Hi all I’ve just completed my first sit. It went ok and I’ve received a 5* review. My question is what do sitters think of THS suggesting cleaning the house and perhaps leaving some food for the returning HO.
My thoughts are that the HO is getting free pet care and a house sitter.
I left my sit in a cleaner state than I found it as bits of the kitchen were a bit grubby. The dish drainer, microwave and bathroom weren’t the cleanest when I arrived so I gave them a clean. I will always leave the house in the same state as I found it, if not cleaner, but I won’t do anything as far as a full clean and I certainly wouldn’t make the HO a returning meal or leave the fridge full. I would leave them bread and milk for their return as I would expect this for my arrival. I love dogs and travel which is why I joined THS but my plan is to use the homeowners house as a holiday let and treat it as such (clean up after myself and treat it with respect)
I will be using my own vehicle at my expense and I don’t think it’s too much to ask for a clean, warm house to use whilst I’m taking care of pets and homes.
What are the thoughts from anyone else, am I expecting too much?
@Shazlet1 We are sitters as well as HOs. Here’s our take.
As HOs, we don’t want sitters making food for our return. Twice, even after we said “no thanks,” sitters left us meals they cooked and unfortunately, we couldn’t eat them.
As sitters, we ask the HOs if we can pick up milk, eggs, etc. for their return. 100 percent of the time so far, the HOs say thanks but no thanks. The only time this worked was when bananas went over-ripe during our sit. So we made banana bread and popped it in the freezer for the HO’s return. Luckily, they loved it!
We always ask if they would like us to buy anything for their return but I wouldn’t cook anything or leave them a meal without asking. There are so many allergies and preferences nowadays. I wouldn’t want food going to waste. Same goes for hosts leaving food for us. Thank you but no thank you. I’ll eat up all the fruit and veg that will go off but please do not buy anything specifically.
I’ve never made food for hosts. I mostly do shorter sits and only clean up after myself and then some, but never a deep clean. Might do for a long sit, that would be somewhat different.
So far I’ve left before the hosts returned. And my sits have been in cities, so I would think the hosts both can and want to get food/ groceries themselves. I might offer in a small community with limited opening hours.
It is my habit to leave the home as clean or more clean than I found it. Happily some of the sits I’ve accepted have been at homes so shiney clean that I found it difficult to improve on the prior effort.
As for food, I don’t expect the HO to have a meal ready, nor have I prepared a meal. As previous reply stated, too many food preferences these days.
I’m always happy with a “help yourself to anything in the fridge or cupboards” included in the Welcome Guide. I replace items I’ve used (i.e. bread, creamer, butter) etc. with same or similar items. I’ve never had the idea it was expected, just something I choose to do.
The HOs I’ve sat for have been wildly wonderful. Hope my luck doesn’t run out!
I clean after myself and the pets, so I leave as little trace of myself as possible. I don’t clean what I didn’t use or otherwise go beyond.
I never cook anything for hosts. Depending on their hospitality, I might ask if they want me to pick up bread, milk or such.
I might offer to take them out for a meal on their return, if they’ve been hospitable and we overlap. More often, they offer to take me out or make me a thank-you meal. Like my latest hosts treated me to dinner last night and brought me gifts from their trip. They had also left me a clean home, a regular cleaner and a regular gardener, and had told me to help myself to their robust food supplies. I rarely eat hosts’ food, though.
I don’t leave gifts, and I just text or otherwise msg my thanks.
20 sits done, all terrific reviews and five stars.
As HO our very first sitters cooked a meal for us for when we got back (pasta) which we happened to love. We had left them home made fudge, some French pastries (croissants and such) and two bottles of wine. The next time they came for a repeat sit, knowing some of the things they liked based on what they left the previous time, we left the usual (fudge, pastries and wine) and we also added home made datte squares (they have a sweet tooth) as well as a loaf of bread they like and the oat milk they like and we cooked some chicken fajitas. Since then they repeated 3 other times and so we keep leaving the things we know they love. During the sits we also usually have some chocolates delivered on behalf of our cats as the sit is usually 9 weeks. They also have left us nice chocolates and jams. So everybody is happy and gains weight. 
We’ve been on THS for 6 years, have 23 5-star sits and have completed several sits outside THS as well.
I think each situation can be unique. I think it is a bit overreaching for THS to suggest leaving them food, however…
My take is that there is:
“What is expected” and “above and beyond”
Expected:
leave the house in the same condition you found it in
Above and beyond:
Leave the house better than you found it
Expected: any food you consume, you replace
Above and Beyond: ask the HO’s if there is anything in particular they would like to have when they get home (we have HO’s who use a very specific type of milk so we make sure there is a supply of that)
ABOVE above and beyond: prepare a dish they can enjoy upon return
Disclaimer; the only times I have prepared food for HO’s is when a rapport was developed in some way or if they are returning while we are still there and we overlap and we will share a meal together. I do this typically if our diets align and we’ve talked about cooking/food/wine etc. We are about 90% plant based so if we have this in common it makes it more enjoyable.
