House Sitting Etiquette – Do’s and Don’ts
Taking care of someone else’s home and pets may seem like a walk in the park, but in reality, good house sitters need to be committed. A love for animals is not enough to do the job properly. Make sure you treat it with utmost professionalism, love and care.
The Professional Pet Sitting Course, is the best way to get confident in understanding the standard of care that the RSPCA expects. As a house sitter, there are some do’s and dont’s which you must consider. Starting with the Do’s
Here are 10 things you should DO when you are house sitting.
1. Do request a Meet & Greet as early as possible. You need to know what you’re getting into. This way if upon doing a full property tour you discover that the home is not secure, has mould, or is completely filthy, you can turn down the booking, giving the Owner enough time to find an alternative solution. You can also discuss the Owner’s expectations and whether you feel you can meet them. You can also find out about house rules and the pet’s care routine. For example, should you be using the air-con or not? Are you able to light a fire in the fireplace? Is the dog allowed on the couch? Can you have friends stay over?
2. WI-FI password to stay connected . Request that the owner gives you the wifi password, so that you can stay connected and send them updates about their pet. Seek permission first in writing whether its okay to stream movies using their internet account.
3. Be organised. This is not your personal bedroom and you should make sure you keep everything organised. Choose a room/corner in the house to keep all your stuff.
4. Emergency contact. Keep emergency contacts saved on your phone or stuck on the fridge. You should always ask for the vet’s number and their neighbour or their friends mobile number.
5. Lock every door and window whilst you are absent from the property. EVEN IF THE OWNERS USUALLY DON’T.
6. Stock up food you have eaten. You saw a box of Ferrero Rochers and you couldn’t resist the temptation? It’s only okay as long the Owner is okay with it and if you replace it.
7. Do what you say you will, daily. If you have taken on a house sitting job, you MUST stay overnight. You can’t just do house visits and sleep at your own house. Also have a to-do list everyday so that you don’t forget to water the plants, feed the dog or cats, feed the fish etc.
8. Don’t be a stranger to the neighbours. Smile and say hi 🙂 Know that they will be watching your movements.
9. Make your bed. Make sure you make the bed but take the sheets off the bed and leave them in the washing machine before you leave.
10. Surprise the Owner with a ‘Welcome Home’ gift. Flowers, chocolates, biscuits, or a card. The Owner will be leaving you a public review on your listing after the stay which will impact your ability to get future work.
Now, here are the 10 DON’TS when you are house sitting:
1. Don’t invite your boyfriend or friends over. Don’t invite friends over unless you have obtained prior written permission at the Meet & Greet. Know that most homeowners these days have discreet surveillance cameras and your movements will be monitored. So if you lie about when you’re coming and going, or about inviting someone around without prior permission -you WILL be caught out.
2. Don’t mess with the gadgets. The last thing you want to do is ruin the surround system or the expensive food processor.
3. Don’t try to become an interior decorator. The house should be left the way the owner left it.
4. Don’t offer to do more than what you have agreed. Changing a lightbulb or tightening a tap connector is not your job. Raise it with the Owner first.
5. Don’t eat or drink anything on the carpet. Cleaning a carpet can cost a lot of money and the last thing you would want is to spill a bit of food on the carpet. Liability insurance is for covering pet accidents, not property accidents so you will have to pay for damages from your personal funds if this happens.
6. Don’t start wine tasting. You can book a trip to Barossa Valley or get your favourite bottle from Dan Murphy’s but don’t raid the alcohol at the owners place.
7. Don’t invade privacy. Always be respectful of the homeowner’s personal belongings and property. Again, most homeowners these days have surveillance cameras and they will know.
8. Don’t make long distance calls from their landline. Since most house sitters have mobile phones, this is rarely a problem.
9. Don’t leave the house in a mess. Make it a point to do a quick tidy up before leaving the premises. No owner would like their place looking like a pig sty.
10. Don’t neglect your duties. It may sometimes feel like a holiday but it’s not as you are getting paid for it. Complete all house sitting tasks as agreed upon.
House sitters can earn up to $50 – $60 a night and get long bookings. So get ready to make money cuddling pets on PetCloud. Just create a listing, verify your account and you’ll be able to apply or accept house sitting jobs.
Find local Vets, store your Pet’s Health, etc, download PetCloud today.
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