House Sitting Explained
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The concept of House Sitting is new to a lot of people. As a result we have received many emails requesting that we explain the system.
In essence it is very simple.
A House Sitter moves into your home while you are away on holiday. They look after your home and pets for you and in return they receive a rent free holiday in your home.
The house owner saves money by not having to pay anyone to look after their home and pets.
They have the security of knowing that their home and pets are being looked after by a responsible Christian.
The House Sitter gets to travel and stay in lovely homes rather than an expensive and often characterless hotel room.
For example recently Marilyn & I spent a couple of months living in France. It was something we could not have afforded without being house sitters. We became part of the local community and had a lovely time. In return we looked after a beautiful house and their dogs and cats.
Do you arrange rental agreements?
No. We are a house sitting service not a letting agency.
Can I charge rent?
No. The rent you receive is having someone look after your property and pets. Sitters are normally expected to pay their own phone bills, food etc. If it is a long-term ( over 3 months if you are in fulltime Christian work otherwise over 6 months) house sit and there are no animals to be looked after then naturally you can reach an agreement about utility bills. However if there are animals to be looked after we do not allow the charging of utilities unless the home owners are fulltime Christian workers. If in doubt please contact us and we will carefully and prayerfully evaluate each situation.
Is it safe?
Naturally one has to take precautions. We strongly advise all home owners to get two references before entering into any agreement. As this is a Christian site and all members list their church connection we suggest one of the reference be obtained from their church leaders.
We also include a general outline of an agreement for both parties to sign. Note this is a general draft and you will need to adapt it to your specific situation.
Will people know my details?
Only if you tell them. On the site it does not list your email address or address details.
Animals
As a sitter you are responsible to look after all animals as per your agreement with the home owner. As an Owner you are responsible to provide clear instruction, supply the needed food and to cover any vet fees that may arise during your time away.
Can You Guarantee a House Sit?
Sadly not. The list of available properties is constantly changing. New houses are added and existing properties find sitters. We are facilitators and have no idea what houses or sitters are going to become available in the future. We never know from one day to the next what is coming and what is going to be removed. For example we had a message from someone asking about a house in Florida. We wrote back saying that we did not have any. The very next day we got a house 5 minutes from Disney World available for 2 months. God is in control. We trust that He will provide the right match between owners and sitters.
I still have questions?
Please see our FAQ page. Then if your questions have still not been answered use the contact link on the left and send us your comments or questions. We will try to help.