Two complaints show up repeatedly in sitting communities, and they are mirror images. Sitters arrive to homes in a state they did not expect. Homeowners come back to homes in a state they did not expect. Both are avoidable, and both come down to saying out loud what is usually left unsaid.
What a homeowner should reasonably leave
- Clean bedding on the bed the sitter will use, and clean towels set out.
- Space in the fridge, freezer and a cupboard. A sitter staying three weeks needs somewhere to put food.
- A clean bathroom and kitchen. Not spotless, but not something the sitter has to clean before they can use it.
- Bins emptied before you leave, and clear instructions on collection days.
- Pet areas clean and stocked: litter trays emptied, bedding washed, enough food and medication for the stay.
- A working understanding of anything unusual: a temperamental hot water system, a door that sticks, a gate that must be latched twice.
The underlying principle is simple. You are asking someone to live in your home and care for animals you love. Arriving to unwashed sheets and a fridge with no space sets a tone that is hard to recover from, and it is the most common reason a sitter's first impression goes wrong.
What a sitter should reasonably leave
- The home as they found it, or a little better.
- Bedding stripped and washed, or laundered and remade, whichever was agreed.
- Kitchen clean, dishwasher emptied, fridge cleared of your own food.
- Floors vacuumed and mopped, bathrooms cleaned.
- Bins out on the correct day, including the final one before departure.
- Pet areas clean, litter trays fresh, pet bedding washed if it needs it.
- A short written handover: how the animals were, anything that happened, anything that needs attention.
The note that gets you invited back
A one-page note saying how the pets were, what they ate, anything unusual, and anything that needs the owner's attention costs ten minutes and is remembered long after the sit. It is the single most appreciated thing a sitter can do.
The awkward middle: pre-existing problems
Sometimes a sitter arrives to a home with a genuine problem: it is unclean beyond normal, an animal has been unwell in a way that was not disclosed, or the accommodation is not what the listing described. This is the situation that generates the most difficult forum threads, because sitters feel trapped between leaving and putting up with it.
The practical advice is to document and raise it immediately, politely and in writing through the platform's messaging rather than by text or phone. Photograph what you find on arrival, before you touch anything. Message the homeowner the same day describing what you have found and asking how they would like to proceed. Most homeowners are genuinely mortified and will sort it out. If it cannot be resolved, having raised it on day one puts you in a far better position than raising it on day ten.
What a platform can and cannot do
Sitterly provides a Report function and can act on conduct that breaches the community guidelines. Sitterly is not a party to the arrangement, does not supervise sits and does not mediate financial disputes between users. Documenting the problem yourself is what protects you.
How to prevent it entirely
Say it in advance, in writing, in both directions. A homeowner who writes "I will leave clean linen, clear fridge space and the bins emptied" and a sitter who writes "I will leave the house clean, linen washed and bins out" have between them removed almost every version of this problem.
Add it to whatever you agree before the sit. Our house-sitting agreement guide has a section for it, and the meet-and-greet checklists for homeowners and sitters cover what to look at while you are there.