Understand that this only happens when we know we will all enjoy this.
The first time I made a meal for HO’s was when we landed a sit that was one of those “I can’t believe this” kind of places. No pets, we had a private 2 bedroom gorgeous stone cottage on a restored 1800’s mill turned into a luxury vacation estate in Provence, France. Something out of a movie.
The HO and I had had a lengthy conversation about food, nutrition, health, etc. So I knew what she was trying to do with her eating habits and I was happy to surprise them with a very healthy, nutritious meal when they returned (we did not share this with them, we left it for them). They were simply thrilled after a long drive home. And we had felt like we landed the sit of the year, so win-win.
Another time was when we were on our 2nd sit with HO’s we liked and had stayed in touch with since our first sit w them and we were going to overlap upon their return. They had taken us out to dinner the first time we sat for them, so this time I wanted to make a nice meal for them (I checked for dietary preferences). It was delightful and they feel like friends.
And then off the THS platform we’ve done multiple sits for a couple in LA and they’ve wanted us to overlap every time. We don’t usually want to do it but do sometimes upon their insistence - so I’ve made meals for them as well (our sits there are usually 6 weeks long) - but they also leave us a car and a generous gift card to our favorite grocery store each time.
So, that’s my input on this topic. 
I don’t feel bad to admit that we always leave the houses cleaner than received and we always cook or bake something or leave gifts. Depends on the HO and the relationship we formed over time. We always have long sits, lots of communication during that time and stay friends afterwards. So it can’t be too bad. We always get presents from them. We love our dogs and HOs.
I replenish any noticeable food that I’ve taken, but it never occurred me to pick up groceries or ask what a homeowner might need. I do try to get little presents especially if anything was left for me. (Chocolates, some interesting local thing, etc.)
Always try to leave no trace.
YES—While the idea of a nice home cooked meal is wonderful, I don’t see that it would work out for many people.
Lots of us have preferences and allergies.
As a HO, I don’t want a sitter leaving a meal for me. We always come home very late and eat dinner before we arrive home. I do ask the sitter if there’s any grocery items I can get for them to start their sit and so far no one has taken my offer.
As for house cleaning, I expect the sitter to clean up after themselves and not leave messes as my home is super clean before the sitter arrives. I don’t expect them to wash the bed sheets or towels, if they do I’m very grateful.
As a sitter, I have never prepared a meal for their return. People have different taste buds, for example, I do not eat bread or drink milk. But I do love soy milk but would never say that to a pet parent.
I appreciate a clean uncluttered home and if it’s not this case, I will deduct a star and I have done that. We leave homes cleaner because we sit as a family and we all clean for hours before we depart. It’s as if I have a cleaning crew. But we will not clean areas we have not used
We give the pets the time of their lives, provide good updates, and do what we are saying we are going to do. This has been working so far
Homes should be clean when Sitter arrives, and Sitter should leave the home in a similar condition. That is unfortunate that you had to clean on arrival. Frustrating.
There is no obligation to make a meal or buy food for the Owner. You have the right idea to exercise common courtesy in buying break and milk (if they use these items).
We often replace food items that we used during the Sit. If the Owner is likely to have jet lag, I make sure there is something that they can eat without having to make a trip to the grocery store. It is easy to take cues from what is in their refrigerator and freezer, and I ask Owners if they want anything in particular.
I feel it can be nice to give back if the host has been hospitable, but the bottom line is the mutual exchange. It shouldn’t be the sitter providing pet care, clean more than they found the home, buying groceries, making a meal - all for free and the privilege of staying with the pet. For equal partners there would be some equality also in gift-giving etc. It seems several here says something along those lines - reciprocity.
I don’t cook meals for people, I don’t know how anyone even has time to do that. I guess if you sit as a couple the last day of sit work doesn’t take as long. Most of the sits I’ve done, I’ve left in the morning so I have to pack and clean, spend some time with the pets before I leave, and get to my flight/train, or wherever I’m going next. But, I wouldn’t cook anyway because I don’t know their dietary preferences, allergies, etc. I don’t want anyone to leave meals for me either, I’m a vegetarian and a picky eater. I don’t expect HOs to leave food for me and I typically don’t use anything of theirs other than maybe a dash of a spice or two.
I always leave a handwritten welcome home card and possibly some treats (chocolates or something). Many have left me local treats which I really enjoy when I’m visiting another country. I’ve also been left wine, prosecco, and/or gift cards. Typically, if hosts leave something for me, I leave something for them in return.
As far as cleaning goes, I would say the majority of the sits I’ve done have been spotless. It’s not difficult to keep a clean house clean and leave it equally spotless. If the house is less than spotless, I clean for my comfort which means I’m leaving it cleaner than I found it.