Good morning,
My very first sitter is due in a couple of weeks, and I’m not sure what to leave them and what to clear away? For instance, tea, coffee, milk butter etc? Should I empty my fridge or clear them a shelf? How about the freezer? Should I provide a meal when they arrive, etc? Any advice please?
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Hi @Christine17 - there are loads of threads on this if you use the spyglass at the top of the forum to help with this.
Here’s one to start you off
Varies completely from nothing to a full fridge. As full time sitters we’d say fairly typical from a host is milk, bread, eggs, coffee, tea, spices, a bit of fresh fruit.
A bottle of wine is a nice touch. You don’t have to leave anything but it’s a great start in making a sitter feel welcome and not have to dash straight out the door to a grocery store 
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I usually ask the sitter what type of diet they follow. If they’re vegan, no point in leaving milk in the fridge. We live in a relatively sparsely populated area of France where we have to drive 20 kms to the nearest supermarket. We always overlap for at least a day and I take the sitter along for a shop in town and show them where the other smaller shops are closer to home. I leave a lot of veg in the fridge and I tell them they can use everything (I hide away anything that is expensive or hard to replace) but ask them to replace anything they use up. They can drink any wine that is already open but I ask them not to open the bottles in the rack. I make sure the fridge is clean and clear of any food that’s gone off. My feeling is, this is not a holiday let where often there is not a speck of food in the kitchen, not even salt. They have a big responsibility and are not (supposed to be) free to go off for hours and hours so it’s only fair that we make things a bit easier for them, especially at the beginning when they’re getting their bearings.
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This is very thoughtful @Christine17
Perhaps let them know to help themselves to basics (herbs, spices, oils, salt & pepper etc — this is super convenient), and if you like, ask what they usually have for breakfast so you can leave some things for their arrival.
All HOs tell me to help myself to anything & everything 
It’s such a lovely gesture and a sign of appreciation. Several have asked what foods I eat and had the fridge stocked on my arrival, including organising a meal to eat together the night before (whether out, in, or takeaway!).
This really depends on what kind of person you are and what kind of host you’d like to be.
I was recently asked this by a HO Who I will be there first sitter for full. My reply was quite simple; The mutual exchange is accommodation with beautiful pets for sitters and peace of mind for home owners. homeowners are not obligated to offer food, but hospitality is always welcome, but it’s not an obligation. I followed on to say that as this particular sit is close to a Tesco’s, that I would be able to get any supplies easily enough. I always think that it would be very nice to arrive and find a little specific, something left just for me ~ I would find this to be a very thoughtful and kind gesture but absolutely not expected. 
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Many thanks everyone for the helpful replies. I have mentioned in my welcome pack that sitters are welcome to storecupboard dry foods, breakfast cereal, milk and butter, so will get a few extras in and offer an evening meal too!
Thank you!
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The length of a sit is also a consideration - for my month-long sits, I want to clear out as much space as possible in the fridge, freezer, and food shelves. For sits less than 2 weeks, I definitely provide space, but I don’t stress over it in the same way, and if there is anything in the fridge with an expiration date after my return, I leave it.
You can leave the basics, some tea, coffee, fresh milk, butter and bread for them, depending on how long you are away, would depend on clearing space in the fridge and freezer, and how many people. One Shelf and door space in the fridge should be fine, if they need more the sitter can move things around, same with the freezer, unless you are in a rural area with no shops, public transport (and they are not using your car) then maybe more freezer space, same with the pantry leave some room for them to put some staples away off the counters.
If they arriving to your home the night before or earlier that day before you leave if you are happy to have a meal for them, if they have been travelling for some time, I am sure they would appreciate a meal if you are happy to. If you want to leave them some treats, wine, chocolate, etc that’s up to you, there’s no requirement, it is appreciated, well we love it when there is a little something left for the Teens.
The same applies in the Bathroom they are using, leave some room on a shelf, in the Shower for their personal products.
This also applies in the Room(s) they are in, somewhere to pop personal items and maybe hang a few items of clothes, somewhere to put their folded clothes, is always appreciated.
