House Sitting Agreement
The home owner gives the house sitter permission to occupy the above premises as long
as they abide by the conditions of this agreement.
No person/s or pet/s other than those listed in this agreement are permitted to live at the
premises during the term of this agreement.
This is not a lease. Both parties agree that the house sitter only has a license to occupy
the premises according to the terms and conditions of this agreement and has no legal
interest in the premises.
At the end of this term the house sitter may continue to occupy the premises under the
same terms of this agreement only if given permission to do so by the home owner.
If the home owner requires the house sitter to make rental payments, then this
agreement needs to be adjusted and extended to cover these arrangements.
All parties to this agreement should have their own copy of this agreement, which should
be signed by every person who is party to this agreement.
Date of signing this agreement:
Home owner name/s:
House sitter name/s: This agreement takes eect on:
and ends on:
1
1
2
2
3
4
Address of the property covered by
this agreement:
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1. Access to the premises
1.1 The home owner agrees:
•
to provide the house sitter with at least seven days notice of any change to the agreed
first day of the house sitting assignment
•
to provide the house sitter with seven days notice of an inspection of the premises
•
that the premises will be vacant and in a habitable condition for the house sitter to move
in on the agreed first day of the house sitting assignment
The home owner, or any person authorised in writing by the home owner, may only
enter the premises during the terms of this agreement in the following circumstances:
•
in an emergency (including to make urgent repairs)
•
if the premises seem to be abandoned
•
for any other purpose, if the house sitter agrees
1.2 The house sitter agrees:
•
to be responsible for any act by any person the house sitter allows on the premises who
breaks any terms of the agreement
•
not to sub-let the premises without the home owner’s prior written permission
•
not to allow any person not listed in this agreement to live at the premises without the
home owner’s written permission
2. Care of the premises
2.1 The home owner agrees:
•
to ensure that the premises are reasonably clean and fit to live in
•
to provide the house sitter or the home owner’s nominated contact person with a set of
spare keys for the premises
2.2 The house sitter agrees:
•
not to use the premises, or allow the premises to be used, for any illegal purpose
•
not to cause a nuisance or allow a nuisance to be caused on the premises
•
not to interfere, or allow others to interfere with the reasonable peace, comfort or
privacy of neighbours
•
not to keep any animal on the premises other than those listed in this agreement without
the permission of the home owner
•
not to block any sink or drain
•
not to cause or allow any damage to be caused to the premises
•
to care for every item in the premises
•
to regularly clean the bathroom and kitchen
•
to maintain the grounds and garden in the same condition as at the start of this
agreement
•
to put all household rubbish and recycling out for regular collection
•
to report any infestation of the premises to the home owner and seek advice for
solutions to the problem
•
to keep the premises as clean and tidy as at the start of this agreement
•
to notify the home owner as soon as possible of any damage to the premises
•
to leave the premises as nearly as possible in the same condition (fair wear and tear
excepted) as at the start of this agreement
•
to regularly feed, water and maintain any indoor plants and to keep them in at least as
good a condition as at the start of this agreement
•
to keep windows and doors locked where appropriate and ensure that any other security
measures in the premises are used eectively
3. Care of animals
Name and describe each animal to be covered by this agreement. Describe how you
would like each animal to be managed on a day-to-day basis. Include details of any
medications or special treatment that each animal requires.
3.1 The home owner agrees:
•
to describe in writing and in detail how any animals normally resident at the premises
should be cared for
•
to provide all food and sundry supplies (insect control and other medicine, bedding,
exercising and cleaning equipment) for the animals, or make arrangement to reimburse
the house sitter for any food or supplies bought for the animals
•
to make arrangements for payment for any services provided by a qualified veterinarian in
the treatment and care of the home owner’s animals
3.2 The house sitter agrees:
•
to make every reasonable eort to ensure the good health, comfort, safety and
happiness of the animals listed in this agreement
•
to follow the home owner’s instructions as far as possible in the care of the animals listed
in this agreement
Veterinarian contact details: After hours emergency service for
animals:
3. Care of animals con’t
Pets covered by this agreement:
1 2
3 4
5 6
7
9
8
10
4. Payment for utilities
For an accurate calculation of the house sitter’s liability for utility charges all relevant
meter readings should be taken near the start of the house sitting assignment. Before the
house sitter leaves the premises at the end of the assignment, further meter readings can
be taken and the house sitter’s share of costs can be accurately calculated.
