@KellyK
During a sit last winter a large window broke in a storm - after contacting the hosts we waited for trades people to come to make it safe , measure up and quote for a replacement and then a week later we were there when they came back to fit the replacement . If the repair is urgent and can’t wait for the host to return then getting it repaired is part of house sitters role . It’s one of the reasons that people have house sitters rather than leave a home empty so that any emergencies can be dealt with promptly.
This is the relevant part of the T&Cs that sitters sign up to when joining
“ 5.3.6. immediately contact the Pet Parent in the event of any damage to property and get their approval for repair. If, in the event of an emergency, you are unable to contact the Pet Parent , you will pay for the repair of any damage caused, and request the Pet Parent reimburse you for all costs incurred (provided you have not caused the damage yourself);”
Most sitters are unhappy with the part of the clause that says we must pay upfront and get the owner to reimburse later. It was discussed on the forums last year.
When it happened to us the owner paid the trades people directly - we just notified them of the storm damage , and obviously had to be there to supervise and keep the pets safe and out of the way whilst the work was done .