Problems a Housesitter Can Face - How to Avoid or Manage Them

Becoming a housesitter is, in my experience, a wonderful thing.

It's a rare opportunity to explore the world, live like a local, meet people from around the globe and all with the added benefit of having a comfortable home to look after and the companionship of some (usually gorgeous!) pets.

The benefits of being a housesitter are infinite and to the homeowner too, using a housesitter has many advantages.

These include knowing that their home and pets are being well cared for in their absence and not needing to pay animal care fees when they are away.

With this being the real world, however, nothing comes without its potential down-sides and pitfalls. Housesitting is no exception.

Problems can arise when you are a housesitter which you might not have foreseen or prepared for. These can also come in a variety of guises.

Therefore, in this post let me present some of the potential problems that could be encountered as a housesitter and how they can be avoided, or if they do occur, dealt with.

Before continuing, I will add that in my experience problems as a housesitter occur rarely. If and when anything does occur then it can often be managed promptly with common sense and good communication... so don't be put off from joining the housesitting community by a few 'what-ifs'!

To learn much more about the processes of housesitting for both owner and sitter, please read my earlier posts here.

Potential Problems Encountered By A Housesitter & How To Avoid Or Manage Them

A Communication Break-Down

When in the process of setting up and carrying out a housesit, it is of course imperative that communication lines between yourself (the sitter) and the homeowner are open and effective.

For most of my housesit arrangements I use the website and housesitting community, TrustedHousesitters and so initially communication with an owner is over the secure message service the website provide. This usually works well and often people respond quickly to messages and enquiries.

However, attempting to contact an owner and not getting a response for an agreed sit when you need details to make arrangements can be frustrating and does happen.

These issues with communication are always going to be a potential problem, particularly when setting up international housesits with different time-zones and maybe in areas that have poor connectivity.

Once a sit is agreed upon, or in the earlier discussion stage, it is worth exchanging extra contact details with the homeowner - email address, telephone number for calls or text, WhatsApp etc... This way both parties have more than one means to contact the other, if they are not getting a response.

In worst case scenarios, if you are using a website such as TrustedHousesitters and really cannot establish contact with the owner, then the website help team should be able to step in and assist (they will hold extra contact information to try).

Of course, also remember everyone has busy lives - give them reasonable time to reply initially before hounding them again!

Arriving At The HouseSit After The Owner Has Departed

It is always ideal at a new housesit if there is some overlap time between your arrival at the home and the owner's departure. This ensures that practical aspects of the home/pet care can be demonstrated, animals introduced and it also allows for a real connection to be made with the person who is entrusting you to their home!

The overlap need not be long - often an hour is sufficient, although some are a day, or even longer.

At times, however, due to travel schedules, flight times, other commitments (on either the side of the owner or sitter), overlap is not possible and it might be that the owner has left earlier in the day to when the sitter arrives.

This has happened to me more than once, but has never been a problem.

Clear communication ensures that even if owner and sitter cannot meet face to face and have 'handover' time at the start of a sit, the sitter can still arrive and feel comfortable and confident in the owner's requirements in terms of their pet and home care.

A video call prior to a house-sit is a great way to 'meet' the owner and for them to show you their home and pets.... They can also demonstrate such things as where the pet food is, how the central heating works and any other unique quirks their pets or home might have!

The owner can also provide a written 'home-guide', which details all information a sitter will need about the home, the pets, their routines, wifi passwords, emergency contacts and more..

If this is completed well then the information within can be invaluable for the sitter to refer back to when unsure about any aspects of the house-sit.

If the owner has left before the sitter arrives then a key will also need to be organised for the sitter, perhaps through a neighbour or by the key being left in a safe place.

Unexpected Living Conditions!

As a housesitter you have packed your bags, made the journey and arrived with excitement at your new housesit, ready to get to know the pets you will be caring for.

On arrival you find that the house you are being expected to keep in immaculate condition is far from immaculate.

It is understood that every person has different ideas of cleanliness and hygiene. One person's mess and dirt is to another person a homely and cosy feel to a home.

As a housesitter, encountering varying degrees of cleanliness in terms of the living conditions you are entrusted to is to be expected. However, what if you do arrive and the home really is, not merely untidy and a bit dirty, but unliveable?

This issue, is thankfully not encountered very often at all... however, I have heard of other housesitters to whom this has occurred.

At this point it will be up to you, as the sitter to make a judgement call.

