Something that we get asked a lot when customers call us is whether we offer a house sitting service and how much a house sitter costs. For some people, they just prefer to have someone hang out with their pets 24/7 when they travel away and that need it best met by a House Sitter.
What Is A House Sitter?
In case you don’t know exactly what a House Sitter does here is the definition from Wikipedia
“House-sitting is the practice whereby a landlord (or “homeowner”), leaving their house for a period of time, entrusts it to one or more “house-sitters”, who by a mutual agreement are entitled to live there rent-free in exchange for assuming responsibilities such as taking care of the homeowner’s pets, performing general maintenance (including pools, lawns, air-conditioning systems etc.), keeping trespassers off the property, readdressing the mail, and in general, making sure that everything runs smoothly just as if the owner was at home.”
In a nutshell, a House Sitter acts like you would if you were at home. They do all the normal things you would do on a daily basis to keep the house running. Including, but not limited to:
- Keeping the property secure
- Feeding pets
- Taking in post
- Rotating lights and blinds
- Putting out bins
What Does A House Sitter Do?
You might be mistaken in thinking that a House Sitter needs to live in your house all of the time you are away, but actually, there are a couple of options when it comes
Live In House Sitter
A House Sitter that lives in your house basically moves in to live in your home for the entire time you are away. They have access to your entire house and all of the amenities and contents.
That means they sleep in your house, cook and eat there and hang out watching your television. They basically become you for the duration of their stay.
There are obviously pros and cons of a live-in house sitter and it certainly isn’t for everyone. Some people just don’t like the idea of anyone in their home when they are not there, let alone living in their home.
House Sitter Daily Visits
Instead of living in your house a daily House Sitter can provide daily home checks for you while you are away. They can visit your home as many times a day as you need and open and close curtains and blinds, put out bins and generally make your home look more lived in.
This service is great for security and in some countries your insurance company will offer you a discount if you use a House Sitting service when you are away as they consider your home to be at less risk if you are using this type of service.
How Much Does A House Sitter Cost?
When you look what it costs to hire a House Sitter there are a number of factors to consider. Not all House Sitters will be created equal, some will be happy to stay in your house for free as a holiday whereas others are operating a full-time business providing House Sitting services.
Rates for House Sitting, therefore, start at zero up to 100 euro plus per 24 hour period.
There are a few things to consider when choosing a House Sitter:
- Are they insured and have you checked references?
- Are they a smoker?
- Are they an animal lover – if you have pets?
- What are their plans while they are staying at your home?
- How many hours of the day will they be at your house?
- Are they travelling alone or will they be bringing friends/family with them?
- Are you giving them full access to your home or just some of the rooms?
- Does your home insurance cover the property for any damages while you are away?
- Are they part of a company/organisation that you can contact if there is an issue?
How Can Pet Sitters Ireland Help You?
If you are considering hiring a House Sitter and you have questions then let us know. We offer both types of House Sitting and would be happy to discuss your House Sitting needs with you.
