Hi. Im thinking of joining and have a couple of questions.
We live in a small ex council property on a housing estate. However we live in the lake district UK which is a very desirable area for visitors. Would our little house with no bells and whistles put sitters off? Are sitters generally couples as our house is small it may suit a single sitter better. Thank you in advance for your thoughts
Hi @Cazzt you would be absolutely fine providing that your home is welcoming and clean and you have straightforward requirements for your pets.
There are all sorts of reasons why someone is sitting. Maybe you live nearby to someone’s family, or they need to be in your area for work or an event. Maybe your dates are the perfect gap for someone else and they want to enjoy a change of scenery and some tranquility in the Lake District.
Just make a lovely advert and see who applies. In terms of sitters they come in all forms - single, couples, family, with kids etc. so just state your preferences in your advert.
Best of luck 
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Hi @Cazzt,
You are more than welcome here! Personally, I prefer more modest accommodation. As a solo sitter, I have looked after houses that were very large and I didn’t feel entirely comfortable or safe in them. Also, more to clean! I would recommend specifying a single sitter in your profile (there are plenty of us on here). Best of luck!
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Hi @Cazzt
Welcome to THS.
Your question has been asked before and I agree with @Enjaybee.
There are a few sitters who seem only to apply for big houses/mansions but, for me, the location is most important and that the home is clean with a comfortable bed and all the things I’d need for a pleasant stay.
I used to live in an ex council house and it was lovely and in a nice area.
You will be snapped up! Make sure you take nice pics of the home when it’s tidy and clean.
Good luck!
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Thank you so much for the information. We have a rough idea of our dates for next year. Will sitters still express an interest bearing this in mind. Or should I wait until we are certain. Thanks again
There has been some discussion on the forums about this recently and you are asking all the right questions!
I would suggest waiting until dates are confirmed before posting. This lets the sitter know the plans are solid, and they can find other sits or accommodation around them. I recently had a sit where the listed dates were subject to change, as the home owner hadn’t yet booked a flight when they listed them. Turns out, they changed about 5 times! This made it very difficult for me as I was having to book extra days in Airbnbs here and there. Therefore, for the sake of the sitter, it would indeed be good to know definite dates.
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Hi @Cazzt
I sit to walk and explore. So somewhere in the Lake District would definitely be of interest. I’m always on the look out for homes in areas that are good for walking, ideally with an energetic dog that is used to days out in the hills!
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Welcome, @Cazzt .
Please wait until you’re certain of the sit dates and consider your departure times, so you will know whether you need sitters to arrive the day before (to facilitate your early departure, for example). As you aren’t going away until next year, you have plenty of time to find a sitter (and I suspect you’ll have no trouble, given your location). Just ensure your listing pics clearly illustrate that the home is clean and tidy, and the responsibilities are clearly defined (including any medical or behavioural issues). You can state your preference for a single sitter in the listing.
Wishing you the best of luck.
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Thank you. I am not a member yet so I will wait until we book and then join. I am looking forward to being part of this community
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As you say ‘we’ live in the house I assume that it’s not just you that lives there so I would guess it’s big enough for a couple so no need to limit you pool of applicants to singles unless you want to.
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@Cazzt I look forward to finding your listing when you post it - the Lake District is a beautiful location, and like many others I prefer a more modest home.
One consideration is the time you’ll be leaving and so how the handover to the sitter will work before the sit - I’ve had a range of handover styles, and I’m sure there are many others:
- arriving at the home just before the HO leaves, either driving direct from home or staying in a B&B the night before (my own expense - this gives me an opportunity to visit the evening before)
- finding a key in a hidden location or with a neighbour (either having had a video call to show me around the home, or visiting before if I’m in the area)
- staying at the home the night before the HOs leave (this extra night was included in the sit dates) if there is a spare bedroom available.
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We’re not too far away, we’re from the North East, we sit as a couple, we’ve sat in a mix of really small places, and large places. We’ve sat in a small one bed over 55’s flat in the lake district, and we’re about to do a sit in a caravan shortly (not in the lakes). We’ve also sat in the odd ex council property too.
Personally I wouldn’t worry too much. We choose our sits based on the ‘experience’ we hope to get, sometimes that may be based on the cuteness of pets, sometimes it’s a beautiful location, sometimes it’s a stunning home, it just depends.
Your area is gorgeous, stunning, and beautiful! Don’t worry too much, but it depends where exactly in the lakes you are. Obviously the more remote areas and the ones where you need a car take a little while longer to fill.
There are plenty of single sitters on THS, but also, on the couple front, I am not sure what the bed situation is, but you can always use your own bed as the sitters bed. I know that may appear weird to you at the moment, but typically you change the sheets before you leave, and the sitter changes the sheets before they leave typically.
The other benefit of a couple from your point of view is you say ‘we’, so your pets are used to having more than one person around the place, so a couple keeps things more familiar to them. Also if you have a dog, there’s two dog walkers, there’s two people if one is ill etc. However, if your pet is used to have just one adult around the place, then perhaps one single sitter is best, only you know best. There’s no need pigeon hole yourself, you can keep your options open, and just see who applies, and who you feel more aligned to.
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@Cazzt It’s not the size of the home that makes a great sit. Some of my favorite sits have been very modest homes. I look for location, pets, and dates that work in my schedule. In my experience wonderful hosts are what make the sit great. The size or type of home really doesn’t matter.
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Welcome to the forum @Cazzt !
A clean home and a hospitable host is the most important - all sizes homes can find lovely sitters. As @strawberryjen says, I also actually prefer homes on the more compact side, and my sits so far have been smallish because I like it. Best of luck and safe travels! 
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Welcome @Cazzt
I’ve done sits in everything from a studio to a country manor house and everything inbetween! I can’t imagine you’ll struggle for a sitter in the lake district.
All a sitter wants is a clean house with somewhere to hang their clothes and shelf in your fridge.
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Likewise, I’ve sat in modest places, as well as luxury homes. The smaller places are actually easier to care for.
Personally, what matters to me most are welcoming and reasonable hosts, location, cleanliness and tidiness, along with pleasant pets.
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As long as you have all amenities and a comfy bed it’s fine! 
I’d say the line is if you don’t have a comfortable place to sleep for a sitter. I’ve seen people advertise camp beds or single beds that don’t look appealing.
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