It definitely needs to be discussed with the HO. I wouldn’t change your profile to mention the possibility of a friend joining you, but my suggestion would be to ask after accepting a sit, and making it very clear that there is no problem in your end if the Ho is against it.
In my case, the only “friends” I’d be comfortable inviting to one of my “sits” would be my grandchildren.
In 7+ years of sitting, I have only ever asked about visitors twice and both times were for repeat sits where I already knew the HOs and the layout of the house. The first time was inviting somebody in for a coffee after a walk around the public estate where the house is situated. The second time was asking about the possibility of an elderly friend staying for a couple of days in the 2nd spare bedroom. This didn’t in fact happen as my friend wasn’t up to it health-wise but the HO was more than happy for her to stay. She has also suggested that I should host a Xmas dinner during my next sit in December. Normally, I meet friends in a restaurant or cafe, or we arrange to visit a garden or historic site together, or I am invited to their house, and I maybe stay a night or two with them either on my way to or from a sit. I would be very uncomfortable with friends looking for a freebie weekend.
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As a homeowner, I bring this up after having confirmed the sitter. I address it in the agreement I have them sign and ask only that they inform me of the names and dates of any overnight guests prior to the guests arriving. I prepare an agreement for legal reasons so that if questions arise the sitter can point to the agreement as their legitimacy in occupying the premises. (We are usually 8-9 time zones away so hard to reach.) The agreement also lays out conditions like no-smoking, departure date, , and other details that it is good to have formalized.
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Hi
Hiw do HO’s feel about sitters having visitors.
I had a dit arranged quite local to me so my family and a cou0le of friends asked if they could visit. Not to stay but come out with me and have a cuppa back at the house.
The friend who asked Ive known for 50 years or more.
I told her that i would have to ask.the HO first.
I did but she categorically refused, saying that they should be vetted, and then promptly declined my sit which has been arranged since May, with three weeks notice, and she made the initial contact.
I would not allow anything to happen while sitting and would not let anyone i didnt trust visit
Am i expected to sit in isolation.
Amanda
I asked for this place, a city where I know people. These HOs are a generous and easy-going family and they had no problems at all with my sister coming over for tea. But I asked, that is what the rules are, and the HO can say no.
They even hinted at being fine with a guest staying the night.
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That’s a tough one but ultimately the HOs call @Amanda56 - you did the right thing by asking. It clearly spooked her so she cancelled and she can say no to visitors as it’s no third parties allowed on either sides. Maybe if she’s that sensitive to a request then you dodged a bullet on the sit would be another way to look at it. Hope you find another one 
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@Amanda56 you did the correct thing by asking but at the end of the day it is the Homeowner’s choice whether to allow it or not.
Rather harsh of them to cancel because if you had been given the opportunity you could have said that you understood and arranged to meet your friends on neutral ground.
Seems like this cancellation would have been against the terms of service - cancellations only for extraordinary circumstances. This doesn’t seem to qualify.
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@Amanda56 that seem to be rather an over reaction to a simple request for an old friend to visit for a cuppa!! And as @jcvbva says it may even be against the T&Cs to cancel for this reason especially as you could so easily have reassured her you would meet your friends elsewhere! At least you politely asked, some don’t.
We have had a couple of occasions where we’ve asked if a local friend could pop in. Its always been ok. We even did one sit near our son & grandkids and the host chose us especially to support the family contact so it was clear they were welcome to visit (and they loved to play with the dog!) which was lovely.
As @Cuttlefish says you may even have dodged a bullet with that one!
Definitely don’t beat yourself up - you did nothing wrong by asking. I hope you find a replacement sit in the area. Plenty of hosts are happy to let old friends or family visit especially for a solo sitter to have a bit of company. Good luck!
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That’s a very harsh overreaction, not a reason to cancel the sit. But, you may be better off not sitting for that host.
I’ve twice asked hosts about having guests. The first was sit in the town where my daughter attends university. I asked if they would mind if she came over for dinner once or twice to get a break from dining hall food. The host said absolutely and even went a step further saying she was welcome to stay for the sit and could use the guest bedroom (I was staying in the master bedroom). I’ve got a 2 week repeat sit coming up soon for these wonderful hosts and their pets.
