By Stefania K.
House sitting with no bounds sounds like an attractive job for someone who has a bit of extra time on their hands. Not only is this job safe and easy to do, but it is also an attractive initiative for all those who want to make some money without having to take care of any significant workload.
The world is changing, and if the truth be told, everyone needs to make a bit of extra cash to live freely and independently. In an expensive city like London, the need for anyone – be it a student or a working person, managing expenses often becomes too much when they are working by hand to mouth.
Expenses, daily life, basic necessities, utilities, groceries, and what not – it almost seems as if the expenses are never-ending and that the list of ‘things to do’ just keeps on increasing by the second.
Therefore, for these reasons, people are often seen resorting to short-term or long-term odd jobs that help them make a bit of extra cash, which again, helps them get through the month without running out of money before you know it.
House sitting appears to be a popular part-time job among these options. This job refers to taking care of people’s houses in their absence. It would not be wrong to say that house sitting is somewhat similar to babysitting or pet-sitting. However, it is the prospect of taking care of a house in its entirety and with everything else combined that makes it a daunting task for many—especially the inexperienced ones.
So, to put an end to all the confusion that people might have regarding house sitting and whether to opt for it as a job or not, compiled here below is a comprehensive guide that would help you make the perfect choice for your future, and of course, all the while keeping the environment and surroundings of London in mind!
1. What Is House Sitting All About?
All these years, London has become a working hub for all the people living here. Almost every other day, you can see your neighbour leaving for a flight to go somewhere, or families leaving for their most-awaited trips to their dream places. So, there is no lie about the fact that London is, and has always been, a center of non-stop activity and hustle.
But from among such people come those who are skeptical and worried about leaving their homes behind. Of course, this happens to the majority of those people who are going away for longer periods than usual, and so they are upset about how things could go on in their absence. After all, there are a thousand things and duties to take care of, even when the house is empty and not consuming any power resources.
This point is where the job of house sitters comes in handy. They are hired on a contractual basis and then made to understand how things would proceed in the house in the absence of the tenants.
Pic from Pixabay
The house sitters, in return, are expected to report and update the house owners after a specified period, as per the wish of the owners themselves, regarding how things are going on and whether there is anything that needs their guidance.
So, to put it simply, house sitting is a “sophisticated” means of taking care of someone else’s house as if it were your own. A house sitter takes care of the house of their hirer, pays all the bills, keeps trespassers or onlookers who might suddenly be interested in commercializing or renting the house for themselves, and in short, gives the impression that nobody ever left the house vacated or without anyone to supervise or take care of it.
House sitters nowadays are also expected to “live in” the house where they are hired, so that the house is not left alone at any time of the day. Thus, house sitting prevents the risk of any crime of theft taking place in a house that is otherwise left all alone by its tenants.
Several online platforms allow you to get registered as a house sitter by uploading all your relevant details, and then you may get hired from this place if any client decides to book you for taking care of their houses in their absence.
2. Who Can Opt for House Sitting as A Job?
Well, truth be told, house sitting is becoming more of a career than a job. This factor now resonates even more after the COVID-19 pandemic is slowly decreasing and travelling and other job opportunities are opening up as well.
You could either opt for a house-sitting job if you are living in London, or you could even travel to apply for a job in London if the prospect attracts you! But apart from that, here are a few ways of how you can opt for a housesitting job, and that too, in a busy and happening city like London!
● A Full-Time House Sitter:
This prospect is attractive, especially if you live alone in London or are just a newcomer who has yet to get settled in the big old city. For such people, house sitting could be both a boring and an exciting job. This is both boring because sitting all day long without having any purpose in life could make you grow tired quickly, but also exciting because this way, you can sit back and do your research to come across other attractive jobs for learning experiences that suit you best for the rest of your stay in London.
● An On-Looker:
If you want to live in London but currently live somewhere else in the UK, house sitting in a neighbourhood where your services are needed could be an indirect way to find the neighbourhood of your dreams! After all, who can judge whether a neighbourhood is worth living in or not better than yourself?
