Hi
I am thinking of joining the house sitter scheme
I have three dats and a dog.
My mum and mother in law used to look after our pets whilst we were away but unfortunately they are too old now so we need to look at alternative options.
This seems like a good idea.
But how trustworthy and reliable is this scheme?
Thank uou
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I think the best thing for you to do is have a good read of lots of the topics here. Your question has been asked before so you might like to use the magnifying glass to search.
I’ll say that this is a very trusting site but can understand you might be nervous initially. I’m a sitter and, having rented out my home, am currently sitting full time as are quite a few other sitters. If I wasn’t trustworthy it would quickly be noticed and I’d be unlikely to get sits in future. All sitters on the website have been background checked.
Of course there’s no guarantee that you will get a sitter but your chance is much improved by having a great profile and lots of pics of inside your home and the animals. Once you’ve joined you can always ask us to look at your profile for any suggestions.
Good luck and go for it! It’s a win-win all round and a happy lifestyle choice for me. I’ve never been happier!
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@Mrsdusty My family is both sitters & owners on the site. We own 3 cats + 2 dogs and have definitely found we get out what we put into the sits & relationships. Detailed sitter profiles / owner listings with lots of photos & reviews/references, plus a video chat with plenty of communication help everyone manage expectations before a sit and ensure both parties are a good match. We try to go above & beyond for both the sitters we welcome into our home, and the owners who welcome us into theirs. A mutual appreciation on both sides, and consistent communication, helps fuel the trustworthiness and reliability. We love this community and have created many lifelong friendships 
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@Mrsdusty Communication is key here. Set clear expectations for any sitter from the off. Keep communicating right up to the sit. A handover period is useful for all if possible or for local sitters a presit meetup.
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I think it’s a big step for a home owner to hand over her pets & trust someone but honestly, we’ve met some amazing people on here. All in the same boat as you and all so happy to have found THS & good sitters. Be clear on what you want, take great pics, always do a video chat and read their background info as much as their reviews. Go with your gut feel! Good luck.
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