I am just discussing my first very long sit, three months in winter, in a cold country, with only one pet - and I wonder whether it would be fair to offer from my side or could even be expected by the home owner if I contributed to the bills for power, heating, water, etc?
I am also curious about the experiences of other sitters how they deal with the pets’ separation anxiety, not only at the beginning but also at the end of such long sits when the pet(s) got attached to you and their owners come back home. Have you experienced any behavioural problems around the switches of their long-term carers? I can imagine that it could cause problems when a dog has finally accepted you and then loses you again, or that the pets react negatively to their owners and seem to prefer you to them. Any such experiences and any advice how to make it easier for the animals?
We had just that situation - a three month sit in London between December and March. We did offer to pay utilities as we felt by doing so that we had control over how the heating was used and we wouldn’t worry about keeping it on. Having lived in Barcelona for six years we were not accustomed to the cold and wanted to be comfortable. In the end we paid for the first two months and when the home owners returned home they told us not to worry about the third month. For us this worked perfectly as we felt having the accommodation was more than enough exchange for looking after a very easy dog. This worked for us but I think it is very much an individual decision between home owner and sitter.
We did a three-month sit in Ireland and they had oil-fed heating, they showed us the temp they normally used and what times of day it went on and off and they filled up the oil tank. They told us that the full tank should be enough, but if we wanted to turn the heating up or use more hours than they normally did then if the tank got nearly empty could we top it up to at least halfway before we left?
We managed to keep to their settings and only used the same amount as them so they did not require us to top it up, we would have been happy to do that should we have used more.
I am a massive hot water bottle fan so I had at least two of those with me.
We did an 8-week sit in a very large older property in the UK, but they did not ask us to contribute to the bills.
In regards to pets, we had horses and cats that sit, so I think we were the ones more attached to them when the owners returned than the other way around.
Hi @Romana I did an 8 month sit in Spain with the easiest and most adorable senior rescue Dobbie and came to the same arrangement as @LizBCN with the owner, initiated by us. Result was guilt free thermostat freedom (I feel the cold probably more than most) an amazing home with many benefits, including a car for the duration. It certainly worked for us.
As you say @LizBCN it is very much an individual decision and should always be a mutually agreed arrangement between those involved, before any final commitment is made …
I really don’t think it’s reasonable to expect you to contribute to the bills. It’s cold, the heating needs running through the house anyway to keep it maintained, stop pipes bursting, prevent damp and mould etc.
you’re also taking care of their pet all as a volunteer. That’s the price they pay to have a reliable decent person taking care of things whilst they are on holiday
Interesting question, I do not think I would accept a job like this. Because it is an exchange of accommodation for services. If two or more people are living in the home normally, the cost of one person (the sitter) using the heating, water, gas will be significantly less. Taking care of pet/s and a home is no joke and many people do pay for the service. Hence, I am good at my job and trustworthy, so I think it is a flat exchange.
We travel for approximately 2 months at a time in the fall and winter months. We do not expect the sitters to contribute to the cost of the utilities, it’s our compensation to them for taking care of our dog. I am interested in the topic of separation anxiety and I haven’t seen any comments on that topic. Our dog is very attached to us, we don’t leave him at home alone for more than a 3 hour period and have to make sure we have all of the trash bins secured or we’ll come home to a shredded mess. I do understand from previous sitters that he is a little down in the dumps for a day or two but seems to snap out of it quickly and does bond with the sitter (who feeds him!). Any suggestions as to how to make these transitions easier for the pets would be interesting and appreciated. Thank you.
@Bonniemurf , off the top of my head, I would suggest giving the dog some article of your clothing to remind him/her of you—worn socks, tee shirt, etc. and asking the sitter to spend a lot of time with him/her for the first day or two. Really good treats that your sitter can give you pet help too.
When the sitter goes out ask him/her to put relaxing music for dogs on or at least have the radio or TV tuned to something. Sometimes also leaving the dog in the crate (their safe place) with a toy and a bone also helps.
I agree completely with what mars said. We had a homeowner who left some of her clothes and bedding and said not to wash it as it would have the homeowner’s scent on it and help keep her calm. We’ve sat for as much as 3 weeks and never had any problems with pets being able to settle in with us within a couple days. And no problem when we were leaving-other than 2 dogs that jumped in the car with us to go. We once had 4 cats that seemed to parade out by us to say good bye as we were leaving.
Dan and Nan
Have house sat for 7 years now, some dogs have been more anxious than others, but even our most neurotic staffy we sat, who couldn’t be left for more than 2 hours, settled after the normal sulky period of 2 days. As a previous person said, I think we felt the separation on leaving more than the animals. I believe keeping up their routine so that they feel safe and secure is the most important.
I heard about a sit where the HO was warned by their utilities company that the electricity use was running very high.
