Good morning all, I am a new THS member with two gorgeous and very old GSD doggies. I have never done this before and would like some advice please?
When a house sitter comes to stay, do I have to provide food (IE a week’s worth of food) if I am away for that time?
I am a little cautious about this, leaving my house with all my contents in their entirety and my dogs. I have read a lot of the trust pilot reviews, and all seem very positive. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks Rachelle
No. You’ll find most HSitters will either bring their own or go out and buy their own food.
Personally, all I want is a fresh pint of milk in the fridge so I can have a coffee on day one.
The HO I’ve sat for in Florida took me to the supermarket the evening my flight arrived and helped me to stock up for a few days until I could settle in and work out shops, local transport, a car.
Hi @Rachelle1234 - Welcome to the Trusted housesitting community. This is a fair exchange service.
The exchange, basically, is that we ( The sitters ) will care for your home and pets whilst you are away and you ( the Home host ) will allow the sitter to stay in your property rent and utility payment free.
No cash is exchanged and all the sitters travel costs and food costs are paid for by the sitter.
All that sitters ask is clean accommodation , some space to unpack( particularly for longer sits) and some space in the fridge & freezer.
It is perfectly normal to be a little cautious at first but you will soon find that this is a great concept where all concerned are winners. The home host gets to go away knowing that their pets & home are in good care and the sitters get to visit new areas and spend time with lots of different four legged friends!
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thank you very much, that’s great advice
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Hello @Rachelle1234 and a warm welcome to TrustedHousesitters and the forum - we are glad you have found the community and are already making good use of it.
It is normal to have some caution the first time (I know we did when we very first used sitters almost 10 years ago before becoming sitters ourselves), but connecting with the community here will I’m sure give you much reassurance, and there are some great threads that you might find helpful too. At the end of the day this is a value exchange where everyone wins… the owners, the sitters and most importantly… the pets! I have a great fondness for GSDs… would love to see a picture of yours!
As far as food is concerned, you’ll see from others that this is not an expectation. Sitters provide their own food for the duration of the sit, but with a potential overlap on perishables which often depends on the length time you are away. We have always hated waste and are happy to use up perishables, but others prefer not to - it comes down to personal preference.
It’s always nice as @LTD mentions to have some basics, and if your sitters are traveling long distance and won’t have had a chance to shop, something for their arrival. But these are all conversations you can have when you’ve decided on your first sitters and have more info about their travel plans 
We look forward to following your first sit journey and please do enjoy connecting here in the community! All the best and happy Sunday! Vanessa
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Welcome @Rachelle1234 :-). As everyone has mentioned it is perfectly normal to have some questions and concerns when you first contemplate having housesitters. Especially if you also have cherished pets. It is a trust based exchange and equally important with that is open communication and feeling you have found a good fit for your needs. Ask any and all questions of your prospective sitters and don’t feel obligated to choose one if it doesn’t feel right no matter how likeable they are. Your sitters should also be asking relevant questions of you regarding your home, your pets, your expectations. Ask “what if” questions - if I am delayed returning home, if my pets get sick, if a pipe bursts etc. The more you and your sitters discuss beforehand the easier it is for everyone. Once you have felt comfortable with a sitter and chosen them it is such a relief to be able to go away knowing that you have left your home and pets in good hands and that any unexpected development will be dealt with or communicated to you in a way you have both agreed on
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@Rachelle1234 Welcome! We too were cautious when we first joined as HOs but have found that the sitters we have chosen are mature, reliable and very respectful of our possessions. We always tell them to help themselves to anything in the kitchen, but aside from condiments we have not had anyone take us up on the offer. We used paid sitters for decades and I can tell you the sitters from THS have all been WAY better than any of our paid sitters in the past. Best of luck!
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Thank you very much for the message THS team. Everyone on here has been great and give their advice and it feels very nice to be part of this and help putting my mind at rest.
Thank you
Best wishes
Rachelle
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Thank you Peg very much for taking the time to respond. I really appreciate your message and it certainly has gone a lot of way to putting my mind at rest.
Very best wishes
Rachelle
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