A fair house sit has no surprises. Caring for pets, keeping a lived-in home tidy, bringing in mail and watering ordinary plants may be reasonable when they are clearly described. Major garden projects, deep cleaning, repairs, unfamiliar machinery or specialised animal care need an explicit conversation before anyone agrees.
Separate ordinary care from extra work
- Ordinary: feeding, walks, litter, companionship, basic tidiness and following agreed routines.
- Discuss first: medication, large gardens, pools, livestock, long driving, tradespeople, intensive cleaning and maintenance.
- Not assumed: repairs, paid work, dangerous tasks or responsibilities introduced after confirmation.
For homeowners
Describe the real workload in the listing, including time, equipment and any difficult parts. The right sitter may be happy to help. The wrong match is better identified before your departure.
For sitters
Ask enough questions to understand the day-to-day routine, then say no if the exchange does not work for you. A clear decline is kinder than accepting and feeling trapped later.