4.1 The home owner agrees to pay or reimburse the house sitter for the
following costs:
•
municipal service charges such as council tax and rates
•
all costs incurred by the house sitter in the care of the animals listed in this agreement
•
all costs of emergency repairs or routine maintenance of the premises
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Gas meter:
Electric meter:
Water meter:
Other:
Other: date recorded:
date recorded:
date recorded:
date recorded:
date recorded:
4.2 The house sitter agrees to pay service providers directly or reimburse
the home owner for the following utilities:
(cross out any of the following that do not apply)
•
electricity
•
gas
•
telephone calls and service charges
•
water
•
excess rubbish or sanitary waste removal charges
•
internet access
•
cable or satellite TV
The house sitter should make good their financial obligations under the terms of this
agreement before leaving the home owner’s premises. The house sitter may choose
to pay service providers directly and should keep receipts of such payments for home
owner’s records. Any financial liability still outstanding at the end of the house sitting
assignment may be reclaimed by the home owner from the security deposit.
5. Security cameras or recording devices
If there are security cameras or other recording devices on the premises, the home owner should
declare this to the house sitter, so that the house sitter can give their consent.
5.1 Home owner declaration
5.2 House sitter declaration
Please list each location:
Yes
Yes
No
No
Do you have any cameras or recording devices installed on the premises?
Please indicate all inside and outside locations and times active.
I give consent to be filmed/recorded whilst on the premises:
Time active:
6. Additional terms
Any additional terms and conditions may be added to this agreement here. All parties to this
agreement need to initial each additional term. See the ‘Home owners checklist (Appendix B of
this agreement) for additional points you may want to address here.
1
2
3
4
7. Maintenance & repairs
7.1 What are urgent repairs?
The home owner agrees to make payment, either directly to the service provider or as a
reimbursement to the house sitter, for the following urgent repairs:
•
burst water service
•
blocked or broken lavatory system
•
serious roof leak
•
gas leak
•
electrical faults
•
flooding or serious flood damage
•
serious storm damage
•
serious fire damage
•
failure or breakdown of the gas, electricity, or water supply to the premises
•
failure or breakdown of any essential service for hot water, cooking, heating, or
laundering
•
any fault or damage that causes the premises to be unsafe or not secure
7.2 Repairs & emergency contact details
Gas service person:
Electrician:
Plumber:
Builder:
Window repairer:
Locksmith:
Local police:
Fire service:
Emergency:
Veterinarian:
Nearest hospital with accident and emergency department:
Emergency 24-hour animal treatment service:
7.3 Reimbursement for repairs
The home owner agrees to pay the house sitter, within 14 days of the end of the house sitting
assignment, any reasonable costs that the house sitter has incurred for making repairs to the
premises so long as:
•
the house sitter was not in breach of this agreement when the damage occurred
•
the house sitter gives the home owner, or their nominated contact, a reasonable
opportunity to make the repairs
•
the house sitter makes a reasonable attempt to have any appropriate tradesperson
named in this agreement make the repairs
•
the repairs are carried out, where appropriate, by licensed or properly qualified persons
•
the house sitter gives the home owner, or their nominated contact person, written details
of the repairs, including receipts for any costs the house sitter has incurred
8. Staying in contact
8.1 Home owner’s contact details
The home owner agrees to provide the house sitter with contact details for use during the
term of this agreement. These contact details, whether phone or fax numbers, postal or email
addresses, should remain current and functional during the term of this agreement.
The home owner can be contacted by the following methods during the term of this agreement:
8.2 Nominated contact person’s details
The home owner may choose to nominate a third party to act on their behalf during the term
of this agreement. This nominated contact person agrees to provide the house sitter with their
contact details and to be readily contactable. Those details should remain current and functional
for the term of this agreement.
The home owner’s nominated contact person can be contacted by the following methods
during the term of this agreement:
Postal address:
Postal address:
Email address:
Email address:
Skype/Messenger/other:
Skype/Messenger/other:
Phone number:
Phone number:
Alternative phone number:
Alternative phone number:
8.3 House sitter’s contact details
The house sitter agrees to provide the home owner or the home owner’s nominated contact
person with their contact details and to be readily contactable. These details should remain
current and functional for the term of this agreement.
The house sitter can be contacted by the following methods during the term of this agreement:
Postal address:
Email address:
Skype/Messenger/other:
Phone number:
Alternative phone number:
9. Termination of agreement
9.1 The home owner agrees:
•
to give the house sitter at least seven days notice of an early termination of this
agreement if the agreement is for less than six months
•
to give the house sitter at least 28 days notice of an early termination of this agreement if
the agreement is for six months or longer
9.2 The house sitter agrees:
•
not to leave the premises before the end of this agreement without written permission
from the home owner or nominated contact person
•
to give vacant possession of the premises to the home owner or nominated contact
person’s on the date of termination of this agreement
•
to return all keys and other security devices on the date of termination of this agreement
•
to provide the home owner or nominated contact person with a forwarding address
•
at the end of this agreement the house sitter may continue to occupy the premises under
the same terms of this agreement only if given permission to do so by the home owner
9.3 Both parties agree:
•
that if either party persistently breaches this agreement, then the innocent party may
terminate this agreement on 24 hours notice that termination of this agreement does
not aect the right of either party to recover any monies due under the terms of this
agreement
10. Signatories & witnesses
The home owner and the house sitter enter into this agreement and agree to all its terms.