● For A Fresh, New Change:
Consider 2022 to be the year where things would have been normalized to a greater extent. There would be several people who would finally get the chance to leave their houses and go on and about their long-delayed or pending trips and vacations. This would be an ideal time to hunt for house sitting jobs, and once you finally stumble across one, maybe consider it your time to unwind and relax after going through a lot over the past two years!
● To Escape Rent:
This option will work out for you only if you are living an expat life or have just recently shifted to London. There is nothing hidden about the fact that London is an expensive place to live in, and being someone who has just recently shifted, this could be quite overwhelming for you.
So, if you opt for a house sitting amidst all of this, then there is a high chance that you will get to work things out in your favour and possibly even escape the hassles of giving rent—that is, until the real tenants of the house return!
3. What Is a House Sitter Supposed to Do?
The scope of a house sitting job is not just limited to “taking care of the house”. It is a complete job that comes with its own duties and responsibilities that the housekeeper is supposed to diligently take care of and perform.
After all, they are not just giving you their house; they are giving you the opportunity to explore a new place so that you can have the time of your life partying out there.
Mainly, we can see that house sitting is a job that requires a basic level of care and housekeeping skills. But apart from that, there are several other small and odd jobs that are part of the job which you are supposed to take care of while on duty:
● Keeping the house neat and clean.
● Watering the plants, mowing the lawn, and other garden-related activities as advised.
● Taking care of the pets and their needs, such as daily walks, activities, vet appointments, etc.
● Taking care of any elderly, disabled, or children left in the house by the house owners.
● Doing the laundry whenever and however advised by the house owner.
● Paying all the utilities and other expenses as advised.
● Collecting mail and forwarding it to the house owner if needed.
● Receiving and making phone calls as instructed by the house owner on their behalf, and so on.
The spectrum of jobs is unlimited, and every house owner has a distinct list of “to-do’s” that needs to be done in their absence. How you manage your time and divide these tasks over your job days here is solely dependent on you.
At this stage, the majority of the house owners will ask you to update them from time to time on how things have been going on and if there has been any unexpected or unfortunate delay or incident in their absence.
4. For How Long Can You Do House Sitting On a Property?
The duration for which you are hired to do your house sitting job depends on how long the tenants have vacated their house.
Sometimes, the house owners barely go for about a week or two, but sometimes the trips are longer than that. If the house owner is a military person or someone who has just retired, your duration of stay in the house can extend to up to six months or even more.
However, this does not mean that you are getting a clear signal to go on and do whatever you want to in the house. Chances are, sometimes a relative or friend of the family might not-so-subtly drop by to see if the house is being kept well or not.
5. Advantages of House Sitting (A Two-Way Perspective!)
Well, there are obvious advantages to house sitting. However, these benefits are not limited to the house sitter, but also to the owner of the house, who benefits equally, if not more, after learning that their property will be well cared for while they are away.
So, to sum it all up, here is a short perspective that highlights how both parties benefit from this contractual relationship in the long run.
For house owners, it is mostly the sense of satisfaction and liberty that their property is not going out of their hands and is being kept well and maintained according to their liking daily.
They can also become carefree regarding their pets as they are also being taken care of in their absence in the best possible way!
For House Sitters:
● Easy Means of Paying Off Debt:
House sitting would not only help you save money, but it would also help you clear your debts off, which is also very rewarding for people who had been in debt for as long as they could remember. Paying off the mortgage would not be a problem either, as house sitting allows you to avoid paying rent and spend your salary on paying off your debt in instalments on a regular basis.
● Means of Discovering New Places:
If you have a heart and a mind that always wants you to be on the run, then there are good chances that you will enjoy being a house sitter. You can easily add in your portfolio that you are willing to travel for the sake of your job, and this way, opt to house sit in those places that are known for being exotic and beautiful so that you can satiate your adventurous side as well.
● For Pet Lovers:
Photo by Samson Katt from Pexels
In more than half the cases where people hire a house sitter, the major reason is the pets getting left behind in shelter homes that do nothing significant to take care of them. So, a house owner would prefer that somebody come over to look over the house and the pet.
