House sitting etiquette - a guide for pet parents

About to welcome a pet sitter for the first time? Well first of all, kudos to you - your fur babies are going to be so much happier at home in the arms of a true pet person! Next, you’ve probably got a million and one questions brewing ahead of securing your sitter - it can feel like there’s a lot to prepare for and often many unknowns, especially if this is your first time. 

But no worries - we’re here to help, answering our members’ most frequently asked questions on house sitting etiquette for pet parents. From whether you should tip your sitter to which essentials can be left behind, there are bound to be a few question marks in your mind at the moment. So without any further ado, let’s get your questions answered so that having a sitter is as smooth as a Doxie’s coat!

How do I politely decline applicants?

As a pet parent, you’re able to receive five sitter applications at a time, so while it can feel uncomfortable to decline the pet people who’ve applied to your listing, it’s a fact of pet parenting life! So, how do you go about it with the lightest touch? Well while you can simply decline via accessing your inbox, opening your conversation with the sitter and hitting the ‘decline button’, there are a few things you can do to soften the load for any unsuccessful sitters. 

As the conversation in this community forum thread suggests, many of our sitters take the time to personalize their application messages and may be quite invested in the prospect of looking after your pets and home. So before hitting ‘decline’, take the time to read through their application message and their profile in detail before you make the decision. Once you’re sure you’d like to look elsewhere and decline the sitter, send a polite message thanking them for their application, acknowledging the time they’ve taken to apply, and giving them the heads up that in this instance, their application has been unsuccessful.

Should I leave my sitter a welcome gift?

This is completely down to you - you’re under no obligation whatsoever to leave a welcome (or a thank you) gift for your sitters, but you can if you’d like to. Many of the pet parents (and sitters) of our community like to leave a little something, but it really depends on the relationship that develops and what you feel comfortable with. For more thoughts and opinions from our lovely community on this topic, check out this forum thread from pet parents and sitters who’ve been there, done that and got the pet sitting t-shirt.

Should I be tipping my sitter?

The lovely thing about connecting with like-minded sitters through our platform is that no money is exchanged between you and your sitter. Rather, it’s an exchange of trust and generosity, whereby sitters love and care for your pets and home while you’re away and get a lovely place to stay in return. So when it comes to tipping your sitter, you’re not expected to at all. Our sitters are here for the love of pets and meaningful travel experiences, so only tip if you feel you’d like to. And of course, if you feel as though tipping complicates things (it begs the question of how much you leave, and whether you tip for every sitter), you could bring back a small gift of thanks if you feel they’ve gone above and beyond. As we’ve said though, it’s totally your call. To explore opinions from our community, check out this community forum thread on all things tipping.

Do I need to have a video call with my sitter?

A video call before and after confirming your sit is a great way to get to know one another, iron out expectations for the sit and organize your sit handover. To see what our members have to say about communication between pet parents and sitters, check out this community forum thread.

Should I leave food for my sitter?

You’re not expected to leave a fridge full of goodies for your sitter, but you’re totally welcome to. As our members have discussed in this thread on our community forum, it’s best to communicate with your sitter before you leave what you believe are ‘basics’. With various dietary requirements, restrictions and choices, items that you might think are essential won’t be touched by others. 

So, to avoid waste, chat with your sitter ahead of time about what they’d use, but remember, you’re under no obligation to leave food out for your sitter. It’s also worth communicating about which cooking products they’re allowed to use - think seasonings, cooking oils and cupboard basics like pasta and rice. 

And if you don’t plan on leaving any food out for your sitter (which is totally fine), clear your fridge of any perishables and be sure to let them know where the nearest shop is so that they can stock up for their stay. 

Can I ask my sitter to contribute to utilities?

It’s not overly common that the pet parents on our platform will request for sitters to contribute to utility bills, but with the cost of living on the rise, it’s a natural question to ask before finding a sitter. If you’re going to be away for an extended period of time, you may choose to ask sitters to contribute. To avoid any confusion, state it in your listing so that any sitters who apply know what they’re in for. Then, once you’ve received sitter applications, negotiate and agree the amount they’ll be contributing before you both hit confirm. For more on this topic, hear from both sitters and pet parents in our community on this handy forum thread.

How do I prepare my sitter for my pets?

This might just be one of the most important pieces of prep you’ll do ahead of your sit! It’s vital that you’re completely transparent with your sitter on what’s needed to properly take care of your pets. Be open about your pet’s behavior, routine, energy levels, temperament, and how much walking they’ll need while you’re away. Knowledge is power, afterall, and the more your sitter knows ahead of time, the better your pets will be cared for.

How do I prepare my sitter for my home?

Another vital piece of prep ahead of welcoming a sitter and something that should be clearly communicated before hitting ‘confirm’ is your expectations on the care for your home. Whether you’ll need them to take the trash out, launder the bed linen, water your plants, collect your mail, feed your birds or something else altogether, let your sitter know well in advance so that no surprises crop up for either of you. To learn from our members on how to prepare your home ahead of welcoming your sitter, check out this community forum thread.

Do I need to give my sitter a home tour?

We’d highly recommend giving your sitter the grand tour during your sit handover, before you jet off. It’ll minimize their contact with you while you’re away and make for a smooth sit all round. Just consider what your sitter will need on a daily basis when preparing for your sit handover - from the WiFi router to electricals and alarms, it’s all vital info they’ll need ahead of time.

What basic supplies do I need to leave out?

There are no rules on the household essentials you’ll need to leave out, so we’d always advise communicating clearly with your sitter on what they’re allowed to use during the sit. Whether it’s toilet paper or cleaning supplies, just make sure your sitters know what they’ll be arriving to so that there are no surprises. For the views from our members on what can be left out for sitters, head to this handy thread on our community forum.

Do I need to check in with my sitter while I’m away?

The level of communication you have with your sitter is completely up to you - it’s something you should all agree before your sit starts. While some of our members love to receive daily updates on their pets and home, others would rather only hear from sitters in case of emergency or if they’ve got any urgent questions. 

Should I ask my sitter to replace items?

This is another topic that’s best handled through open, honest communication between you and your sitter, long before the sit starts. While it’s totally your responsibility as a pet parent to provide all the food, treats and medication your pet needs, the question of food and household replaceables for your sitter is something that should be decided between you. Many of our pet parents will make sure their home is stocked-up with essentials (like toilet paper and cleaning products), but it’s up to you how (and if at all) you expect these items to be topped-up or replaced. To see what sitters and pet parents think about this topic, have a read of this thread on our community forum.

Should I allow my sitter to invite guests?

You’re under no obligation to allow your sitter other guests in your home. With that said though, many of the sitters in our community care for pets where family or friends live locally, so may be after a space for a quiet catch up. If this is something your sitter would like to organize, then there should be clear, honest and open communication on the topic well before the sit starts, and it’s completely your choice whether or not you allow guests. To find out what other pet parents decide to do, head to this forum thread.

Should I expect my sitter to clean at the end of the sit?

For a general rule of thumb, your sitter should leave your home as they found it (and we’d advise you leave it clean and tidy ahead of your sitter’s arrival). For a bit more guidance on this, feel free to share this blog with your sitter so they’ve got an idea of your cleaning expectations.

Once you’ve organized a few more sits, all of this is sure to come naturally to you. In the meantime though, grab yourself a cuppa and explore this checklist on everything you’ll need to prepare before your sitter arrives. And for more advice, tips and chat from other pet people on all things house and pet sitting (and more), head over to our community forum. You can also read Vanessa's story who is one of many pet parents who feel confident using TrustedHousesitters.