The second time was a 2-week cat sit and I asked if my sister could come for three days. I asked very politely and provided information about my sister and her experience with cats (she’s literally had cats her entire life). I explained that she works for an airline and was going to be in the area for a few days, but could certainly get a hotel if the HO was not comfortable with a guest. The HO said it was completely fine and that she could use the second guest room. I’ll be returning there again too. The HO actually contacted me to see when I was available and is arranging her spring travel dates around when I can be there. I’ll be returning for a month long sit in the spring, so clearly she wasn’t upset about me asking to have a guest.
I guess it really depends on the HO and also on their level of trust. I completely understand that they may not feel comfortable having another person in the home and that’s fine. But cancelling a sit just because the sitter asked is unwarranted.
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Unless you argued your point or responed displeased that the HO said no, I think the HO should have just said they don’t want anyone else in the home. (Some state that in the listing.) No need to cancel your sit.
“Am i expected to sit in isolation”
Is there a way you could have meet your family and friends elsewhere.? I apply to sit solo , I wouldn’t think it was isolation unless I had no way to go anywhere or was expected at the house all day.
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I never bring visitors to a sit and don’t feel isolated. If I know folks in the area, we meet for drinks or a meal elsewhere. Or I go to their place. If they’re dog friendly, and if the HO says it’s OK, I might ask to bring the dog. But I’d do that only once I had a chance to see the dog’s temperament, because I wouldn’t want to put the dog in an uncomfortable setting.
I had one sit where their welcome guide said it was OK to invite guests. They had a great outdoor space and wanted their sitter to enjoy themselves. They had cats, so probably were less worried than if they had dogs. I didn’t invite anyone, though.
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It’s also common courtesy to ask if you can have guests, before you confirm a sit. I know this doesn’t always work out. Sometimes a visit only gets organised much later, after confirmation. You have to ask in a way that gives the HO the option to say no if they don’t feel comfortable with it. But for the HO to cancel the sit, that’s harsh.
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Surely you can your job as a pet sitter seriously and also want to see a friend? I don’t think it should ever be so black and white, what do you think usually motivates sitters, I don’t think it’s solely because they want to have the responsibility of looking after a pet (regardless of if they see a friend or not). People are travelling and they want to explore a new area often so its always going to be more than just a pet motivating them.
In the future if you think you’ll be in an area where you’ll want guests, ask the homeowner before the 2 of you confirm the sit. We normally sit as a family of 5 but there was one time just my daughter and I did a local sit. Even though my husband and son came to pick us up for dinner or to take us grocery shopping, I didn’t allow them to come inside the house because they were not part of the original application and I didn’t ask the homeowners before the confirmation. Our friends and family know about some of the cool locations we’ve been to and we always tell everyone they are welcomed to come out but cannot visit us in the home. Of course once they know they cannot lodge with us, they never make it out.
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We have a youngish sitter coming to stay in our rather remote farmhouse, and I was worried about her being lonely, so I suggested she can have a friend come to stay for a few days. She was pleased about that.
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Perhaps this could have been raised in the Owner category where you are specifically asking owners how they feel about this @Amanda56 as it is sitters who have basically responded. Are you an experienced sitter with excellent THS reviews or just starting out as a sitter? Is it their first time using a sitter? The answers to these could have influenced their decision. As others have said, the question of having visitors is best raised before confirmation of a sit. It is the HO’s decision and we must abide by that. I understand you saying you wouldn’t let anyone visit who you didn’t trust but unfortunately the owners don’t know us so it is a big ask to not only trust us but also complete strangers who have not been vetted.
As to sitting in isolation, you mention the sit is quite local so you will be able to meet friends and family away from the house as you are not tied 24/7. By choosing to be a single sitter, I accept that at times I may feel isolated but it is my choice where I apply for sits.
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My friend wants to crash in my house sit. Is this allowed ?
Hi @cian
The short answer is “Absolutely not”
If you use the magnifying glass at the top right of your screen and type in “Friends” that will show you past threads which will help you
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or search for ‘visitors’
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