Hugely increased electricity bill

[Fatamorgana]

I agree with @Maggie8K again.

We don’t have central heating at our current sit either, we have tiled stoves that we have to fire up ourselves, an air conditioning unit downstairs, and mobile heaters. The air conditioning runs pretty much throughout the day when we’re there (though not excessively hot), and we also keep the stoves going. The temperature where we spend our days is around 17°C, while the bedrooms upstairs and the entire upper floor are unheated. It’s definitely below 10°C up there, but we have heated blankets.

I knew all of this beforehand and specifically asked whether it was possible to heat the house. We were told that, of course, electricity is expensive, just like almost everywhere in Europe, but that we should absolutely keep warm however we need. We are responsible with firewood, and we naturally turn off the air conditioning at night. The heated blankets we use only for pre-warming the beds because they get so cozy that we wouldn’t need the heated blanket through the night. Even on the lowest setting, it would be too hot.

But I would never, never, never freeze if that were expected of me. If I were explicitly asked to cut down on electricity in a way that made me uncomfortable, I would leave. I am not a child, I know what is reasonable and what isn’t.

When we do a sit, we give our whole heart to the dogs and to the home. That’s why it’s important to us that we like the people we sit for and that they like us back. We turn down so many sits where people see us simply as “the ones who take care of things.” Just last week, we declined a long-term sit in a large stunning villa without pets for exactly this reason. We don’t want to be just some people who come and go, we want to create special connections.

Some people assume sometimes that I am altruistic because I do so much for others without expecting anything in return. But what they don’t realize is that this isn’t altruism, just because I don’t receive financial compensation doesn’t mean there is no reward and I do not expect something back. The reward is the trust that is given back, the warmth and friendship we receive.

And yes, part of that trust and affection is also reflected in whether someone makes us feel restricted in our use of things like electricity, food, or other essentials.

I love our homeowner because of the way he made us feel home, the many messages we exchange, the deep gratitude he expresses, and the relationship that is forming. That’s amazing.

Today, I feel filled with love and gratitude. Sorry for the sentimentality.

[Becca]

Having recently signed up with electricity from Octopus I am now the proud owner of a smart meter, and have spent several thrilling evenings glued to the app, switching things on and off to find out how much they cost to run. In the last 14 hours I’ve only spent 32.4 pence! My house is all electric, and when I get close to the £1.50 mark I just turn the lights out and go to bed…

I am amazed by how inexpensive a heated towel rail is to run, versus a wall-mounted electric panel heater. So inexpensive that I’m still wondering whether there’s some kind of error in how the usage is being recorded. I’ll definitely be using that to dry clothes rather than running the tumble dryer over winter, and with the added benefit of a cosy (albeit rather steamy) bathroom. Electric blankets that go beneath the bottom sheet on a bed are also extremely cost-efficient, and it’s like being inside a giant toasted sandwich maker.

Unfortunately I fear that a little knowledge could be a bad thing and lead to obsessive behaviour in the pursuit of frugality - I must stop viewing having a bath as a ‘treat’. For everyone’s sake.

[Happypets]

@Maggie8K

If someone is washing linens before their departure, it would likely happen during peak hours, since many sitters sleep till morning, then wash before leaving. If a host doesn’t want that, they can specify that they’ll wash the linens.

Exactly my thoughts, too. We’ve done sits where the hosts have urged us to use the delay function on washing machine / dryer / dishwasher, since they’re on an Economy 7 tariff (if that’s what it’s still called in the UK!) and we’ve complied, with the exception of washing bedlinen on the morning of departure. So, if the OP had walked in and witnessed that, it doesn’t necessarily mean the sitters had totally disregarded this stipulation.

@Maggie8K

If this had been a THS sit and the host had noted in their listing that central heating wouldn’t be offered, I’d avoid the sit without hesitation. Many sitters would.

Otherwise, if the host had surprised me on arrival and said central heating wouldn’t be available, I’d leave before their trip started. That’s because if someone can’t provide a comfortable home and proper heating or cooling, they don’t deserve a voluntary sitter.

Absolutely!

[Fatamorgana]

Honestly, I find it absolutely mind-blowing what some people choose to complain about after having someone care for their animals 24/7 for weeks – providing everything that comes with it – commitment, responsibility, and genuine care. And probably so much more, because many sitters go out of their way to do extra things.

And yet, some homeowners have the audacity to complain afterwards – because they had to clean the bathroom, because the salt was empty, or because their heating bill was slightly higher.

It’s just mind-blowing, and I sincerely hope to never, ever encounter such a host. I really don’t. In fact, I’m knocking on wood right now – and there’s plenty of it in this house – to make sure it never happens.

[DianeS]

@MurphyW

this would be cheaper for one person

I find this statement the most worrying - why should a solo sitter have to endure a colder environment than a couple?

Truly a HO (thankfully not THS) who doesn’t understand the concept of mutual exchange.

[Maggie8K]

I get your sentiment. When thoughtfulness, kindness and appreciation are mutual between host and sitter, it’s pretty amazing. I count myself lucky to have had great hosts — they and their pets make sitting worthwhile.

Right now, I’m on a repeat sit for such folks and one of their typically skittish cats is nestled on my bed with me. All three of them — including the most skittish one — now jump on my lap, knead and purr. I’m so happy I’d purr, too, if I knew how.

[Garfield]

That should probably be the other way round. A couple could warm each other while a solo sitter needs two heaters?

Joke aside - it is important to heat a home, not only because it is comfortable and healthy for people, it is usually also healthy for the home. It is important to not have mold build up or condensation which both can harm the home itself and be very, very expensive to fix. Mold could also build up in the washing machine if one never run a hot program, leading to mold, bacteria and bad smell of clothing.

Having the water boiler set to low can lead to bacteria and legionella which can be harmful and also deadly.

Turning the heat up and down to the extreme isn’t the saving some think it is. If a home is very cold and you heat it up, you need to heat up (and pay for) heating up not only the air of the home but also the building (walls etc). Like when airing through a full open window for five min will change the air in the room but not significantly lower the temp of the room itself, while airing over time will lower the temp of the building and then you need to pay for that too. Or newer appliances using very small amounts of water and energy compared to older models.

If one really want to save it often requires some investments if energy cost is high. Insulating the home, from simple measures like rubber strips around doors and windows where you feel the leakage of air to the larger investments. I’ve moved from a really old home to a much more modern building, and the lowering of energy cost is significant while the home is warmer and more comfortable. But either way - the sitter has a right to be warm re. the terms of THS. One can’t put on a sitter to have a coat on inside even if that is what the host does themselves. That is breach of terms. Healthwise I think the advice is around 18-20°C, so I think that would be the limit. That is a higher temp than I used for myself in my own home. But when I expected guests I would always turn up the heat well ahead. As I would for a sitter, as a sitter is a guest.

[Peonie19]

Excellent and very informative points.

[Happypets]

We were about to apply for a sit in a lovely home in Suffolk (UK), an area we like to visit. All seemed perfect until I scrolled through the reviews and read that the pet parent had told previous sitters to ‘layer up’ in the evenings, instead of putting the heating on.

That was a big red flag, and a hard pass from us…

[Highfive]

I’m prepared to layer up if the house is a gorgeous mansion! I’ve been brought up in spacious draughty old vicarages where the heating bill has to be kept low… I prefer to sleep in a room with no central heating too.
If the pets are comfortable with it then especially if I’m on my own, I will tolerate quite a lot. I’d rather that than have to make a contribution to their heating bill! Ha ha!
But I haven’t sat in really cold places just UK Spain and Portugal and Geneva in the summer!