I usually track the flight so I know if it’s taken off on time. There’s two of us so we always have the option of splitting up.
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sorry, i meant, “late” as in after 9pm. … but now that I see that you’re not a solo traveler it does change things slightly.
Yeah, I agree. We would either stay the night, or leave before they get back.
There’s two of us as well, but no real option to split up, because we have one vehicle and most of our sits involve some amount of driving between…
Another good idea would be for people to invest in keypad locks where possible where they can set up codes. But there’s cost and work to do that… but nice to have
Right now I’m staying in a place that uses the “August” system. You have to download an app to your phone. When you are standing right in front of the door, you press a button on your phone and the deadbolt it’s connected to “should” unlock.
Unfortunately, the homeowner says it’s not reliable 100 percent of the time, so she also gave me keys 
Hi @MissChef as I read your comment
The thoughts in my mind were … internet, cell coverage and then I got to the “should?” … thank you for the good old fashioned key! “Old” can be good. 
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Yeah, exactly! I’m an early adopter of new technology, a card-carrying geek, and extremely Internet savvy… but
oh 
no!
I didn’t let them leave without also handing me a good old fashioned metal key, which I immediately put on my key-ring with my car key.
I don’t know how to pick locks and do not intend to learn either!
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That being said, we’ve stayed in enough ancient houses in the UK that we know a key isn’t always the answer either. 
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I will neither confirm nor deny that I once scrambled through a client’s bedroom window after their dog closed the door behind me, also somehow locking it, as I quickly ran to get something out of my car.
It was when I had just started culinary school so I was way skinnier then.
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I’m on THS as both Sitter and Homeowner. As both I prefer no post handoff. As Sitter I ensure I do not leave until I know the owners are only a couple hours away, or their plane has landed. As a homeowner with a cat, I typically tell the sitter to leave whenever they want the day I arrive. They know to leave dry food in the cats bowl, should I be delayed.
Recently, my sitter sent me videos the morning of their departure. Her husband filmed her as she talked to me through the camera and walked through each room, showing me that she did the laundry, made the bed, where she left the clean towels, how she left the ktichen and cats area, the video scanned the rooms, etc. Then the last two photos were a photo of them leaving, showing both front door and garage door shut. I thought it was brilliant. I keep a very clean home, but geez, she did a deep clean I’ll be thrilled to get them back in two weeks. I was happy they really enjoyed themselves here.
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I like to leave before owners return, the reason being that I know how tired I am after a long trip and I surely do not want to meet people at my house upon my return and have to have a conversation or go through the sit with them. I do this daily through instant messaging. How wonderful to return to an empty home, greet your pets and just relax. That is ideal for me.
I agree about leaving when you know the owners have landed safely and are just a few hours away. Because we drive to our sits, I know that if something should happen to the owner before they get to the house, I can turn around and go back. But it is all about good communication and how comfortable each is with the arrangement.
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The most important thing IMHO is to leave a set of keys with a neighbour or nearby friend/relative and ask the other party (HS, HO) to notify this neighbour of their arrival at the home straight away (or the next morning if it is late at night). The housesitter could have an accident on the way there or the home owner could have an accident on the way back home, or there could be substantial delays in flights etc. and nothing would be more distressing than knowing the pets were left alone for a day or longer without anyone looking after their wellbeing.
It happened to me once in my early times, with a cat sit, that I put the keys on the kitchen table and left as agreed, and minutes later the owner texted me that all ferries had been cancelled for the next 24 hours due to stormy weather and she couldn’t get back home until the next day, and there was no such safety backup in place. We both were very worried about the cat being left alone, and such a situation can and should be always prevented upfront.
I think it would be a good idea if THS would include this in their instructions for home owners!
Yes. Communication is key. Most of my homeowners prefer for us to leave prior to their arrival home and will have a neighbor on alert for delays. But we did have one owner who was getting in really late and wanted us to stay until the next morning. We cleaned and packed up the night before leaving and brought our own sheets, so we only had a minimum amount of things to do in the morning. It was a bit awkward, because we felt rude leaving without saying goodbye, but it became apparent that they were awake and waiting for us to leave before coming out of their bedroom. I guess they were tired from their trip and not feeling very social. We fed the cats, left a thank-you note and left. If anyone ever asks us to stay until they return, I will get clearer instructions for departure. It was a great sit, otherwise. Nice people, pets and place.
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@Southernsitter: No need to feel awkward. But yes, I agree, it is nice to know upfront how the HO-come-back will happen. As for myself, I prefer to hand over everything in person when I leave. This gives me a good opportunity to say thanks for the nice accommodation and tell the HO everything that happened during their time away and how lovely their pets were. 
May just because I’m not so good at writing long messages on mobile phones and there is always so much to tell!
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I took photos of the last sit as I think I left it much better than how it was left. I emptied all the bins and disposed of pet faeces that was left all outside. I don’t think the HO’s will play games with feedback but as I left before they got home, I wanted to cover all risks. They said I could leave the dogs inside before leaving but that was a no no
What do you mean? Did they give you a choice to leave them in or out?
yes they gave me the choice to leave the dogs inside the house before leaving the premises.
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They told me they want me back for another sit later in the year if I am free lol
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@MissChef - after reading your post, I’ve never thought about taking any “insurance” pictures or videos as I’m leaving a job.
Having been a professional house and pet sitter since July 2009 and having regular clients in Northern Virginia, there is now a trust between me and them so the thought of “insurance” type stuff never crossed my mind. And even with the couple THS sits I’ve had the thought never crossed my mind.
And in most cases, I’m gone when the HOs arrive back home. And I try and make sure I keep the time between my departure and the HOs arrival as short as possible to hopefully prevent the fur kids from getting into any trouble. I do this by asking my clients for their flight information if they are flying which allows me to monitor their return flights for delays.
And being able to monitor my client’s flights for delays keeps them from having to take the time to update me on their status.
With THS I’ve been able to bring this subject up with the couple HOs I’ve house and pet sit for and it’s been helpful in determining when to leave.
Whether it’s with my regular clients or the THS HOs, I will usually wait for their flight to land before taking off. If they are driving then I will usually ask the HOs to text me when they leave or text me when they are a couple of hours out so I can make sure I’m gone when they arrive home.
I know how tired HOs can be after their flight or drive and how they just want time with their fur kids so unless they specifically ask me to stay until they return home I’m gone when they arrive.
And I have taken videos of how the homeowners have things set up if I have to move things around and have taken videos or pictures of damage their fur kids may have made and sent it to the owners but that’s usually the extent of me taking videos and pictures. Thankfully, in almost 13 years of house and pet sitting the worst damage I’ve cause was accidentally breaking a couple of drinking glasses.
And despite being very detail-oriented, I hadn’t thought about taking pictures of any damage in the house when I arrive for a job as you have mentioned or taking pictures of a clean house before I leave.
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