Transitioning to paid HouseSitting / Pet care

Sitter Questions, Advice & Chat
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Has anyone made the transition from either free to paid sits / pat care or vice versa? I signed up to a paid pet care and housesitting website recently as I’m free lance and work has dried up… I find the idea an interesting one, and wonder what labour and time is worth to different people.

I’ve done a variety of sits now - some have felt like a more than fair exchange, others I have left feeling like the amount of work a pet required really should have been paid for. I was talking to my therapist about it, who owns a dog - they were shocked it was a free service, and said they always pay their dog sitter as they think that is what is fair, which I found interesting.

I know there will be a broad spectrum of opinions on this, which I imagine are shaped by people’s lifestyles, income, class, a myriad of factors which determine the choices we’re able to make and the time we’re able to give.

I have had many conversations with HO’s where they mention the stress of sitters cancelling, flakiness, anxiety of low or no applications, needing a sitter last minute and struggling to find one here, asking if I can come back again next time… and I thought “Well, I don’t have a particular reason to and I’d be going out of my way a bit…but sure if it was paid I could do that” but that feels awkward to say - It brings me back to the question of paid sits and being paid for your time…

I know already some people will say “it works very well for us this way!” and that’s great! But should there be a conversation around expectations thresholds and how much is too much for free?

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@RR12345
Not only do I have zero experience with paid house/pet sitting, but I also lack knowledge. However, it did cross my mind lately that perhaps I could give it a try or at least gather enough information to help me make some sort of calculated decision.

What makes me second-guess is the possibility of potential liability. What if anything happens? As a paid helper, don’t I need insurance?

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I did sign up to one or two of those apps, but then I found out that it does not work for travel like THS does.

In the apps that I looked at it is local HOs that offer gigs to local sitters. Often they want to park their pet at the pet carer’s place.

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We have done one paid sit and have a couple more booked yet to do. I noticed that there is a section of the community that is extremely suspicious/wary of free sitters

I spent a lot of time defending ourselves against these people who constantly were posting on Facebook groups that ‘free’ sitters come with a high risk of cancellation and are generally less reliable. They often refer to free sitters as 'hobbyists, comparing us to (paid in cash)‘professionals’.

I eventually decided that exchange sitting is not for everyone and I have to accept that these people will only feel relaxed leaving their pets in the hands of someone they have paid - Their unshakable opinion is that you get what you pay for.

Last year I saw a sit on a Facebook group asking specifically for a paid sitter. The dates suited us so I applied, offering that we would do it for a nominal £100 and we were accepted, The sit itself was no different than any others we have done so we were happy and so was the home host - she even gave us an extra £50 tip.

Since then I have seen two separate sits that suit us, had we seen them on THS we might have applied anyway, but again, they were on Facebook groups asking for paid, professional sitters.

Both 14 nights - I quoted £500 for each and both accepted us instantly

I have checked for insurance quotes and I intend to take out a year’s insurance (less than £100) before we do the first one.

We could have told them to save their money, join THS and send us a private invite but I’m not too proud to accept cash that someone is happy and willing to pay.

We will still do the majority of our sits via THS as the choice for our travelling is much better but if the occasional paid-in-cash sit that suits us pops up elsewhere, we will be more than happy to apply.

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what type of insurance do you intend to take?

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If you want to sit for money, it’s a legit way to earn and you can sign up with Rover or such, or just start sitting on your own for cash at anytime. You don’t need anyone’s buy-in on this forum. You just can’t charge for THS sits, because it’s a platform set up for bartering.

As for expectations and how much is too much for free on THS, each sitter decides that for themselves. The listings that ask for too much just won’t get any applicants. Whether you or I or someone else thinks a sit is too much doesn’t matter as long as the host can find a willing taker that they find acceptable. And if they can’t, then they can consider alternatives, including hiring someone. It’s not as if pet owners aren’t aware of such possibilities.

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@anon47943759
We are based in the UK and numerous insurance companies have policies for pet sitters.
I have asked around and the most recommended seem to be https://britishpetinsurance.co.uk/ and Pet Business Insurance - From £1.43 A Week | Protectivity

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Thanks Colin! That was really helpful to read :slight_smile: Appreciate your response.

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Interestingly since posting this a few hours ago I’ve had a message on here from a HO asking me if I’d sit for a dog and they’d offer to pay expenses, as they are struggling to find someone for upcoming dates.

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@RR12345

I’m freelance like yourself, and have recently been wondering whether paid dog-walking/house-sitting is something that I could fit in around the work that I already do, which is flexible, but can be sporadic – usually either more than I can comfortably handle, or not enough.