1. Name of home owner:
2. Name of home owner:
1. Name of witness:
1. Name of house sitter:
2. Name of house sitter:
2. Name of witness:
3. Name of house sitter:
Home owner/s House sitter/s
Signature of home owner:
Signature of home owner:
Signature of witness:
Signature of house sitter:
Signature of house sitter:
Signature of witness:
Signature of house sitter:
Appendix A
1. Security deposit lodgment form (optional)
Deposit amount (and currency):
Home owner name:
Home owner telephone:
Home owner email address:
Original deposit paid:
Add house
sitters’ expenses:
Subtract house
sitters’ liabilities:
TOTAL AMOUNT
OF REFUND:
Type of payment:
eg. bank transfer, cheque, money order, cash
Please note: the home owner should never request a security deposit from the house sitter before the
assignment starts (especially over email)! To avoid the possibility of house sitters being defrauded, money
should only change hands between house sitters and home owners when all parties are together at the
property, before the home owners have left. Also, as a general guide, the deposit amount should be relative
to the length of the house sitting assignment and be no more than the equivalent of one month’s rent for a
similar property in the area.
House sitter name:
House sitter telephone:
House sitter email address:
Date:
House sitter security deposit
(to be paid by house sitter)
Home owner section House sitter section
Address of premises covered by this
agreement:
Home owner address: House sitter address:
Home owner signature:
House sitter refund (only to be filled out at the end of the house sitting assignment). Refunds
should be in full if the assignment was cancelled before it started.
House sitter signature:
1.1 Lodging the security deposit lodgment form with a third party
Use this part of the form if you’re going to be lodging the deposit with a third party for safe
keeping. In the event of a dispute between home owner and house sitter at the end of the house
sitting assignment the person nominated to hold the deposit agrees to mediate. Refunds should
be in full if the assignment was cancelled before it started.
In the event of any dispute with regard to an entitlement to any or all of the security
deposit hereby submitted, I/we accept that [enter name]
reserves the right to act as mediator, and will deduct any costs incurred in resolving
said dispute.
Name:
Date:
Telephone number:
Third party security deposit holder:
Address: Email address:
Signature:
Copies of this form should be held by each part for reference.
2. House sitter expense claims
This form to be used to list the house sitter’s expenses in the care and upkeep of the property
and the animals listed in this agreement. The house sitter should keep an itemised list of such
expenses as well as a receipt for each item. Claim for the following costs and purchases:
3. House sitter liability claims
This form to be used to list the house sitter’s liabilities during the house sitting assignment. These
could include any accidental loss or damages to the home owner’s property.
Claim description:
Claim description:
Cost:
Total:
Total:
Cost:
Total deductions:
Name of home owner/s:
House sitter forwarding contact details:
Postal address
Telephone number:
Email address:
Home owner nominated contact person:
Currency and amount of refund (eg. US$50):
Type of payment (eg. bank deposit,
cash, money order)
Name/s of house sitter/s (only list house sitters whom have contributed to the deposit and
will receive the refund)
Address of premises:
Signature of home owner:
Signature of home owner nominated
contact person:
Signature of mediator:
Signature of house sitter/s:
Appendix B
Before you go - checklist for home owners
Home owners - use this checklist to make sure you’re ready to hand over the care of
your home to your house sitter on the day that you leave. If you’re leaving one or more
pets in the care of your house sitter see the companion document to this one: Before
you go - checklist for pet owners.
1. Create an information pack
It’s a good idea to put an information pack together containing all of the material that
your house sitter needs to provide top quality care to your home. Your signed and
completed house sitting agreement will provide the cornerstone of your information
pack. By placing all of your records in plastic A4 sheets in a sturdy folder, this pack can
be used by your house sitters for years to come. Consider including the following in your
information pack:
Contact information
If you would like to have a role in the management of your property while you’re away
you will need to leave your contact information. You may like to ask your house sitter
to send you regular email updates on the status of your home and animals while you’re
away.
Emergency contact information
You may want to assign a friend, relative or neighbour the role of nominated contact
person to liaise with your house sitter in your absence. If so, leave enough of their
contact information so that your house sitter can reach them at any time of the day or
night. You need to establish how comfortable your nominated contact person is with the
idea of making decisions on your behalf.
Visitors policy
If you have strong feelings about the numbers and types of people who may (or may not)
visit your home with your house sitter’s consent, include this information in your house
sitting agreement.
Rules and regulations
If your home is a condominium, a unit or a rental property, you may want to leave a copy
of the by-laws or lease for your house sitter to refer to.
Home contents out of bounds
You may like to make a list of items you don’t want your house sitter to use (add this to
your house sitting agreement).
