15 House Sitting Requirements You Can’t Afford to Ignore!
Are you interested in becoming a house sitter but don’t know what the must-have house sitting requirements are? You’ve come to the right place!
House sitting’s a unique way to travel, experience new areas like a local, and save big on accommodations. That’s a big reason why it’s my family’s favorite way to travel. We’ve been doing it together since 2018!
However, house sitting also comes with significant responsibilities. Homeowners are entrusting you with their most valuable assets – their home and often beloved pets.
As veteran house sitters who’ve cared for all types of properties worldwide, we know firsthand the key requirements and best practices for success.
Here are the top must-know house sitting requirements for aspiring house sitters!
Basic House Sitting Requirements
While there are no official or legal requirements for housesitting, there are certain things you need to know or do for home or pet owners to consider you for their house sitting needs.
1. Proven Experience and Solid References
One of the most important house sitting requirements requirements is having demonstrable house sitting experience and a roster of positive references.
Homeowners want proof that you can handle caring for their home and pets while they’re away. References from previous house sits, pet sitting gigs, landlords, or even employers can go a long way in establishing your credibility.
2. Clean Background and Proper Vetting
A clean criminal background is generally expected, especially for higher-end house sitting opportunities. Trusted HouseSitters includes one in its membership costs.
Some homeowners may even request an official background check before hiring you. This vetting process helps provide them with peace of mind that their property is in safe, trustworthy hands.
-> If you want 25% off your first-year membership, then click here for our Trusted House Sitters discount code!
3. Education, Skills, and Communication
While not always mandatory, having at least a high school diploma or GED is typically preferred because it means you have a certain age level so that home owners will be comfortable with you staying in their home unsupervised.
Organizational, problem-solving, and communication skills are essential for house sitters. You’ll need to coordinate with homeowners, manage unexpected issues, and offer updates during their travels.
If you’re under 18, your best bet is to get pet care gigs that don’t require staying in someone’s home or jobs that are for friends, family, or neighbors.
4. Proven Reliability and Honesty
Reliability and honesty are critical requirements. Homeowners need to know they can count on you to be present at the agreed-upon times, follow rules and instructions to a T, and be upfront about any accidents or issues that may occur.
Demonstrable customer service skills are also important. When we were asked to walk one of our house sit dogs over to a neighbors house for a bath the next day, I agreed because I wanted to make the owners happy.
5. Understanding of Liability and Insurance
Homeowners insurance and liability are aspects you’ll need to understand and potentially address.
Some owners may require you to carry homeowner’s insurance, while others may outline specifics around liability for damages in a formal agreement.
We haven’t had this come up ourselves yet but be prepared to have the conversation.
House Sitting Best Practices
These house sitting best practices are so important that I mentally consider them house sitting requirements.
6. Get Everything in Writing
When it comes to formal agreements, a written contract outlining expectations, responsibilities, schedule, and any unique terms is customary for house sitting arrangements.
This offers protection for both parties and establishes mutual understanding right from the beginning.
7. Prepare Thoroughly in Advance
Prior to the homeowner’s departure, take time to thoroughly prepare. Study the home’s layout, locate important items like circuits and shutoffs, test all alarms, and walk through pet care routines.
Ask for this information if the homeowner doesn’t proactively show you where it is or how it works.
Discuss all expectations and responsibilities up front, no matter how small. Create checklists for recurring tasks like plant watering, mail collection, etc.
8. Have Pet Care Experience
The majority of house sitting jobs involve caring for pets like dogs, cats, birds, fish, and more. Having proven experience and comfort with various pet types is crucial.
You should understand different animal behaviors, potential medical needs, feeding routines, the ability to administer medications if required, and how to respond to pet medical emergencies.
9. Maintain Home Security
Keeping the home secure is a top priority for homeowners when they’re away. Familiarize yourself with all locks, alarms, outdoor lighting, etc. You don’t want to have any house sitting problems!
Follow security protocols like keeping windows locked, activating alarm systems, and being watchful of any suspicious activity around the property that should be reported.
