This article details 10 useful questions you should consider asking before accepting any house sitting job. I’ve compiled these helpful questions to ensure house sitters have a smoother and more enjoyable experience.
House sitting currently accounts for 95% of our full-time travel accommodation. Hannah and I use it worldwide to prolong and enhance our travel experiences. After 30+ house sits I realized there are often important questions that need to be asked before accepting a house sitting job.
Often, the property listing doesn’t include all the necessary details the house sitter needs to know. There are occasionally deliberate omissions too – read my previous article – The Top Things Hosts ‘Forgot’ to Mention. But by being proactive with these questions you can be fully prepared and informed before accepting a listing.
10 Useful Questions to Ask Before Accepting a House Sitting Job
Don’t be afraid to ask questions during the application process, as wanting to be informed shows initiative. However, I don’t suggest you blanket ask these during your first interaction, as some listings will already include the answers. Read the listing details carefully and ask the following questions to fill in any information gaps.
1 – Are the Advertised Dates Correct?
When a listing goes live it can quite often be for unconfirmed dates. The homeowner has a rough idea of when they’ll be leaving but casts a wide net to cover the bases. This can work both in your favor and against you, but either way, it’s an important thing to have clarified.
For example, it may mean a few extra nights of free accommodation on either side of your stay. Many hosts we’ve stayed with have been happy to have us in their homes before they leave and for a short while after they return. However, it might mean changes to plans that require expensive hotels to fill the gaps between onward travel plans.
Asking about the exact dates is something that will usually crop up in the first interaction. This is especially true if the host has yet to confirm travel plans. But, feel free to bring it up if there is any uncertainty.
2 – Is a Car Required or Available to Use?
Among the most useful questions to ask before accepting a house sitting placement is the transport situation. Top house sitting sites such as Trusted Housesitters include information about access to public transport and the need for a car with all listings. Not all sites do this though and even with Trusted Housesitters it can be overlooked or misrepresented.
I’ve seen listings stating a car is required but do not mention that there is a car available to use. Similarly, some listings state there is no access to public transport. But this could be because the nearest bus stop is a 15-minute walk away, which for many isn’t an issue. Furthermore, you may not even need public transport because everything is walkable and close by.
Occasionally we have held off applying because the use of a car was required (and we don’t have one), only to find out when we did enquire that they were planning on leaving a car for sitters to use. It’s not always the case but it’s always worth asking about a car and the public transportation details.
3 – What Are the Pet’s Sleeping Arrangements?
If, like me, you are not a great sleeper, arriving at a house sit and realizing you’re going to be sharing your bed with the pets can be a bit of a disaster. It is something that a lot of hosts take for granted and don’t mention until you are already there.
This may be null-and-void for those who love the idea of snuggling up with a temporary new pet. For me, it can be a game changer on whether we accept a listing or not. I love looking after pets but I also love getting a good, uninterrupted night’s sleep!
It’s also good to know if pets like a 6 am walk, need letting out for a pee break at random hours of the night, or have any other strange routines. It all helps form an accurate picture of the situation you are applying for and will ensure a happier and smoother exchange for everyone.
4 – How Long Can the Pets Be Left Alone?
House sitting isn’t just about securing free accommodation, it’s about the experience. We use house sitting to visit and live in parts of the world that we never thought possible. So being tied to a home with limited hours that we can be away from the house, can be very restrictive.
Particularly needy pets are often well-advertised on the top house sitting sites. After all, in these situations, the owner wants to secure a sitter that is fully aware of the requirements. But post the pandemic lockdowns there are frequently pets who have never been left alone for significant amounts of time.
You also want to ensure pets do not become distressed, so being informed about the routine is vital. Listings will vary, but it’s usually the case that most dogs can be left for at least 4 hours and cats are generally fine all day. It’s worth noting that most hosts have friends and neighbors to help if you’d like to take a longer day trip.
5 – How Often Would You Like an Update?
This is one of the most useful questions before accepting a house sitting job, primarily because it changes massively from host to host. We have had homeowners who instruct us that we don’t need to bother them unless it’s urgent and others who require daily updates and photos of their pets.
Being clear on this from the get-go is important information to know. It ensures peace of mind (or just peace) for the homeowner and that you as the sitter are correctly fulfilling the expected house sitter duties.
One of our early reviews featured a private comment saying they wished we’d sent more photos. We only stayed 4 days and had sent updates twice which we felt was adequate. Lacking the ability to read minds we weren’t sure how we were supposed to know their expected number of updates. Therefore now, we always make a point of asking this question.
6 – What is the WiFi Situation?
Whether like Hannah and I, you work a normal weekly schedule from your laptop, or you just need a good connection for social media and Netflix, WiFi is a point worth addressing.
