Is the sitter allowed to bring other people in to my house. I’m just exploring options for my dog when I’m away but leaving him and my house with someone I don’t know gives me some anxiety and I start thinking, what about if the sitter brings others into my house? What about if they throw a party and make a mess? I am just new and I want to get some answers before I pay for the membership. Thanks!
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Hello @Roaicaro and welcome to the community forum, and hopefully to TrustedHousesitters.
There is a strict third party policy, which I’ll add below. Also keep in mind that most owners add a review to the sitter’s profile. If a sitter throws a party or makes a mess, they are jeopardizing their reputation which will affect their chances of getting future sits.
Francine
Volunteer moderator 
We always ask if a friend can come for dinner / coffee etc., but it’s quite rare that we even know anyone in the area that could come over. Keep in mind that if a sitter would behave the way you described it would probably mean the end of their “career” as a sitter and most sitters will go to great lengths not to jeopardize their good reputation. We even make pictures of delicate surfaces or cupboards so we know in what condition everything was at our arrival and to know where all the things go (I sound a bit like a grandpa now, but we’re only in our 30s; I think a lot of sitters go to great lengths to make sure everything is in order, no matter their age).
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We occasionally have a friend visit us for a coffee if we happen to be in an area where we know someone and that is as wild as it gets. As @anon36831737 says 99% of all sitters on this site are reliable, responsible, caring pet lovers
You are far more likely to come home to a home in better condition than when you left it.
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Hello @Roaicaro We are HOs and sitters. We always proactively bring up this topic when we do video chats with potential sitters. In one case, we turned a sitter down during the chat because they admitted they’d have someone traveling with them but refused to share who it would be. Big red flag for us.
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It’s all about assessing risk and deciding what you are comfortable with. Because of the reviews the risk is pretty small that somebody doesn’t respect the “no third party” rule without your prior knowledge. The alternative is to not go on trips or to use other services where your pet is not at home or at home but alone for very long periods, which can be very distressing for them.
We started using sitters last December and have been on two trips since then. We wouldn’t want to travel again without the comfort of knowing our cat is at home with people watching over her and giving her some affection.
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