10. Offer Flexibility and Availability
Flexibility is key in the house sitting world, both in terms of your personal schedule and ability to adapt to changing circumstances that arise.
You may need to adjust your dates, for example, if the homeowner has a flight delay returning. This is partly why we never schedule flights out on the same day a homeowner returns, so we can adapt our plans to theirs if needed.
Clear availability during the confirmed house sitting period is also required to avoid last-minute cancellations.
11. Perform Basic Maintenance
While certified contractors would handle larger maintenance issues, some homeowners expect basic handyman skills from their house sitters.
This includes ability to change air filters, unclog drains, replace batteries, light bulbs, and more. Understanding how to troubleshoot common household system issues is very helpful.
12. Provide Yard Work and Gardening
If the home has gardens, planters, or landscaping, you’ll likely be tasked with basic yard work and gardening duties.
This can include watering plants, mowing the lawn, raking leaves, weeding garden beds, and potentially even repairing minor fence damage. Outdoor maintenance helps preserve the home’s curb appeal.
13. Communicate Frequently
Establish an agreed-upon communication schedule with the homeowners, and stick to it diligently with frequent updates, photos, or videos to let them know all is well.
Promptly respond any time they message with questions, and notify them immediately if any issues, damage, or incidents occur at the property.
14. Respect the Home
Above all else, you must treat the homeowner’s property with the utmost respect. Follow any rules about things like having guests over, smoking, noise levels, etc.
Keep the home clean and tidy during your stay, and be prepared to leave it in impeccable condition when they return. We always plan for the day before the homeowner returns to be our cleaning day.
15. Have Reliable Transportation
Having your own reliable transportation is a must as a house sitter. You may need to run errands like grocery shopping, take pets to the vet, handle maintenance tasks, and more.
If house sitting in an unfamiliar area or a big city with good public transit, like Kuala Lumpur or Mexico City, research local public transit as a backup option as well.
The Bottom Line on House Sitting Requirements
As you can see, house sitting is much more than a free place to stay. It’s a big responsibility that requires experience, skills, dedication, and the ability to put homeowners at ease.
By focusing on the key house sitting requirements around experience, background checks, skills, communication, and more, you’ll increase your chances of landing sought-after house sitting opportunities around the world.
Happy house sitting!
FAQs for House Sitting Requirement & Guidelines
Do you still have questions about the requirements for housesitting? Here are answers to some frequently asked questions to help you out!
What are the Legal Requirements for House Sitting?
There are no specific legal requirements for house sitting.
However, to ensure positive feedback and repeat invitations, house sitters need to demonstrate reliability, respect the homeowner’s property, and adhere to any agreed-upon duties and guidelines.
What are you supposed to do when house sitting?
When house sitting, you are responsible for maintaining the home’s security and cleanliness, as well as caring for any pets or plants as per the homeowner’s instructions.
It’s essential to keep the property in good condition and promptly communicate with the homeowner about any issues or updates.
What should you not do when house sitting?
When house sitting, you should not invite guests over without the homeowner’s explicit permission or neglect the agreed-upon responsibilities and routines for home maintenance and pet care.
Should a house sitter clean?
Yes, a house sitter should definitely clean. Regular tidying is essential throughout the stay, and a thorough cleaning session is conducted the day before the homeowners return to ensure everything is in pristine condition.
Can you have friends over while house-sitting?
Generally, it is not advisable to have friends over while house-sitting.
However, if you seek and obtain prior permission from the homeowners and ensure that the presence of guests will not cause additional stress to any pets in the home, an exception may be made.
Is house-sitting a good way to make money?
House-sitting can be a great way to save money on accommodations while traveling, but it’s generally not considered a primary source of income.
Most opportunities offer free lodging in exchange for taking care of the homeowner’s property and pets, rather than a paycheck.
Should you leave a gift after house-sitting?
Not it’s not required to leave a gift after house-sitting. Once we bought breakfast essentials for a family with small children because they returned on a late night flight.
Another time we left some wine for the homeowners, since we couldn’t take it with us to our next destination. But generally we don’t buy gifts for homeowners or pet owners.