It’s easy to presume that wherever you go they’ll have a decent connection. I am guilty of taking WiFi for granted and have previously booked Airbnb and hotel rooms without ANY internet access. There are always workarounds – Data SIMs, remote working locations, etc., – but if you are house sitting in one location for a significant period, it’s important to be clear on the WiFi situation.
WiFi is usually mentioned in the sit listing, but if you require significant internet access, mention this early on. Some homes we’ve taken on advertised good WiFi but have had data limits, regular WiFi blackouts, and dated systems that might not be suitable for content creators, gamers, and those participating in frequent virtual meetings.
7 – Is There Any Gardening or Are Additional Tasks Required?
Gardening responsibilities and household upkeep may not always be mentioned in the listing. Again, this is often due to simple oversight. If you’ve owned or lived in your own home, you’d expect that a routine will need to be maintained. It could be just taking out the trash on certain days, mowing the lawn a few times, and watering plants.
This will naturally factor in more significantly with long-term house sitting placements. Be sure to have a clear indication before accepting a sit of exactly what the day-to-day property management looks like. We have arrived at several house sits to find additional, often laborious chores that needed completing.
For us, being pretty fit and never shirking a bit of hard work, these additional things are rarely an issue. It makes the experience feel more like a home! But, if you have any injuries, restrictions, or significant reasons for being unable to take on additional tasks, it’s best to ask this question at the application stage to avoid issues further down the road.
8 – What Time Do You Get Home From Your Trip?
Point 1 was about asking for the exact travel dates, but knowing the time of the host’s return is also deserving of a place on this list. Often hosts will schedule to arrive back on the agreed day but realize much later on that they won’t land or walk through the front door until late in the evening – and that’s without any delays!
With pets, this can cause a range of issues, especially for those who can’t be left alone for too long or require walks and feeds at certain times. It means you as the sitter may be unable to leave to get home or to your next destination at a sensible hour.
If you’ve been told you can leave on a certain day and subsequently booked a 10 am flight, but it then transpires that the host won’t be home until 10 pm that day, things can get tricky. I strongly advise avoiding this situation altogether and getting the return details confirmed. We have annoyingly lost a couple of paid nights in hotels because unclear timing issues have resulted in us having to stay an extra night at a house sit.
9 – Will There Be Anyone Else Staying in the House?
This should 100% be advertised in the listing. However, we have experienced a couple of house sits where situations have changed and the hosts and/or their family members have stuck around, come home early, or never left!
We’re happy to meet new people and enjoy the handover stage of all the house sits we have completed. But as a married couple, it’s not ideal for us to be sharing a house with someone we barely know. It certainly changes the whole dynamic of the situation.
If there is any suggestion of this in the listing be sure to ask exactly how it’s going to work. Many house sitting memberships include a form of cancelation insurance and significant changes surrounding additional house occupants may well be grounds for canceling things.
10 – Would You Mind Sharing the Exact Location?
Of course, you’ll have a good idea of the location of the house sit. However, the precise street location is usually not provided until nearer the date. I presume this is for security reasons but it’s one of the more useful house sitting questions to ask.
All the house sits we’ve completed have been more than happy to share the address in advance. Having this information ahead of time allows you to plan some fun things during your stay. We enjoy researching our soon-to-be local coffee shops and bars, the nearest gyms, and nice restaurants.
Most hosts will happily share a lot of insider information with you, which is another great aspect of house sitting. Remember, the hosts receive a review too and most are keen to ensure you have a fantastic stay. Planning and getting excited about all the cool stuff nearby can go a long way to making a great exchange.
Further Information on House Sitting
If you are interested in becoming a house sitter, click here to sign up for a free account with Trusted Housesitters and start browsing the thousands of listings that are currently accepting applications. The number of available listings globally is currently very high, with over 8000 on THS alone.
To apply for a house sit you will need to become a paying member but with prices as low as $129/year with unlimited sits included, it’s a bargain. Furthermore, use our exclusive referral code BEACHES25 to save 25% on any Trusted Housesitters membership. Click here to get started today.
Read more about the 3 Trusted Housesitters membership bands and discover more house sitting information in my previous article – Everything You Need to Know About Trusted Housesitters.
Useful House Sitting Questions – Final Thoughts
I hope these 10 useful questions to ask before accepting a house sitting job will serve you well.
As an experienced house sitter, I feel it’s always beneficial for both parties to be fully aware of the situation you are about to enter into. Surprises rarely lead to positive exchanges and the whole process is about fostering a mutually beneficial and enjoyable situation for all – pets included!
Asking questions shows an eagerness to fully understand the task at hand and a willingness to get things right. It is an excellent trait for house sitters to have.
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