Hello,
I am new to THS.
Just wondered if people have experience of sitters travelling long haul to the UK.
This will be our first sitter who is from America.
We are a little apprehensive due to sitter living so far away and travel involved. But maybe we are just nervous because it will be our first experience of having a sitter in our home with our lovely dog.
Are there any special considerations we should be making or be aware of.
Thank you for any advice
Speaking as a US based sitter, not a HO - One of my earliest THS experiences was a month in the UK, 3 weeks at a 19 C castle in Somerset followed by a week in Edinburgh. I’m amazed that these folks picked me but they did and their reviews early in my TH experience I’m sure played a role in my getting other international sits - on Jeju Island in South Korea, in Australia, and in the UK. And several of these were for new to THS pet parents.
I take all sits as real commitments so make sure that I am willing to spend the cost of travel to get there - either in the US or internationally. Certainly, this is something to discuss with the sitter before you offer or the sitter accepts. Having the conversation can help you both decide if you are comfortable with the sitter and gives the sitter a chance to work out travel arrangements that are comfortable for them (exact dates allow the sitter to know what travel will cost).
(I was all set to travel around the world over 2 months when Covid shut things down - I had confirmed sits in Hong Kong, Sweden, the UK and back to the US.)
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I’m a US based sitter and I’ve done about 14 sits in the UK as well as other non-sitting travel there. I’m currently in London doing a repeat sit for a lovely family I sat for last summer. I think a lot of Americans enjoy sitting in the UK and the vast majority of sitters take their commitment to a sit very seriously.
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We’re sitters from Durham, UK. We’ve sat for a number of pet owners who have been with THS for a long time (and newbies too obviously), but with the UK owners that had been with THS a long time, they naturally talk about their past sitter experiences with us, and some of them have mentioned to us that they’ve had sitters from mainly the USA, & Australia, and in general everything has worked out fine.
HOWEVER, there’s always a risk where flights are concerned, so if I were you, ask if you I’d ask for a copy of their flight booking reservation, so that you know they have definitely booked that, and then you can also track the flight number down the line to see if it took off on time. If they are good, they’ll hand those details over straight away. As sitters we do the same but we wait until nearer the sit date, we simply ask for the owners return flight details so we can check if their return flight has taken off on time, because it saves the owners having to update us all the time from the airport.
With any sitter, whether they are from the UK or overseas, you need to trust your intuition and your gut feeling about them. You’ll instinctively know if they’re the type to turn up when they say they will.
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As an American, I’ve done five of 22 sits in the U.K. One of them was a repeat and the other hosts would have me back, but I don’t usually accept repeats, preferring variety.
When I’ve applied for sits abroad before, I’ve offered to coordinate travel to match with hosts handoff wise. I do that anyway even when sitting in my country. And I usually arrive a day ahead anyway.
Sitting abroad has made no difference to me commitment wise. Once you’ve agreed, the commitment has been made.
As for getting into a country to sit, I take that in stride and am comfortable dealing with border agents. Some sitters won’t have the comfort level, so they’re probably risky bets.
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I did a bunch of sits in England last spring. I lived in Sweden, and even then owners were skittish about that. So I sent them a copy of my ferry ticket from Hook of Holland.
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We currently reside, for tax purposes at least 
, in Canada and have completed 10 sits in the UK over last two years. Indeed we’re just scheduling a video call for a UK housesit in summer 2025.
Bold plan to pick an overseas housesitter for your first time! Hopefully your selected housesitter has a track record in completing overseas housesits.
Irrespective of UK context, we have completed many housesits that have involved either international travel (by Pet Parents or housesitter).
Apprehension may be alleviated by some combination of following:
- Invite housesitter to arrive early. This is common request where international travel is involved. Aside from permitting a hopefully lovely chat, and ensuring effective handover of pet/property, then it also gives comfort to both parties that all is well.
- Share travel status & itinerary. Trust is important. Hopefully both parties have booked travel plans - if this is not the case then escalate and reevaluate.
- Communicate periodically. Ensure everything ok between time of sit confirmation and sit start date.
- Avoid surprises. Provide comprehensive Welcome Guide at earliest possible date, in any case well in advance of sit start date.