You could touch base with them now anyway and make sure everything is still on track and just ask them, also ask them if there is any food (Provided they don’t have allergies or diet) about a meal you are thinking of making before they arrive and if there is food you have not eaten are they happy to use it up. We cobble together some fab meals from items left in the fridge for us, saves the owners throwing it out too.
Unless we are on a long sit, we ask for a small amount of hanging space for our dress clothes a chair or sideboard to put our folded clothes on in our rooms, space in the bathroom, 1 or 2 shelves/draws in the freezer and fridge and pantry space.
Wishing you all the best.
Hi @Christine17
I think a shelf in both your freezer and fridge is great. Condiments for cooking is great A few basics (milk, bread, butter, eggs, tea, coffee) is also nice.
Any thing over the above is lovely for a sitter.
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@KChev I’m in France — I’d love to sit for you one day if the stars ever align!
Hi everyone, prospective sitter has requested I support him by paying for his petrol, is this normal ? Has anyone else done this ?
No its not normal. It is the sitters responsibility to cover his transport costs to your sit. The only exception I would say is if you have asked the sitter to use their own car to transport your dog to dog walking places. In that case it would be considered as part of the pet care costs and it would be appropriate to pay the fuel costs.
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@Karen3 On THS, sitters are not allowed to request money. Was this someone who applied for your listing or was this a sitter that you had sent an invitation to?
In the latter case, I can understand their response. It is still not allowed for them to ask but of course the HO can offer.
Don’t do that. It’s part of what us sitter pay for ourselves. It is against the rules to ask but a person can offer. It goes against the whole idea of THS. Reject them and move on to someone else.
Dan and Nan
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If it’s to get to and from your sit, that’s a big no and also against the rules, but if it’s because you’ve asked him to drive your dog to and from the park etc, I’d view that differently.
In over 30 years of house/pet sitting I have never requested funds or compensation unless it involved getting the vet in or to, paying for a plumber up front in case of emergency etc. Unacceptable to ask for personal compensation on this platform.
Is this petrol for his own car or a car you are loaning at car to him? It would be appropriate to pay for petrol if the sitter was taking your dogs on outings, to the groomers, vet, dog run, etc. Or if you were insisting that the dog couldn’t be alone so the sitter would have to constantly take him along on all outings. If your talking about petrol as in travel expenses to get to your home or leave it, that sounds like a backdoor to payment. If you expect the sitter to take your dog places in his own car or a rental car, you should also provide a barrier or crate to prevent accidents and/or any necessary blankets or tarps not to mess up the car, and probably offer to pay for a car cleaning (inside) at the end of the sit or even regularly on a long sit.
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No its not normal. My sister in law is now paying train fares and a nightly fee to a person she found via THS, both are off the site now. I suggested to her that she should rejoin as loads of people would apply to her sit and then its free for her again.
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If you require the Dogs to be driven to a location for Walking and the Sitter is using your Car
you leave it full, they return it to you full. (I would return it full, IDK if this is what you are meant to do, however I would think you also pop to the Shops or drop in at the Shops, possibly go on day outings etc, if you didn’t have a Car then you would be paying to get around yourself)
If you have listed it that the Dogs need to be driven to locations to be walked and sitters need their own car, it’s the sitters choice to sit in the first place, I suppose you could contribute towards fuel, you know roughly how much it costs to take the Dogs to the Walking location so you could give that. I don’t apply for sits that list driving the Dogs to a location as my Car is not really suitable, it’s a convertible, however I do check with all HO does the Dog(s) have harnesses and the seat belt clips in case I had to go to the Vets to secure them in the Car as a crate is not going to fit in my Car, we have had thankfully only had one emergency trip to the Vets and it was a small Dog so was nursed by my Daughter which was best as the Dog was in pain and quite anxious. I do have One seat belt clip ICE.
Sitters pay to get to and from their Sits, they pay for their Travel whilst at Sits, they pay for their Food and Entertainment, it’s not a Holiday, it’s an exchange of a place to stay with Pets to care for.
Wishing you all the best.