Use of Owner's cars in England

Have sitters been able to use their pet parent’s vehicles in the UK?
We have never sat in the UK. In other places we almost always have use of the car.
Thank you for any information,
Sam and David
“Your Devine House Sitters”

Edited to remove personal information for privacy reasons as per posting terms :slight_smile:

It’s hard for UK owners to add sitters who are not UK residents to their car insurance. You will find it difficult most of the time.

1 Like

I highly recommend that you do a search about this topic using the spyglass at the top of the screen, as this topic has been covered many, many times and the members have given good advice.

2 Likes

We’ve had the good fortune of 4 UK housesits that included the use of the HO car.

In all situations we gave them our personal details (and DL #) and they added us to their Insurance policies which I understand wasn’t a major hassle/cost for them

Having the use of a car on rural or semi rural sits is a godsend and we are always grateful when this occurs!

2 Likes

We have been added to a UK car insurance on 2 sits, not hard at all.

I was offered use of cars in the U.K., but passed. I didn’t have need and didn’t want to drive on the other side of the road in another country when what I needed was within easy walking distance.

If I end up staying longer in the U.K. in the future, I might take driving lessons to get comfortable.

2 Likes

I’m not sure whether it’s the same elsewhere, but insurance premiums in the UK have sky-rocketed this year for even the most basic cover. If you’re looking for a UK sit with use of a car included, and your own insurance covers you to drive someone else’s vehicle with their permission – and be fully covered in the event of a collision even if you are at fault – then it might be worth mentioning that in your listing, or when you apply for sits.

1 Like

US-based sitter here - Pre-covid I was allowed use of HOs cars on 2 UK sits - one countryside Somerset with an older small SUV, the other a very new car in Edinburgh (where I didn’t drive it but had it if the big pup needed to go to the vet). Post-covid, several folks have offered only to find out that either their insurance company won’t allow it or the cost is very high. They’ve offered to provide money for transport which I’ve applied to rental cars since it allowed me to get from sit to sit as well, saving on trains.
Here in the US many HOs have allowed use of their car but most insurance in the US goes with the car, not the driver.

2 Likes

I’m in the u k for 5 months. I have chosen not to drive. I applied the filter of accessible to public transportation. That has worked out most of the time. One homeowner was not honest about that. It was a mile away to the bus stop all up hill. I was basically trapped in her home for 2 weeks.

2 Likes

Thank you so much for your helpful information.
One response we got said the homeowner could only add a UK driver.
Are you from the UK?
Thank you again.

Thank you for this information.

One response we got said the homeowner could only add a UK driver.
Are you from the UK?
Thank you so much.

Hi @samdevine - Australian passport and Greek driving licence.

It will depend on the hosts insurance provider and policy . Not all policies will allow for an overseas driver to be added .

You maybe able to buy a temporary stand alone policy in your name to cover it .

2 Likes

I had a New Zealand DL which allows me to drive in the UK for up to 12 months.

1 Like

Thank you for the information. Where is your DL from?

Thank you for your reply. Is your driver’s license from England.

No, it’s from New Zealand

Thanks so much. We have US and we are told we have to be added to the owner’s insurance policy which is costly. Not sure of the amount. Some say more than the amount of renting a car. In addition the deductable in the event of an accident goes up also.
Terribly complicated. Rentals are expensive also.
We did not have that problem in Australia or New Zealand
Really appreciate you letting us know.
SaM Devine and David Nelson
"Your Devine House Sitters.

@samdevine, we have completed multiple UK housesits that included use of Pet Parent vehicle. Non UK residents. Answer to your question is “it depends”. Some Pet Parents seem to have found it easy to add us to their car insurance policy. Two Pet Parents found it difficult. Seems to be some combination of specific insurance company, specific insurance policy or otherwise.
Suggest approach prospective UK housesit listings with a careful appreciation of vehicle. Is vehicle use a must-have or a nice-to-have part of housesit? If sounds good then encourage Pet Parent to speak with insurance company well before housesit date.
Good luck!