Of course sitters should be a bit careful with the thermostat etc. It would not be unreasonable to require sitters to pay when power consumption is clearly higher than normal.
We have sitters coming in for a 7-week sit later this year and don’t plan to ask them to pay for utilities. We’re in Florida and they’ll still need to air condition at that time of year, but we’d be running it as well if we were home and so we wouldn’t ask them to pay the electric bill.
As a sitter I do not consider any sit where ‘hosts’ require sitters to contribute financially to the maintenance of their home and the comfort of their pets. Essential utilities are necessary to maintain a property and provide a comfortable environment for pets.
Would hosts rather deal with frozen pipes and damp etc and their pets being cold and uncomfortable?
Good sitters know their worth and the value of the services they provide and will see such a request as being unappreciative and penny pinching.
Meh…I’d see it as a possible red flag for being finicky, and it would certainly make me do an even deeper-than-usual dig into their reviews to see if I can read between the lines to make sure their expectations aren’t unreasonable, but if it were a sit that looked really attractive, I might be willing to negotiate. Maybe offer to reimburse them for the amount above their average bill or something. I tell my sitters ‘keep yourself comfortable’.
I think a lot of newer HOs think the sitter is getting more out of this than the HO is. They think, “I’m letting you stay in my home for free!” And vice versa: many new sitters think "I’m sitting for free! and think the HO is getting the better deal.
Update: I have been sitting a home in mid Germany with 20 cats for more than a year now. It is actually “only” 18 cats now, as meanwhile I have had to bury two of them. All these “rescued” cats are old and some of them are chronically sick, but they all are really nice, lovable animals.
Anyway, it was fine for me during the times when I was alone here, but every time the home owner came back for a short visit, the living together with her under one roof was pure horror. Her behaviour towards me was just unacceptable. She treated me like a slave, I kid you not. Every day, she would do or say something to me that was degrading, insulting or hurtful.
During her last visit in August, I therefore decided to rent my own flat in a nearby town, so I can leave her home end of October when she will come again. She got really angry when I told her that. Unfortunately, when I moved in, I had initially agreed to pay her 80 euros per month for heating costs which she wouldn’t have had if I wasn’t here.
When I told her that I am leaving, during her last visit in August, she presented me with her bill, demanding immediate payment for the last 12 months. I guess I will have to pay it, although I am very short of money right now and actually not able to put up the whole amount. So I still owe this money to her.
Just out of curiosity I requested a price quote from a local professional cat sitter for the work I do every day. His rate would be 50 euros a day. That is about 1,500 euros a month and she is now chasing me for 80 euros a month. Put this into a proportion.
I only hope the cats will be fine after my departure. I doubt it.
Well the HO coming home violates TCs so that would have been a hard stop for me.
I would not pay for utilities or ask for them unless there was an egregious misuse/mismanagement of them and the bill was significantly higher than normal.
By the sounds of it, you had normal usage and a sh*t HO. It’s really important to properly vet sits before you accept them for this reason.
Re:SA,
I would start by asking the HO how they currently manage it and to outline what training and management plan they have in place
I would ask if they have any destructive behaviours associated, if they are crated or left free when you do leave, etc
If you do need to go someplace for longer than the time, who is the backup contact to watch the dog in your absence?
Typically, past that guidance, there isn’t much else to do and if it’s clear the HO has no plan or I would be tied to the home longer than I desired, I would not accept the sit.
While there, things you can do include: leaving clothes for the dog to have your scent near, creating puzzle/shredding boxes or providing other enrichment toys such as frozen toys filled with approved treats and pastes to keep them busy, confining them to their designated safe space, making sure all their needs have been met before you leave the home, don’t make a big deal about coming and going so there isn’t heightened emotion around that activity, practice doing short leaves at first then building up to longer,…to name a few things.
It is unacceptable for the HO to come back and stay during the sit, and a violation of the terms. Any payment should be agreed before the sit. The bill she is presenting you with can you simply say no to.
For me - one year and 20 cats - sound very strange. Is it indeed a normal sit or is THS used as a means to get free labor for a rescue centre (or indeed a cat hoarder)? It sounds like exploitation, even if she got someone/ you to agree to the sit. I would suggest that you immediately start collecting documentation on things you find unacceptable/ degrading. If she has written it, screenshot it, if not, write down the episodes in a message to her and say it is hurtful and it needs to stop. That way you will both get the message across and documentation in writing.
In my opinion you not only can say no to the bill but probably should.
In my opinion you should also get out of the sit, if need be via member dispute and Assistance from THS unless the host will change your dates so you can otherwise apply for another sit. (Although in your situation my ultimate solution could Even be leaving THS and use another platform if I didn’t get the necessary help). It doesn’t sound like a healthy environment for you?