One thing I have learnt in housesitting is to always travel with my trusted Flash (other brands are available!) cleaning wipes, so that any less clean areas of a home when I arrive can be quickly spruced up. However, if you find that even a packet of flash wipes and a tub of detergent will not help with getting the home you are in to an acceptable level, then you might need to take further action.

Having a conversation with the owner will be necessary.

Diplomatic communication strategies might be needed and establishing next steps between you. They might agree to get the home to a cleaner standard, or it might be in some cases that you have to decide if you can even continue with the house-sit.

If you have used a website, such as TrustedHousesitters, then give them a call too to let them know the situation and seek their advice.... after all, it is what they are there for!

Unruly Pets Or Unreasonable Pet Care Expectations

Owners and their pets can be similar to a parent and their child... one person's perceived angel of a child is another person's notion of the devil. So too with animals!

The owner who has spoken lovingly of their immaculately behaved Fido may be disillusioned and when you arrive to meet Fido, you could find that you are faced with a large hound who has had very little training and is not easy to control.

Alternatively, you could face a situation in which you arrive at a housesit to find that some of the pet care expectations placed upon you are unreasonable and not as you had understood. Perhaps the owner has asked that the dog you are caring for not be left for even 30 minutes alone, yet you are a single housesitter and will need to, at the very least, grocery shop from time to time!

Try to avoid these unexpected and unwelcome surprises in the first instance by good pre-sit communication. Video calls are great when setting up a sit to be able to see the pet (even if only on video) and to discuss in full what the care expectations will be.

If you do arrive at a housesit and find that the pets are uncontrollable, leave you feeling unsafe or uncomfortable or the sit expectations are unreasonable then it is time again to speak to the owner about your concerns. A solution might be found (perhaps there are others who can step in to help you nearby), or if you really feel that you cannot manage the pet, then it might be kinder for the pet, owner and yourself to pull out of the sit, rather than struggle to manage later.

Once again, in all these circumstances, where a housesit platform was used, utilise their support teams for advice.

Other People At The House

Part of the idea of housesitting is that the sitter is able to live at the home of the owner for the duration of the housesit, as if being in a home away from home.

Third parties staying at the house, unless clearly communicated and agreed to in advance, are not usually part of the package that, as a sitter, you should be expected to tolerate.

Despite this, there are frequently instances of others being at the home during housesits.

I have known lodgers, adult children, spouses or even the owner themselves being either a permanent feature during a sit or popping in and out!

If you do find that other people are either living at the home, or coming and going at will, and this was not communicated or agreed to in advance, then you are within your rights to talk to the owner about this.

It is understood that plans change and unexpected events mean people might need to return to the home and that was not foreseen. However, it is not unreasonable to ask that the owner does communicate when people will be coming to the home and for how long, so that you can feel comfortable. Perhaps too adult children can be asked to avoid returning for the duration of your house-sit!

Sick Or Injured Pets

In caring for any living creature, it is a reality, that at some stage one of your charges may become unwell or be injured in an accident.

The pets you are entrusted to care for can be elderly or have some form of known acute or chronic health condition when you commence the housesit. In this instance, the owner should have informed you about the health problems in advance and of any medication requirements or special care needs the pet might have as a result.

When a pet's health becomes an unexpected concern to you during the housesit, the following steps should be taken.

The owner should have left instructions of what to do in the event of health problems with their pets. The preferred vet's details should be available and the owner should either have established an account with their vet, or agreed with you that should you need to pay a vet bill for their pet that they will reimburse you in full.

Any health concerns with a pet during a housesit, I would always err on the side of caution. If minor then it might be worth contacting the owner initially to establish if the health concern is a known issue and what they would like you to do about it (if anything). For anything even slightly more significant I would make contact with the local vet immediately, even if only by telephone to start with, for their advice.

If you are in a location where you do not speak the language, it might be that you also have details for a local friend or neighbour you can call on to help with translation!

Sadly, animals do become unwell at times and so be prepared for this - look for signs of behaviour change, distress or other illness in the animals and seek advice or veterinary care sooner rather than later!

Home Emergency

In addition to potential emergencies with pets you have also been entrusted to look after another person's home and these too can develop unforeseen problems!

Issues such as water leaks, gas or boiler problems, power failures etc can all occur in a home you are looking after, just as much as they can in your own home.

Dealing with such emergencies comes down to good communication and ensuring you know where things are in the home and how things work when you start the housesit.