In this way, the pet would also get a chance to live within their familiar surroundings, and you can easily satisfy your love for pets and even get to learn more about them when living with them for a long time.
● Luxurious Life:
The majority of people who use house sitting services while they are away own a mansion or a luxurious home. They hire house sitters out of a need to protect their property. In return, the house sitter gets to live at that humongous pace by themselves and enjoy all the comforts of the house as they please, but all the while taking care of their limits and job.
6. Do I need a visa to sit abroad?
If you are interested in international house and pet sitting opportunities, it is essential to take into account that you are responsible for arranging your own travel and ensuring you are legally allowed to enter and house sit in a foreign country. Before applying for and traveling to any house and pet sits, we recommend you research and confirm any necessary visa requirements with the relevant travel bureaus and authorities, just as you would when organizing any other overseas travel.
Top 4 House-sitter Sites – Reviews
In case you are wondering which house sitting websites to look out for, both as a house owner and a house sitter looking for job opportunities, then consider your search coming to an end now!
Given below are some of the very best and popular house sitting websites that are guaranteed to help you make the right decision with ease and comfort, and all the while taking care of your basic needs.
So, let us see what these websites have in store for us and what features there are that make them an ideal choice for all house sitting enthusiasts!
1. Trusted House Sitters
TrustedHousesitters.com is probably the most well-known and widely used house sitting website in the UK.
They have a global community of highly rated in-home house sitters, and all house sitters are ID checked and verified so pet owners can rest assured knowing their home, pets, and possessions are in safe hands. Plus, owners can also read helpful references and reviews of sitters left by other home and pet owners.
And as far as the sitters are concerned – with their membership fee, they can access unlimited and unique homestays all around the world with the added company of a cute pet companion or two. The main difference with TrustedHousesitters? It’s a money-free exchange. Owners and sitters simply pay an annual membership fee to enjoy unlimited worldwide house sits or house sitters. With nothing exchanged but love and care for pets (and a place for the sitter to stay in return), it’s a complete win-win for all involved.
Check out our detailed review of Trustded House Sitters.
Trustedhousesitters.com
2. HouseSit Match
HouseSit Match, a combined platform for both house and pet sitters, is an amazing opportunity to explore for both house owners and house sitters who are looking out for a verified and great website that offers them the best deals in town.
HouseSit Match keeps a track of all its house sitters and makes sure that only the best and highly-trained ones are hired for taking care of your house, belongings, and even your pets!
HouseSit Match is not just present in the UK but also across several other countries, with each branch providing some of the best and hassle-free services to its loyal customers.
3. House Carers
House Carers is a platform that has been successfully serving several satisfied customers for more than two decades now.
It has a hassle-free system of connecting house owners with the best house sitters so that all the vacationing and on-the-go house owners could leave their house under the supervision and care-taking services of some of the best people who know what they are doing.
House Carers is indeed one of the best platforms for house carers and house sitters and people have so far been loving their experience with this platform.
4. MindMyHouse
MindMyHouse is a thoughtful initiative that was brought into focus with the intention of connecting like-minded house owners and house sitters together.
During different parts of the year, they have different ongoing deals that are bound to save you some money, while giving you a full-on, customized experience to enjoy your vacation with no worry about your house or pets being left behind.
MindMyHouse is yet another problem solver for all the people who have been looking out for a great house sitter who they could blindly trust with their possessions.
Conclusion – House Sitting in London
At the end of the day, house sitting sounds like a great plan to look ahead towards in the upcoming year. There is a bright chance for all the job-hunting people to come across several house-sitting jobs in the near future, as people will soon be travelling out to enjoy, relax, and have fun!
People who are house sitters can easily enjoy several benefits if they take care of the house as they are supposed to throughout.
This job is indeed very rewarding in the long run, and anyone can benefit from it, make their reputation, and then get hired by the same tenant or even get referred to someone else when their services are needed yet again for the same purpose!