Rooms out of bounds
You may like to write a list of any areas or rooms in your house or on your property that
you don’t want your house sitter to use (add this to your house sitting agreement).
2. Telling others you’re leaving
It’s crucial that other people know about your arrangements with your house sitter to
avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.
Neighbours
Let your neighbours, friends and family know that you have a house sitter moving into
your home on a particular date.
Insurance
Contact your insurance company to let them know you will have a house sitter moving
into your home. Your home and contents premium should be unaected by this
information.
Service providers
If you’ve negotiated with your house sitter to keep some of your usual services running
while you’re away, it’s important to tell your service providers (maid, gardener or
groundsperson etc) about your house sitting arrangement.
3. Preparing your home
Your home is like a ship and you are like its captain. Before you go, you need to get it
shipshape both for your house sitter and for your own return.
Store your breakables
Stash away your breakables in a secure area such as a locked cupboard or your attic
space. This can include anything made of glass or ceramics that you value (such as
framed photographs, sculptures, trophies, vases, artworks, even a favourite snowdome).
Accidents do happen¹but they don’t need to happen to your breakable treasures.
Store your valuables
It is only commonsense to store your valuables in a secure locked area while you’re
away. If your valuables are especially expensive then you need to maintain your usual
security precautions in your absence. Make an inventory of your valuables before you go.
Put your wine collection and bar supplies well out of sight of your house sitter.
Clean your home and yard
It’s a good idea to ensure your house and grounds are clean and tidy in preparation for
your house sitter’s arrival. Note that in the house sitting agreement your house sitter has
agreed to maintain your home and garden to the condition that they first encountered
them.
Perishable foodstus
You may want to empty your refrigerator of any perishable foodstus. Although your
house sitter is probably happy to eat or otherwise dispose of these!
Shut down parts of your home
If your home is larger than your house sitter needs you may want to shut parts of it down
(for example, you could make all but one bedroom and bathroom o limits to your
house sitter) just so that these parts of the house remain in pristine condition for your
return.
4. Preparing your vehicles
When you go away you may be leaving a car, SUV, RV, boat, bicycle or tractor behind
to face a period of disuse. You may ask your house sitter to clean and maintain your
vehicles in your absence.
Use of your vehicle
If you are happy to have your house sitter use your vehicle while you’re away you need
to do the following: - familiarize them with your vehicle before you go - add their name
to your motor vehicle insurance policy - have them confirm in writing that they will be
liable for any costs and damages incurred while using your vehicle including paying any
excess fees on any resulting insurance claim (this can be added to your house sitting
agreement). - provide local driving regulation information for their reference
Maintenance of your vehicle
You may want to have your vehicle maintained in your absence. This could include
asking your house sitter to start your car once a week and/or clean your car of leaves,
dust and bird droppings.
Use of your bicycle
You may be happy for your house sitter to use your bicycle. Familiarise your house sitter
with any security locks you may use including combination numbers and spare keys.
Remote control devices
Be sure to leave your garage door opener or similar device out in plain sight to allow
your house sitter access to your garage.
5. Preparing your animals
Take the time to prepare your animals for your departure, thoroughly pet proof your
home and educate your house sitter in the finer points of caring for your pets. This
process is crucial to ensuring the house sitting assignment is a success for every party
(your animals included). Please see the companion checklist: Before you go - checklist
for pet owners.
6. Preparing to travel
A few simple preparations can make being away from home a snip!
Email
If you are currently using an email address that is dependent on your home internet
service provider, you may need to set up a new address that can travel with you. There
are many hundreds of good, free email service providers you can sign up with in less
than five minutes. Choose a service provider that gives each member account enough
disk space to store, send and receive jpg (image) files.
Inventory of valuables
Make an inventory of your valuables before you go and store it in a secure place (such
as with a relative, a solicitor, or in an online digital safe). Note that this list does not go in
your house sitter’s information pack.
7. Services
Your house sitter needs to know everything about your home’s usual services in order to
keep everything sailing along.
Rubbish collection
Make a note of which day your rubbish is collected. Provide plenty of rubbish bags of the
right size and strength.
Recycling services
Make a note of the day your recycling is collected. Have any recycling equipment
available for your house sitter to use. Let your house sitter know what can and can’t be
recycled through your kerbside collection service.
Subscriptions
You may want to suspend or cancel any magazine or newspaper subscriptions you may
have.
Pay-per-view TV
You may want to suspend or cancel your satellite or cable TV service.
DVD rental
You may want to suspend or cancel your DVD rental subscription.
Internet access
You may want to suspend or cancel your home internet access account. Although
your house sitter may want this service to continue and may be prepared to pay for the
service while they’re in your home.
Mail redirection
You may want to set up a redirection order for your mail - although this is what house
sitters are for!