- If concern arise then be proactive. Communicate with housesitter. THS Member Services may be able to provide guidance but I’d suggest that the sit execution is your responsibility.
- Have a backup plan. You’re both taking some degree of risk as a sit cancellation (by either party) would probably cause challenges.
Good luck!
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Welcome @rainingcatsanddogs to THS and the forum. I can understand your apprehension. I’m Australian and my very first sit was in the UK back in 2016 for new owners. We trusted each other and it was a great sit with me returning the following year to sit for them again. Back then, there were no video calls between owner and sitter; it was just our messages through the inbox. Now, it is highly recommended there is a video chat between both parties before confirming a sit. Did you receive multiple applications and this sitter was the one you liked the best or were they the only one to apply and you jumped in and booked them?
Think about what attracted you to this sitter. Did they show a genuine interest in your pets, call you by your names, address any specifics in your listing? Are they experienced sitters with THS with a number of very positive reviews? Are any of their reviews for international sits? Did you get a good “feel” about them?
I know with that first sit, I emailed a copy of my flight booking very soon after the sit was confirmed so that the owners had peace of mind. That sit was the start of a wonderful time connecting with owners and pets in the UK where I have now completed 72 sits there, with more booked for this coming summer.
If you haven’t had a video chat (and exchanged mobile numbers) then it’s not too late to do this.
Wishing you all the best.
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I would ask them to let you know when they make their plane reservations. Ask for the airline and time of arrival. Offer to pick them up at airport if this is possible. Definitely have them arrive days early. Planes can be delayed, canceled flights due to weather, miss connection as first plane arrived late, etc, etc. If they are uncomfortable staying at your home while you are there I would arrange for them to stay at a hotel. The more attractive the perks are and the more you show them appreciation, the less likely they will cancel. How a host handles communications once a sit is booked is also very important.
Also, although they are from the US do you know if they are arriving from there ? They may be traveling before your sit and already be in the UK.
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Hi @rainingcatsanddogs. Welcome to the forum.
You have already got good advice but it’s also possible that reading about all the precautions you should take may have contributed to making you even more nervous.
I agree good communication and a nice, hospitable attitude are essential for a successful sit for both parties but don’t feel you have to go the extra mile to avoid a cancellation. Cancellations are rare but they do happen and it’s always important to have a plan B just in case. Most cancellations are due to emergencies and unavoidable circumstances. Sometimes, people cancel because the owner broke THS T&Cs (they didn’t disclose relevant information when the sit was agreed) but I would not say that people cancel because there are not enough perks.
Good luck. I am sure everything is going to be fine.
It would be lovely to have some feedback from your first experience.
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Welcome @rainingcatsanddogs .
How exciting to have your first sitter confirmed.
Keep in regular contact prior to the trip - If you haven’t already exchanged mobile phone numbers do so asap . WhatsApp is preferred by most sitters as it doesn’t require them to use data as long as they have wi-fi connection . This will also be the best way for them to keep in contact with you and provide updates during the sit .
Confirm their arrangements to get from airport to your home . Have you offered to pick them up from the airport ? Do they need local advice on which train / coach they need to take to get to you ?
Back Up Plan- it’s always recommended to have a back up plan . Flights can be delayed or cancelled so it’s best that the sitter arrives in the country at least a day before the sit starts . Also have a back up plan in case the sitter delayed and you have to leave before they arrive . This can be a handover by video call for example.
Prepare a thorough welcome guide to help your sitter - you can send this to them asap and print one out for them to refer to at your home .
Make arrangements with your vet so that if an emergency arises they can bill you and not expect sitter to pay . How would a sitter get your pet to the vet ( taxi / pet carrier ) all this information can go into the WG .
You could also make a folder with information about local places to visit and which buses to use to get around to shops / attractions .
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You have had some great advice here. It’s nice to read the well thought through replies on OS sits in comparison to some of the unhinged scaremongering being bandied about on other social media platforms at the moment by one disgruntled ex THS sitter.
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We are UK based and done a lot of sits overseas.
