Hello, I have just signed up at TH. I am about to pick a homeowner packet. I would like to ask other homeowners if they recommend the standard package with home insurance or just the basic one?
Also, I am super nervous about posting my first request for sitters. What if I won’t have any applications?
My pets are very important to me, I know many people feel the same, I am anxious about how they will be while I am away. Can you please share your first experience and also give some advice that helps me feel more comfortable listing my trip?
Thank you in advance.
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House sitter here. You will likely feel better by choosing someone with experience and of course, positive reviews. We have experience with new housesitters who appreciate the knowledge of expectations , asking the right questions etc.
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Hi @KRISSY27 welcome to our community forum and to TrustedHousesitters and we completely understand your nervousness however you are not alone, you have support from the community and from. our Membership Services Team.
As with anything new it’s the unfamiliar which can cause concern after all all of this is new to you and we are talking about two very precious parts of your life, your pets and home.
So let’s take one step at a time, your membership, I will Direct Message you about which to choose, it’s really the one which will benefit you the most.
Getting familiar with TrustedHousesitters …
This article from our Blog will take your through the process step by step House and pet sitting guidelines | TrustedHousesitters.com
Sitters choose their sits for many different reasons and finding the right sitter starts with your listings and there are many helpful articles on the website blog, like this one: How to create the perfect owner listing | TrustedHousesitters.com
when you have created your listing you can upload the link to your forum profile where other members can view it and offer help and advice, if you need it.
Once complete your listing will go live on the site …
When it comes to choosing a sitter you should look for a sitter who has the experience in caring for the needs of the pets you have this can be an experienced sitter or even a new member who applies and has a well crafted profile and references and who may even live locally to you.
We advise new sitter members to start locally where possible and being new does not mean they wont have the experience to give your pets and home the very best care and help you feel confident, they are simply new to TrustedHousesitters.
Choosing the right sitter is the key to a successful sit and that is done through communication which can never be too much but the one important thing to remember is you have full control over who you invite into your home and not until everyone involved is 100% happy with the arrangement should the sit be confirmed.
This guide will help 7 things to look for in a pet sitter | TrustedHousesitters.com
You will get lots of help here on the forum, simply ask your question and if you would feel happier talking to one of the team who can address all of your concerns, we can help arrange a call .
You probably have lots of questions and having your first TrustedHousesitter experience is to a degree taking a leap of faith but one that once you’ve “leapt” you’ll wonder why you left it so long …
Here’s a helpful Q&A
Welcome again and please don’t hesitate to contact me or any of the team directly, we are here to help … you are not alone you are part of our TrustedHousesitters community.
Angela and the Team
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We as sitters usually update HOs at least 2 times per day (often 4-5 times) about their pets with photos and short texts on how they are doing. Attitudes differ wildly though and perhaps you should specify in your listing that “frequent updates (2 times per day) would be appreciated”. That might make you feel more comfortable during your trip. Once we also had a HO who wrote little “letters” on WhatsApp to us twice a day and asked specific questions. That’s also OK for us and we understood that her young Sphynx cat was like a baby for her (and to us as well).
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Thank you!
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Thank you!
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Can’t tell you how nervous I was first time as an owner. I still am to be honest, though I’m still learning the ropes after 5-6 years and quite a few sitters.
I read, re-read and re-re-read the guidelines over and over before starting the process. I picked a couple who had experience of doing lots of sits. This gave me some assurance that they knew what they were doing. One thing that confused me about the vetting checks on sitters and one which stressed me a little is to do with knowing where a sitter comes from, in as much as they have a home address that they can be traced to in a ‘worst case scenario’.
It took a while for the penny to drop that this fab pair of sitters, young, adventurous and carefree, had no home address and that they lived wherever they did a sit, then moved on to the next. I assumed sitters would be folk who wanted to have a trip to wherever and then go home. That un-nerves me still, I have to be honest. I invited these sitters back for another trip, which went very well.
As long as the references/reviews are honest and positive, that THS are able to check the ID etc, that gives me some assurance.
I don’t want to imply any form of discrimination between sitters who are homeowners/renters and those who are nomads, as I say, it’s all based on the experience and reviews, but I would prefer to know openly and honestly who our sitters are.
Had I known about sitting like this years ago, I’d have definitely been a bit more adventurous in my travels and been less concerned about having rented accommodation.
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