Home deliveries
You may want to suspend or cancel any regular home deliveries you may have including
dairy products and organic vegetables .
Cleaning, gardening and lawn mowing services
You may want to suspend or cancel visits by your regular cleaner, gardener or lawn
mower. If your house sitter wants to retain these, you need to discuss who will pay for
these services.
8. Your house sitter’s needs
House sitters are people too and they will need the facilities to live their own lives in
your home as well as enough information to settle into your home and neighbourhood
quickly and easily.
Spare keys
Leave a set of spare keys with your nominated contact person (if you have one). Your
house sitter will need their own set of your keys plus a spare set.
Childcare
Leave details on local childcare facilities and places of fun for your younger house sitters.
Tourist information
Mark up a local map with some of the area’s best assets for your intrepid house sitter.
Include your local supermarket, library, internet cafe, cinema, DVD rental shop, dog park
etc.
Transport maps
Local transport maps covering travel by bicycle, bus, train, tram and underground are
invaluable for helping your house sitters get oriented.
Storage space
You may need to empty some cupboards and drawers for your house sitter to stow their
belongings.
Clean linen
Put out clean bed linen and towels for your house sitter.
First meal
Provide the essentials for your house sitter’s first meal in your home.
Parking
Describe what parking is allowed on or near your property including costs and
restrictions. You may be able to arrange for a visitors parking permit for your house sitter
to use during their stay.
Local driving information
Provide local driving regulation information for your house sitter’s reference.
9. Utilities
Your utilities will need to be paid for in your absence, either by you or the house sitter
(depending on what financial arrangements you have agreed to). Irregardless of who
pays for the utilities however, your house sitter will need to know everything about
maintaining these critical elements in your home.
Gas and electric
Leave instructions for the safe use of your electricity and gas services. Show your house
sitter where the relevant meters are as well as the fuse boxes and cut-o switches.
Take meter readings on your last day in the property so that your house sitter’s share of
the utility bills can be worked out on your return. (Use the fields in your house sitting
agreement to record your meter readings.)
Heating and air-conditioning
Leave detailed instructions on how to program the heating and air-conditioning systems.
Show your house sitter where the relevant heating and air-con switches and thermostats
are.
Water and drains
Leave instructions on the location of your water mains tap and the access area to your
drains system in case of emergency or routine maintenance.
Laundry appliances
It’s amazing how quirky and bad tempered your laundry appliances can get with age.
Leave instructions for your house sitter on how to keep on the right side of your washing
machine and dryer.
10. Grounds maintenance
Only you know just how much loving your outside space needs in your absence.
Compost
Make a list of what you would and wouldn’t like your house sitter to add to your
compost.
Pool maintenance
Have your pool equipment and chemicals available for your house sitter to use. Attach
clear written instructions to these.
Garden tools
Make sure your garden tools are accessible. Leave a copy of your shed keys for your
house sitter.
Indoor plant maintenance
Leave any supplies for your indoor plants out for your house sitter. Attach written
instructions to these.
Lawn maintenance
Check that your lawnmower is in good working order. Leave a spare can of fuel for your
lawn mower if required. Attach hoses to outdoor water supplies for watering your garden
and lawn. Leave rakes and a wheelbarrow out for your house sitter.
Bird feeders
Leave enough wild seed to keep your bird feeders topped up while you’re away.
11. Security
Your usual security systems and precautions should continue unabated in your absence.
Your house sitter will make every eort to conscientiously protect your home and
household contents in all the ways that you describe.
Security systems
If you have an alarm system, you may need to make arrangements with the security
company for a code and security password specifically for your house sitter to use.
Security systems can be very tricky (and noisy) so be sure to tell your house sitter how to
manage your alarm system in exact detail.
Security cameras and/or recording devices
If you have cameras or recording devices on your property, you must declare this to the
house sitter before the assignment starts, so that this can be discussed and that there are
no surprises. We have tried to help by including a special declaration regarding this in our
“House sitter agreement” document (in section five) which you can download before the
assignment starts. In this section, you can declare the locations of these devices as well
as the times of operation. Also, house sitters can declare whether they consent to the
home owner operating the devices or not.
Window locks and security doors
Any keys for window locks and security doors should be left with your house sitter.
Phew!
Well done...you’ve made it to the end of this list. Now you can leave your home
knowing that your house sitter is exceptionally well-prepared to take on their duties and
responsibilities toward you, your property and your animals. Relax and go.
Appendix C
Before you go - checklist for pet owners
Your animals’ special needs, health and safety need to be both documented and
provided for while you’re away. Your house sitter is prepared to make your animals’
health and happiness a top priority but they can’t do their best by Spot and Fluy without
all the necessary information and preparation by you. At the last count (in 2003) there
were 77.7 million pet cats and 65 million pet dogs in the US. (Phew, I think our house
sitter members are going to be busy!) For the purposes of this checklist I’ve assumed that
your beloved pet is either a cat or a dog (sorry to all you bird, rabbit, mouse, fish, snake
and pony owners but you will have to customise parts of this checklist for yourselves).
