Can you have a listing without Pets?

I am new to THS and have been discussing my plans to find sitters through THS . I personally am quite glad to have found your organization as we have always tried to get friends to stay while we are away but that’s not always possible. Anyway, my "pet"less neighbor likes the idea of someone staying at their house when they are away and asked if THS does sits without pets? So I figured I’d ask on their behalf in this forum.

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Hi @Trudzie and welcome! Most sits do include pets but not all, some people like your neighbour just prefer the idea of their property being occupied when they are away. Your neighbour can certainly list a sit without pets.

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Hi @Trudzie
There is a listing at the moment, Windsor, England with no pets. Has 12 to 15 applicants which illustrates what @Lindsay has said.

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Welcome to the forum. Housesitters can offer security, caring for plants, checking mail, receiving packages, keeping the house maintained,etc. This exchange is still a win/win, even if no pets are involved.

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Hi @Trudzie welcome to our community forum, thank you for joining and also for asking on behalf on your neighbor.

Most owners who come to the site are seeking pet care however there is no better care also for a home and garden, or plants. Having a home occupied (and loved) as opposed to empty is not only preferable for the owner but also for the insurance company … imagine, having a power outage, which last long enough to affect the freezer and coming home to rotting food and flooded floor when a sitter would have handled the situation and owners would come back to a well valeted home with no disasters.

Please invite your friends to join our community … and thank you for joining, we look forward to sharing in your THS journey.

Angela and the Team

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Hi Trudzie and welcome to the forum. We are a living example of a couple currently house sitting with no pets. We’ve been sitting pets for almost a decade, but during Covid lockdowns we were offered a 2nd home property to look after in France which has turned into a long term assignment. The owners wanted someone to maintain the house… look after and monitor for any maintenance issues in their absence, and arrange any necessary repairs. And of course keep it secure. We are fortunate that they don’t mind us doing the odd regional pet sit to get our time with pets! And, it’s always nice when there’s a neighbour with pets to get some cuddles or walk the dog :slight_smile:

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We have been pet parents and homeowners on here and are transitioning to Housesitter’s and our first assignment is pet-free. No cuddles this time but lets us build credibility with other homeowners before they leave us with their fur babies and provides house security for the homeowners in a country where it’s best not to leave your house unattended.

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One of our best sits ever was without pets. The owner wanted a presence in their home while they were away. It was very isolated and had massive grounds round it. We were housed in the converted stable block and our remit was to walk around the house and grounds morning and evening to make sure everything was as it should be. That was it! Only thing missing was an energetic dog.
Elsie

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We recently signed up to THS and have a few sits (looking after some very cools dogs & cats) arranged over the spring /summer which we’re really looking forward to.

We have a furnished house in France that will be empty for 2 or 3 months at a time.

Can we look for just house sitters without have at least one pet to look after?

We’re thinking it would be better to have someone staying in the house rather than leaving it empty for up to three months.

If this is allowed on THS what do people do about insurance? Does a normal house & contents policy allow this kind of thing?

Thanks

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Hi @Sharky24 welcome to our Community forum we have moved your question here as it has been asked before and we are sure you will get more help and advice from our helpful members.

Regarding Insurance we have membership plans which include insurance and always advise that you consult your individual and personal insurance provider for more detailed information. Most Insurance companies prefer to have a home occupied in the owners absence, but again every product is different and applicable to the individual policy holder.

Having your home occupied has many obvious benefits and there are many sitters who care for homes without pets, they give their care and attention to the homes and green occupants (plants)

Welcome again

Hello @Sharky24 and welcome to the Community Forum :wave:t2::slightly_smiling_face:

As @Angela_L mentioned, with regards to Insurance, included in the Standard and Premium tiered Pet Parent memberships, the Home and Contents Protection covers all sits organised and confirmed through TrustedHousesitters giving members extra peace of mind and of course always remember to consult your insurance provider too.
I have attached a link for reference.

Hi @Sharky24 - it is perfectly fine, and a great idea, to have house sitters with no pets. We spent February caring for a house in New Zealand. The owner left telling us that although nothing ever happens she feels more comfortable knowing that her home can be seen as being lived in, curtains drawn at night, lights on and off, post removed etc.

On the third week of our sit a cyclone hit the area taking all power and phone connection from the city. When we eventually managed to speak to the home host three days later she told us how relieved she was knowing that we were there to make sure everything was as secure as possible - had she left her house empty the worry would have ruined her holiday.

We are also booked for our third return to a house-only sit in the UK in August. The lady there tells us that her insurance company likes the fact that her home is occupied when she is away.

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Hi @Colin - I bet your NZ HO was happy to have you there during the cyclone! The HO on our current sit has been in NZ during that storm and the pictures she sent were horrendous.

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@Myhnabird - It was a bit hairy! - Luckily the home we were staying in escaped any serious damage but the surrounding area was really badly damaged with flooding, fallen trees, bridges collapsing etc

Definitely a sit that we will never forget!

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