To try this idea out, I have done a few non-THS sits or had dogs to stay in my home as a favour for friends or family, and I have noticed that there is a MASSIVE difference in how I feel about doing these versus how I feel about doing sits via THS. I approach both in an equally conscientious and professional manner, but the THS sits where I have chosen an area that I’d like to visit, and a particular sit that I’d like to do, just feel like more fun. I’ve also probably gone above and beyond on some of these THS sits, getting involved in changeovers for homeowners’ holiday cottages, and even cleaning them as part of the exchange – yes, I am a total mug! In contrast, doing sits that I feel obligated to do outside of THS, whether paid or unpaid, just don’t have that same buzz about them. It feels like going through all the hassle of going on a trip that you don’t really want to go on – packing up the car, transporting the contents of the fridge, walking dogs (usually in the rain), washing dogs after muddy walk, cleaning house ready for homeowners return, etc. etc. I think it’s less about the money, and more about the sit being something you chose to do.

As for expectation thresholds on THS sits, I think that as long as homeowners have been honest in their listing or initial conversations, then it really is as much as a sitter is prepared to take on. I’m sure that plenty will disagree with me, but I can honestly say that some of the ‘above and beyond’ parts of THS sits that were unexpectedly sprung on me were actually what made the whole thing the experience that it was. I’m not really looking for, or expecting, a normal ‘holiday’ on a house-sit, so when these things crop up, they kind of add to the richness of the trip. I also really like the ethos of doing an exchange that is mutually beneficial to both parties, and believe that this creates a completely different atmosphere and relationship to that which would be created if the sit simply involved receiving payment for a service.

What has always been really lovely is situations where homeowners have either left a bit of cash towards travel costs, (not expected but always appreciated), or have stocked up their fridge with delicious treats and the instruction to ‘eat it all!’ Ironically, it’s usually the homeowners who ask for the least in terms of pet care who are also the most generous in terms of making you feel appreciated as a sitter.

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Thanks for this insight Becca :slight_smile: Yes I agree - I’ve done some extremely straightforward low maintenance cat sits and been showered with treats. Which was not expected but a nice touch!

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Hi Maggie,

I just thought it an interesting topic and as this place is full of experienced pet-carers wondered what others thought or if they had tried this path.

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There are some folks who do THS, as well as paid sitting for a living. They sometimes post and say they do THS, because it offers them more freedom and flexibility vs. sitting professionally.

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Is this coming from what your therapist said? Many people (even therapists) don’t “get” the value of this model for sitters. I have one friend for whom I’ve done voluntary petcare who still thinks I’ve hit hard times and am sitting out of desperation. He really doesn’t get it as a fair exchange or a travel hack. Is it possible your therapist thinks you are being exploited in some way, or simply has their own bias about the model and feelings about it? It’s irrelevant how your therapist “feels” about this. The only thing important is how you view it. If you think there is value to you in sitting in exchange for accomodation then that’s fine.

I’ve done some compensated petcare as a freelancer. I wasn’t trying that hard to land gigs, but I’m also a petparent and I know from sitters I’ve used it is a tough way to make a living, it might, however, work for you and open a whole world as far as local dogwalking or cat dropin visits go. Nothing wrong with using the skills you have to make some extra money, especially if things are slow now and you have the time.

I know there are some sitters using Trusted Housesitters who have tried to transition to paid “travel” sitting. I don’t know how they are doing. As a pet parent if I needed to pay someone, it would be someone local who I could use last minute and for repeat sits. There are some other matching services that offer the option of paid or unpaid, so one could always try that.

But I see the free exchange model and the compensated as two very different things. I don’t see THS as amateur hour and graduating to something “professional.” The experience I look for in THS sitters is previous pet ownership or lots of petcare for friends and relatives. That’s the same exact experience and skillset I would look for in a “paid” sitter. I can “do” petcare for someone else either locally in exchange for cash or at a distance in exchange for accomodation. The skills aren’t different. The dynamic is. The dynamic of doing this for cash makes me an “employee” and the person I’m doing it for a “boss.” The dynamic of doing this for THS makes me a “guest” and the person I’m doing this for a “host.”

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LOL.

I have friends who don’t get it, either. Like they’ll tell me that I’m always welcome to stay with them. But to me, the beauty of THS sits is that I don’t have to interact with people unless or when I want to. Like I’ll sometimes sit and just have lunch or dinner with friends nearby and then I can go back to solo time (with furry friends), which I love.

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@Colin I like the idea that you “bid” with a total sum of money rather than a nightly rate! Genius! Nobody has to do any calculations. If they decide to come home 2 days early, too bad, it’s still 500 pounds.

What type of Facebook group presented these opportunities?

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I concur - I’m curious about the Facebook groups :slight_smile:

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Just do a search - combination of keywords housesitting /petsitting /country /city .e.g. petsitting e.g.

Edited to remove the link as per posting terms

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On NextDoor, I often see people looking for pet sitters also!

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Go for it. Whatever model is right for you, use it.
Like Colin I have spent numerous hours defending “free sitters” on Facebook. I put it in quotations as it’s an exchange not free. We are unreliable, unprofessional, don’t know anything about dogs and so much more. I gave up. Each to their own.
I will stick to to a THS model. The only reason being, paid sits would make my tax return far more complicated. The money I earned would all go to the tax man.
If you do try it please keep us informed. I’m interested in how it goes.

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