If a pet owner asked me to pay for household supplies, toilet paper, etc. I would be a bit wary. Perhaps if you weigh up these costs against having someone you can trust to look after your home and pets as being most important. Some people do get through a lot of toilet roll and cleaning products though! For me personally, the more easy going, generous a pet owner is, the more likely I would enjoy, care for their home and replace some items I’ve used before I leave.
10 Likes
Been on 30+ sits and it always boggles me when you get there and the owners have left you NOTHING. Even the salt and pepper is depleted. I don’t know how many fridges we opened to find half bottles of condiments and nothing else. TP and paper towels?..forget it. To all owners…why not risk it and leave what you would normally have in the fridge, cream/milk/FOOD!, and the sitter will probably do the same. Just started a sit and there is no sugar/cream or food, they even mentioned that they had given away a bunch of food to their maid!! This isn’t done out of meanness I don’t think but maybe confusion over the nature of this transaction. We don’t stress over it anymore, we plan a trip to the grocery store first thing.
2 Likes
We’ve done 40 sits (all under 1 month) and only one owner mentioned paying for things. They wanted a 400 Euro deposit so they could deduct if sitters used ‘too much’ fuel, etc. They wanted the deposit in advance and there were no clauses in their long contract about getting it back in case of cancellation (it would have been cancelled too as it was at the start of the 1st Covid lock-down). Naturally we declined that sit as we didn’t feel we could trust the house-owner.
If we finish something, such as cooking oil, washing-up liquid, etc we replace it and we don’t touch major food items. We are often saving pet-owners many hundreds of pounds in kennel fees (current 4 week sit has 6 dogs, so nearly £2000 if dogs went to kennels). The pets are far happier (and healthier) with us than in kennels and we make the properties more secure (burglaries of homes when people are on holiday are not rare) so it’s very definitely a win-win situation.
7 Likes
Personally, I prefer an empty fridge. It means I can get all my own stuff in it.
Most of our pet owners leave perishables in case we want them which is good but I don’t expect enough food, drink, cleaning stuff, washing powder etc. for the entire sit. Whatever they leave is a bonus and I always ask, towards the end of the sit, if they want me to buy anything for their return.
Hello Can Can,
We’ve had our first house/pet sitter in our home for 7 weeks this past fall. We provided spices and herbs, salt and pepper, oil, flour and sugar, ground coffee and filters, tea bags, as well as the perishable basics (cooking aromatics) such as onion, garlic, green and red peppers, celery. Condiments in the fridge may be used up by the sitter(s), no need to replace them or anything we’ve previously mentioned. We do not leave beer, wine, or any other food, as everyone has their own tastes. After that, sitter is responsible for their food. Cleaning supplies and equipment are provided. Quantities of laundry detergent and dish washing detergents are provided, as are a few rolls of toilet paper and other paper products. If they need more, frankly, I would expect them to get what they need. We are HOs as well as house/pet sitters, and when we sit, we don’t expect to have everything provided because we are simply thankful for the free housing while we’re traveling.
2 Likes
Hi @btdt welcome to our community forum thank you for joining, as you can tell from the conversation each sit is a different experience and members manage in their own way. Preferences are personal and expectations can be managed by having great pre sit communication.
I’ve had owners go to extreme measures to make certain every aspect of the sit is above and beyond and others who have forgotten to leave even one coat hanger, no inconvenience intended either, just a case of busy lives and being unfamiliar with the process or not thinking from a sitter’s POV.
Acknowledging that perhaps it’s a lack of understanding about how the concept works is very much on point, that is why we provide guidance articles on the site, encourage open and honest communication between members prior to agreeing an arrangement and when preparing for the sit.
Now we have the forum which is a huge help with mutual guidance because learning and familiarization about what is expected and what is considered good practice applies to both sides of or network. … Your post will be read by many 
Enjoy the conversations and connecting with other members … when you get back from the grocery store.
Have a great sit.