See also Before you go - checklist for home owners.
1. Create an information pack
It’s a good idea to put an information pack together containing all of the information that
your house sitter needs to provide top quality care to your pets. By placing all of your
animals’ records in plastic A4 sheets in a sturdy folder, this pack can be used by your
house sitters for years to come. Consider including the following in your information
pack:
•
up-to-date immunization records
•
microchip or tattoo information
•
lost pet register contact information
•
municipal license or registration records
•
medical history (including last dates of de-flea and de-worming treatment)
•
current medication (including generic names of drugs, dosage information and your
usual supplier)
•
vet’s contact information
•
after-hours animals medical emergency service contact information
•
photograph of your pet that is both current and adequately detailed to identify them with
•
map with the location of good dog parks and other permitted dog walking areas
2. Educate your house sitter
Knowledge is power. The more you can tell your house sitter about your animal’s usual
habits and quirks the more fine-tuned their care and attention can be toward your pets.
Honesty is essential here. If your dog is antisocial around other dogs or about to come
into season tell your house sitter. If your dog is an ‘escaper’ when let o the lead or your
cat is a scent-marker then you need to leave this information for your house sitter. It
won’t necessarily put your house sitter o the assignment. However, having to chase
your dog through a large park or worrying about smelly furniture covers will only cause
your house sitter undue stress. It’s much better for every person (and animal) concerned
if your house sitter is prepared for any eventuality. Take the time to answer the following
questions (where relevant) and print out your document to be added to your house
sitter’s information pack.
•
What are the important routines in your pet’s day (including eating, sleeping, exercising
and playing)?
•
Is your pet on a special diet? What amounts of food do they usually eat? When do they
usually eat? How many treats are they usually permitted?
•
Does your pet have any major and minor health problems (for example, skin allergies or
old injuries)?
•
Create an emergency health care plan (Which health care provider do you use? How do
you get to the clinic? How will your house sitter make a payment for emergency care?)
•
Where are your pet’s favourite toys, chew toys and treats kept?
•
Where are your pet’s favourite hiding places?
•
Does your pet have any unusual habits (for example, your cat may regularly vomit, your
puppy may urinate when showing submission or your dog may try to leap out of open
car windows)?
•
Does your pet have any phobias or anxieties?
•
Are any rooms or parts of the property ‘o limits’ for pets?
•
Have a back-up plan for the care of your animals in case your house sitter has an
emergency they need to attend. Leave the contact information for a vet boarding service,
your local kennels or a nearby friend or relative who could care for them if needed.
•
How does your dog usually travel? (Are they allowed on public transport? Can they walk
in the snow or on hot pavements? Do they have a car restraint? Are they happy to be in
their travel container?)
3. Animal supplies
Stock up on enough supplies to keep your animals happy and healthy while you’re away
(plus extra of everything in case your return is delayed). Leave your animals’ supplies in
one spot in plain sight for your house sitter’s easy access. These supplies could include
the following:
•
food (main meals, dry food, treats, chewing bones)
•
catnip
•
food and water bowls
•
medications (flea, tick, lice, heartworm, worm and mange treatment, with dosage
information)
•
toys (indoor chewing and tugging toys, chasing toys)
•
exercise equipment (leads, balls, tennis racket, towels, cold weather gear, muzzles,
collars, harness, snow boots)
•
identification tags, tattoo or microchip (featuring a contact number or a number on a
registration list - make sure these are current!)
•
bedding (basket, mattress with pillows, blankets or duvet, spares for washing)
•
cleaning equipment for your animal (medicated shampoo, towels, hoses, brushes,
clippers and scissors)
•
cleaning equipment for your animals’ messes in your home (mops, brushes, sponges,
disinfectant)
•
waste collection equipment (poop scooper, bags, gloves, kitty litter and trays)
•
travelling equipment (car restraints, car blankets, travel containers)
4. Preparing your animals
By doing a few simple things for your animals you can leave knowing that they’ll be that
much more safe and secure in your absence.
•
Deal with any suspected health problems in your animals before you go.
•
Ensure your dog is comfortable walking on a leash.
•
Make sure your pets are wearing practical collars that fit properly (collars shouldn’t be too
tight or so loose that they can slip o).
•
Have an identification tag engraved with a current contact number for each of your pets.
Attach these tags to the D-rings on your pets’ collars with a sturdy steel ring.
•
Register each of your pets with a lost pet register connected to your local animal shelter.
•
Take digital photographs of each of your animals showing their markings and distinctive
features.
•
Ideally, your house sitter should spend some time with your pets in your company before
you leave. Schedule some time to take your house sitter and your dogs out for a walk.