Always establish where such things as fuse boxes and water mains taps are at the start of a housesit so that you are at least slightly prepared.

With any problems, initially deal with it as you would in your own home, taking emergency measures if need be (I hope you won't need to call the fire brigade at any time, but if you do then do it!).

Once again, the owner should have left details of emergency plumbers, electricians etc to contact if there were any issues. Call on them and also make contact with the owner to ensure they are kept informed of what is happening.

As with vets bills, there should be agreement that if any emergency works to the home are needed during the sit, the owner will pay any bills that arise as a result.

Unexpected Need To Cancel Or Shorten The Sit (By Either Sitter Or Owner)

Once a housesit has been agreed between yourself as a sitter and the homeowner, it is trusted that both parties will honour the arrangement and only make changes or cancel if absolutely necessary.

Life being as it is though, sometimes events will occur either before a housesit or during, which make continuing with the arrangement impossible on one side or the other.

Ill health, bereavement, job or financial changes (of an owner) or death of a pet can all occur which make continuing with a house-sit arrangement impossible, or mean that either you need to leave a housesit unexpectedly for an emergency at home, or an owner needs to return earlier than planned.

It goes without saying, that as this is only going to occur in exceptional circumstances, it would be hoped that there would be understanding from the other party if one side does need to make sudden changes.

Pre-sit, if you need to cancel then ensure you contact the owner as soon as possible and explain fully your reasons. This way, they have as long as you can give them to find an alternative sitter.

If during a sit you need to leave unexpectedly then again contact the owner as soon as possible and if you can, see if there is a way you can help make local arrangements for the pet / home care for the remainder of the sit length. Only leave the house-sit once you are sure that the owner is fully informed and that the pets are being tended to.

Should an owner need to return earlier than planned, then again be understanding. It might be, particularly if you are dependent on flights home at a later date, that they will allow you to continue in the home until that date. However, this might not be practical and so be prepared that you may need to seek alternative travel dates or accommodation (or another local last minute house-sit!!).

You (The Housesitter) Become Unwell During The House-Sit

Sadly, none of us are infallible and there might be times when, during a housesit, you find yourself struck down with a nasty lurgy and laid up for a time.

Flu, gastroenteritis, migraines, broken limbs etc can all happen whether at home or away.... Of course, the problem if it happens when you are housesitting (particularly if you are a solo housesitter) is that it might affect your ability to fully meet the demands of the pets in your care.

Should this occur to you, the advice would be to act as you would at home...

Housesitting is about living like a local in a home away from home. Just as you would if you were alone at home with your own pets to care for, you will need to manage in the best way you can, perhaps calling on local support if there is any (if the owner has left details of a friendly neighbour or local friend!).

The main issue with illness of yourself will be with dogs who need walking, if going out for long walks is really not possible when you are sick. Contact the owner to see if they have suggestions here - perhaps a neighbour or friend can help, or they might need to ask a dog walker for a day or two if necessary.

If you are away from home and become unwell and need medical help yourself, then ensure you do find the local medical services and use them.

This point here is really about minor ailments that can be managed at home... of course if you become more acutely unwell then refer to the point above about needing to cancel a housesit!

Laid out above are some of the more common potential problems a house-sitter might encounter during a housesit and how to either avoid or deal with them.

Overall, for any of the above, the key message is really that good communication and outlined clear expectations between you as the sitter and the owner will help prevent any unwelcome surprises before or during a housesit.

If any issues do arise when I am housesitting, in the first instance my go-to question to myself would be,"If this was my home or pet then what would I do, or what would I want a housesitter for me to do?".

Generally, raising any potential problems earlier, rather than later would also be my standard approach (if it turns out to be nothing then great, but better this than regret not raising issues sooner).

Some housesitters and owners do choose to use written contracts in establishing a house-sit that lays out clear expectations and covers a lot of eventualities (I have never used one or been asked to).

There is a good amount of controversy about these contracts in the housesitting community and that is a post in itself... one argument being that the notion of housesitting is that it is based on trust on both sides and contracts take away from this.

However, you might choose to use a contract or the owner might ask this of you and that can be another method of helping establish expectations on both sides and how any potential issues will be managed.

So, what problems as a housesitter have you encountered?

What concerns you about housesitting or as a homeowner about using a housesitter?

Interested in becoming a housesitter?

Please use the following code for Trusted Housesitters (the platform I use) to receive 25% off the annual membership fee:

RAF187179