My advice, for what it’s worth, is arrive a few days early just to beat the jet lag. Pamper yourself in a nice rental or hotel and get orientated. Keep the hosts informed every step of the way. Tell them when the flights are booked, who you’re flying with and the times you land. Communicate with them monthly if not weekly depending how far in the future the sit is. It’s very reassuring for both parties knowing what’s going on. Any changes in your travel plans tell them immediately. Talk about what weather to expect, what sightseeing you would like to do, where the best car hire is, what restaurants they would recommend……. Trivial things but it’s all about building a relationship.
I hope this all works out for you. There is nothing like being in a different country and living like a local. Stepping into someone else’s life just for a while.
United States is one of our favourite countries, we traveled there and Canada for two years. Our experience opened our eyes and made us realise the diversity of these two huge countries. United Kingdom is far smaller and has a far better public transport system. Travel is far easier from the large cities but a car is essential in the rural areas.
Enjoy.
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I’ve just confirmed an overseas sit. One of my questions was whether they had firm travel plans and their tickets were booked (they were). So after confirmation I booked my tickets and sent photos of them to owner.
I was invited to come ahead of their departure to ensure everything went well re: delays and such. That could be done in a guestroom and/ or leaving the master to the sitter, arrange a hotel room for the sitter or leave the home to the sitter and stay with family/ friends or at a hotel.
The usual thing is often that the party that want the early arrival pay for the extra expenses. If the host want the sitter to come early, the host would provide accommodation, if sitter wants to come early while no need for host, it is on the sitter. But one can do what one want.
For my upcoming sits, one I was invited to stay but I will stay in a hotel on own expense in nearby town and not come to host before they depart, in the other the hosts are leaving home day before departure to stay in an airport hotel and leave the home for us.
For sits closer to home I have come to them straight from ferry, bus or simular and just had a chat before they left same day, or it has been a «cold» handover where I pick up keys and host has already left.
Many ways to do it.
If I had an overseas sitter coming, I would probably prefer for them to come the day before, and set them up probably in our bedroom and we would stay at family or go to a hotel, as I’m kind of an introvert at bedtime and prefer my routine. 
But meeting them eould be really nice. If we had more room it would be different.
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Of course they don’t cancel because of not enough perks but I think if traveling overseas the sitter is more likely to push themselves through some circumstance that would have made them cancel. This could be realizing hotels are over 300.00 a night in the area and the host did not offer them to stay in their home but asked if they can meet a couple of days earlier than the sit to go over things. I am sure there are college kids on here and traveling out of the country for the first time on their own who may not have realized hotel costs, transportation cost from landing to more remote places, etc, etc. Yes everyone should have done due diligence before the sit but not everyone does. Having the host tell them there will be breakfast food for them the first day if markets require them to take a bus or other transportation to market and they have no vehicle. Instead of host doing a bait and switch once they confirm and are now commanding things that would make things difficult for them.
Prices could also differ very much from one week to another, for instance if suddenly an event/ conference/concert is published to take place in :location: So even if you had looked into prices, they could sky-rocket over the night. Had this happend recently for a sit I was interested in, and have seen it in cities with events that hotelrooms are suddenly crazy more expensive or totally sold out.
I so agree, there is nothing like being in a different country and living like a local. Just going to the local grocery store can be a new adventure. In Italy there are what looked like surgical gloves by the apples to put on when putting them in the brown paper bag. I lived with two different families in Florence and Milan and both peeled the apples before serving them as they think the peels have germs. The beautiful large whole fishes sold you don’t see in the States. Going to an Asian grocery store is even more interesting.
You can take your expensive hurry up and wait tours (been there, done that) that don’t give you any clue on how locals live and only go to tourist restaurants.)
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You’ve made some really good points so thank you. I will remember if I ever travel overseas with this platform. Asking the host if they already bought their tickets is great advice. Also like if you ask a sitter to come early then you pay for hotel but if they come early without you asking then it is on them.
Hello,
Thank you for all your advice.
We have had a video call with our sitter and she seems lovely and trustworthy, so we are going to go with that!
She will be in the Uk before our sit or at least the day before and we have said she can stay a day early.
Fingers crossed that it all goes to plan.
She seems like a confident, and organised person. We hope to make her feel welcome in whatever way we can.
You have all been very helpful.
Thank you
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