Or your house sitter could just handle your animals in your presence to get everyone
aquainted with each other before you go.
•
Tell them when you’ll be coming back home (some people believe that our pets
understand these reassuring messages).
5. Preparing your home
While you know exactly what hazards your home contains, your house sitter doesn’t, so
it’s a good idea to attempt to really ‘pet-proof’ your home before you leave.
•
Put anything away that could be harmful to your pet. Christmas tree decorations, tinsel,
pine needles, firewood, cooked bones (think gum and gut-perforating splinters and
shards), strings, ribbon or knitting wool are all potentially deadly to curious cats and
dogs. Add pesticides, flavoured medicines, digestion aids, sweetened pills, chocolates,
confectionary, biscuits, space cookies, tobacco and sweet liquors to this list.
•
Your garage probably contains many hazardous substances such as rat poison and slug
killer, fertilizers, antifreeze and pesticides. It is critical to put any dangerous substances in
your garage completely out of reach of your pets (preferably behind a locked door).
•
Seal o any routes to your cellar or attic so that your pets don’t become ‘lost’ in these
hard-to-get-to spaces.
•
Block your pets’ usual escape routes from your property. You may need to repair holes in
the fence or fill scraped-out depressions beneath fences or gates with heavy objects.
•
Secure any gates on your property (including those to a swimming pool).
•
Unplug any appliances that your house sitter won’t be using to prevent possible
accidents.
•
Consider installing a doorflap so that your animals can leave the house if they need to
(for their toileting or in case of an emergency such as fire or flooding).
•
Arrange your arsenal of cleaning equipment in plain sight for your house sitter. This can
include your vacuum cleaner, mop, broom, dustpan, gloves, disinfectant, sponges and
trash bags etc.
•
Just before you leave, ensure that the right pets are inside the house.
•
If your pet escapes the house before you leave, tell your house sitter where to look for
the animal.
•
And lastly, leave a piece of your worn clothing in your pets’ sleeping area to give them a
nice reminder of their beloved human while you’re away.
Appendix D
Before you go - checklist for house sitters
Congratulations that you have found a house sitting assignment! For the next step, use
this checklist to make sure you’re ready to start your house sitting assignment.
1. Download and fill out the house sitting agreement
When two perfect strangers meet and arrange to take care of each other’s house sitting
requirements, it’s a good idea that you both go into the situation equipped with a copy
of our House sitter agreement. We’ve tried to cover all the bases with this plain-English
document but as you go through it with the home owner you may think of further
amendments, clauses and deletions you’d like to make to suit your particular situation.
2. Ask for an information pack
It’s a good idea to ask the home owner for an information pack, containing all of the
material that you will need to provide top quality care for the home (and pets). Your
signed and completed house sitting agreement will provide the cornerstone of your
information pack. Consider requesting the following from the home owner:
Contact information
Does the home owner want you regular email updates on the status of your home and
animals while you’re away? If so, ask the home owner for their contact details and how
often they want to be notified.
Emergency contact information
Make sure that the home owner has a nominated contact person you can contact for
emergencies eg. a friend, relative or neighbor and that you have their contact details.
Visitors policy
Does the home owner have strong feelings about the numbers and types of people
who may (or may not) visit their home during your stay? Include this information in your
house sitting agreement.
Rules and regulations
If your home is a condominium, a unit or a rental property, you may want to ask if there
are any rules or regulations that you need to follow.
Home contents/areas out of bounds
You may want to ask the home owner if there are any contents or areas of the property
that are out of bounds (add this to your house sitting agreement).
Insurance
Ask the home owner whether they have home and contents insurance, and whether you
will be covered during your stay.
Service providers
If the home owner has any third party services running during your stay, it’s important to
ask for their details and schedule (eh. maid, gardener or grounds person etc) and if you
are expected to give them access.
3. Vehicles
Use of home owners’ vehicle
If the home owner is happy to let you use their vehicle, make sure you ask them to
familiarize you with their vehicle before they go. Also, ask that they add your name to
their motor vehicle insurance policy. Also, you should agree (in writing) who will be liable
for any costs and damages incurred while using the vehicle, including payment of any
excess fees on any resulting insurance claim (this can be added to your house sitting
agreement). Also, make sure you are familiar with the local driving laws if you are coming
from overseas.
Maintenance of the home owners’ vehicle
The home owner may want you to have the vehicle maintained in their absence. This
could include starting the car once a week and/or cleaning the car of leaves, dust and
bird droppings.
Use of home owners’ bicycle
The home owner may be happy for you to use their bicycle. Familiarise yourself with any
security locks they may need you to use including combination numbers and spare keys.
4. Preparing animals
Take the time to ensure that the home owner has fully educated you in the finer points of
caring for their pets. This process is crucial to ensuring the house sitting assignment is a
success for every party (animals included). In case the home owner is not aware, we have
a checklist for them also: Before you go - checklist for pet owners.