Angela and the Team
I am easy. I really don’t mind if the HO leaves anything or not. It would be nice to have salt and pepper, cooking oil and coffee and tea and I appreciate when it’s there, but none of it is necessary. I either bring or can buy what I need. Some extra paper products and a little laundry detergent would be nice so there is some if I run out, but I can buy my own and often replace what I use. I will not use the owner’s food unless they tell me they have bought it expressly for me. What I want is room in the fridge and freezer. If the home is reasonably clean and does not have unpleasant odors, tobacco smell or fragrance, I’m just happy to be there with their pets.
4 Likes
I prefer an empty fridge as I bring my own supplies or go shopping on arrival. Too many times I have had to throw out half opened products or limp vegetables still in the fridge. I don’t expect owners to leave me anything unless they ask me specifically what type of milk or bread I use.
2 Likes
All the basic supplies may certainly be used in our house and there is enough of everything that a replacement probably isn’t even necessary. Spices, oil, vinegar, flour, rice and noodles are also there to use. I think it’s a nuisance for the sitter to have to shop salt, pepper and other really basic stuff. Do HOs, who don’t provide these basics expect that the sitter leaves everything at the house or that he/she takes it along when leaving?
As a coffee drinker I always have enough coffee, sugar and milk in the house and I would appreciate if there was any left when we get home. We only drink fruit tea so black tea is something we don’t have but I would gladly go and get some if the sitter told me.
I always prepare a basket with wine, sweets and fruit, how much of everything depends on the length of the sit and if it’s one or two people.
Nobody needs to go shopping right after his/her arrival here.
Of course we don’t provide everything and I don’t think anyone would expect this, because you have to spend money on food no matter where you are, at home or on a sit.
11 Likes
Hi can can
As a house sitter i love the NO stress houseowners that just let us stay use what is needed for the stay no stress over usage. We do bring some food and laundry products. It is a fiancial cost to the sitters $ (fuel, food on the way)to drive to the homestead sometimes stay at a motel before arrival $.
To have your fur babies in a boarding kennel is expensive but we walk and talk feed & spoil your fur babies most times for FREE! Great trade off 
5 Likes
Hello @shaza and welcome to the forum… we hope you’ll enjoy connecting with other members and joining the conversations as you have here! Getting an equal balance of this wonderful value exchange is something we all strive for and as Angela says above this forum and all the feedback is a …
Thank you for yours! Have a lovely day 
1 Like
You sound like a wonderful home owner.
1 Like
I personally have scheduled my first sitter as well and frankly will be treating as any upcoming houseguest
I will stock ample basic supplies and provide some extra goodies since it’s over the holidays. I want to make sure when they arrive they feel welcome and happy as I hope that will set the tone for their stay and my pups will reap the reward of happy sitters. I’m going in with an open mind and open heart and I will not therefore sweat the small stuff at all.
16 Likes
@Audreychloe thank you for sharing your words of appreciation and your kind and thoughtful intentions have a wonderful first sit experience.
Safe and happy travels.
Thank you so much 
I often buy my own because I use a lot and prefer a certain brand but if there is a huge supply sometimes I don’t. One couple I sit for had boxes of who gives a crap.
@temba That’s brilliant… such a good idea AND to reuse the paper for gift wrapping!! My favourite company of the year (apart from THS!!) 
Update… I’m going to send this as a surprise pre Christmas gift to my mum! I think she’ll see the funny side of this as a pressie… and I can pick some up from her when we go back in Feb!
3 Likes
As housesitters we keep it simple and expect to find supplies like at home ie enough for a few days, and we buy more as we go, taking care not to leave anything missing on departure.
We would not expect huge supplies to last us a month, nor to have to pay for anything.
As for food, we always like to find a few basics to scrap up a meal and not to have to rush to the shop first thing, but nothing more. Like for supplies, we use and replace as we go, and try to leave milk, bread etc and maybe a quiche on departure.
So we expect to take over a house running normally, and leave it thus.
1 Like
Hope your mum enjoys her surprise pre Christmas gift! I’m planning to include a roll in a few of my friends’ Christmas presents!
5 Likes