the needs and demands of the pet. This includes their waking hours, sleeping hours, food requirements, cleaning requirements, and medications requirements if any.
7. Other responsibilities
As house sitters, your other responsibilities may differ depending on the house owners and your scope of work. This includes cutting and trimming the lawn, taking out the trash, the food requirements, the cleaning requirements, and other things of importance like picking up the mail and more.
Make sure you know exactly all that needs to be done and how it is supposed to be done. You might also seek a task list from the owners to ensure that you don’t leave any tasks unfinished.
Over to you…
If you are willing to offer house-sitting as a service, I am sure you know that it is a lot of responsibility. And if you are looking for a healthy start, these tips should be enough!