5. Preparing to travel
A few simple preparations can make being away from home a snip!
Email
If you are currently using an email address that is dependent on your home internet
service provider, you may need to set up a new address that can travel with you. There
are many hundreds of good, free email service providers you can sign up with in less
than five minutes. Choose a service provider that gives each member account enough
disk space to store, send and receive jpg (image) files.
Traveling from overseas? Have a plan B.
If you are coming from overseas, don’t forget to have a Plan B in place, in case
something goes wrong and you are unable to stay at the property – it has been known
to happen before! Being stuck in a foreign country without a backup plan can be a
problem, unless you are prepared for all eventualities. Also, ask the home owner how you
can get to their property, or if you can get a lift :)
6. Services
You will need to know everything about the home’s usual services in order to keep
everything sailing along.
Rubbish collection
Make a note of which day the rubbish is collected. Make sure that the home owner
provides plenty of rubbish bags of the right size and strength.
Recycling services
Make a note of the day the recycling is collected. Make sure that the home owner
provides any recycling equipment available for you to use. Ask what can and can’t be
recycled through the kerbside collection service.
Subscriptions
Ask the home owner if you are allowed to access any magazine or newspaper
subscriptions they may have.
Pay-per-view TV
Ask the home owner if you are allowed to access any satellite, cable TV service. Also, find
out if they expect you to pay, or whether they will pay.
Internet access
Ask the home owner if you are allowed to access the internet/wifi service. Also, find out
if they expect you to pay, or whether they will pay.
Mail redirection
Ask the home owner if they want you to redirect their postal mail.
7. Your needs
Spare keys
Ask the home owner to leave a set of spare keys with their nominated contact person in
case you lose yours.
Transport maps
Ask if the home owner has a spare local transport maps that covers travel by bicycle, bus,
train, tram and underground to help you get oriented.
Parking
Ask the home owner what parking arrangements are allowed on or near your property
including costs and restrictions. If you are bringing your own car, do you need a visitors
parking permit?
8. Utilities
The utilities will need to be paid for in the home owners absence, either by you or
the home owner (depending on what financial arrangements you have agreed to).
Irregardless of who pays for the utilities however, you will need to know everything about
maintaining these critical elements during your stay.
Gas and electric
Ask the home owner for instructions on the safe use of electricity and gas services. Ask
the home owner where the relevant meters are as well as the fuse boxes and cut-o
switches. Take meter readings on your first day in the property so that the utility bills
can be worked out on the home owners return. (Use the fields in your house sitting
agreement to record meter readings.)
Heating and air-conditioning
Ask the home owner for detailed instructions on how to program the heating and
air-conditioning systems and where the relevant heating and air-con switches and
thermostats are.
Water and drains
Ask the home owner to leave instructions on the location of the water mains tap and the
access area to the drains system in case of emergency or routine maintenance.
Laundry appliances
It’s amazing how quirky and bad tempered laundry appliances can get with age. Ask the
home owner for instructions on how to keep on the right side of your washing machine
and dryer.
9. Grounds maintenance
Only the home owner knows just how much loving the outside space needs during your
stay.
Compost
Ask the home owner for a list of what you can compost.
Pool maintenance
Ask the home owner for clear written instructions to maintain and clean the pool.
Garden tools
Ask the home owner where the garden tools are kept (are their shed keys?).
Indoor plant maintenance
Ask the home owner for any supplies that you need to look after any indoor plants.
Lawn maintenance
Ask the home owner for instructions on how to use the lawnmower and where to find
the spare can of fuel. Also, ask for the location of the outdoor water supplies for watering
the garden and how often you should do so.
Bird feeders
Don’t forget to keep the bird feeders topped up during your stay!
10. Security
Security systems
If the property has an alarm system, you may need to know the code and security
password. Security systems can be very tricky (and noisy) so be sure to ask the home
owner how to manage the alarm system in exact detail.
Security cameras and/or recording devices
Ask the home owner if they have security cameras or other recording devices on their
property, and whether they intend to operate these during your stay. We have included a
special declaration regarding this in our “House sitter agreement” document (in section
five), where the home owner can list the locations of these devices as well as the times
of operation. If you don’t want to consent to being recorded during your stay, make
sure that you make this clear to the home owner before the assignment starts. If there is
disagreement about this, remember that the home owner just wants to know that their
house and pets are safe and are being looked after – there may be other ways of doing
this, such as a regular zoom call or emailing photos of the pets daily to the home owner.
This can even be alot of fun!
Window locks and security doors
Ask the home owner for any keys for window locks and security doors that you need.
Phew!
Well done...you’ve made it to the end of this list. Now you can begin your house
sitting assignment knowing that your are well-prepared to take on your duties and
responsibilities.