Trusted Housesitters UK Home Owners Guide

Leaving your home and pets in the care of someone unknown or new a stranger essentially can be a daunting prospect. You want to ensure your fur babies are in safe and capable hands while you're away.

Trusted Housesitters is platform that connects homeowners with reliable pet and house sitters. It's about far more than just finding someone to feed your cat or water your plants. Both parties are invested in a mutually beneficial relationship with your pets well being at the core. The pet sitters are your dogs, cats, horses, sheep, parrots or rabbits guests. This helps eliminate any stress or anxiety on your pets as they remain in their own environment with extra care and attention from their new buddies.

Trusted Housesitters is about peace of mind. It's about knowing your home and pets are cared for by someone trustworthy. It's about coming home to a well-maintained house, happy pets and newly forged friendships.

In this article, we'll delve into the world of Trusted Housesitters. We'll explore how it works, and how to make the most of your membership in the community. Whether you're a seasoned user or considering signing up, this guide will provide valuable insights into optimising your profile and ensuring you can connect with the most suitable candidates

Understanding Trusted Housesitters

The global community allows you to open up your listings to all walks of life. There are as many breeds of human personalities and preferences as there are dog breeds, likely far more. Trust is an important factor, you do not need to concern yourself about the reliability of pet sitter profiles that you appeal to you. Trusted house sitters go through a rigorous vetting process for all profiles. They are also one of the more expensive dog and pet sitting website options and people for the most part are there to engage and genuinely connect for these opportunities.

Homeowners create a detailed profile through a series of prompts, list their requirements and dates they will be away from home. Then browse through potential dog and pet sitters applications or you can actively invite and message pet sitters who are located in your area. Each sitter in turn has a detailed profile, complete with reviews and ratings from previous pet sits they have completed. The platform has created some limitations on the amount of applications you can receive and there are ways to work around this. More on that later.

This a community of pet lovers and travellers who value trust and reliability. Whether you're going on vacation, traveling for work, or your life situation requires you to travel often, this a community is worth joining and investing in. Trusted Housesitters offers excellent customer support. If any issues arise during a sitting, homeowners can reach out to the team for assistance. Click her for more on how it all works. 

The Range of Services Offered by Trusted Housitters

Trusted Housitters offers a wide range of services to cater to the diverse needs of homeowners. From short-term pet sitting to long-term house sitting, they have you covered. Whether you're going on a weekend getaway or a month-long vacation, you can find a sitter who fits your schedule. Trusted Housitters isn't just for dog and cat owners. They cater to a variety of pets, including birds, rabbits, fish, and even farm animals. So, no matter what type of pet you have, you can find a sitter who has the skills and experience to care for them.

Signing Up and Creating Your Profile

Getting started with Trusted Housesitters is a straightforward process. The first step is to sign up on the platform, you can do this for free. When you are ready to post your first listing, you will be required to pay an annual membership fee. Use discount code [ Petsownus25 ] and get 25% off.

Signing up involves providing some basic information such as your name, email address, and location. You will also need to create a password for your account. Once you have signed up, the next step is to create your profile. This is your chance to introduce yourself to potential sitters. You can share information about your home, your pets, and your expectations for the sitter. It's important to be as detailed as possible in your profile. This will help attract the right sitters and ensure a successful exchange.

You may have elderly pets or dogs that require daily medications to be administered. You may want prefer a pet sitter who has experience with rescue dogs or anxious pets. You may prefer a couple to keep your pets’ company or manage your large property which requires daily chores and maintenance. There are all kinds of profiles on the platform from Scottish farmers to horse owners with stables and those with guest houses and beautiful estates to urbanites living in apartments.

The United Kingdom is one of the most popular countries for home owners seeking dog and pet sitters, with more than 3000 live house sits to choose from. Sitters will use the filter function on the platform and search by dates, duration, location or pets to bring up matching results. If your listing matches the criteria, it will be listed in the relevant results below. Depending on your location or the duration you are away, you might end up with low applications. Optimizing your listing will yield the best results to capture attention.

Home Owner Profile Optimising Tips

1) Write a clear short title. Your title will get truncated if its longer than 60 characters. Mention your location first, for example, Seaside Cove near Bournemouth or Country Cottage in the Cotswolds.

2) Select and post high quality images of your property and pets. Make sure the first image of your listing showcases your home, garden or most appealing room in the house.

3) Describe the attributes of your preferred applicant for example single female, couple, fit or mature.

4) Mention in your listing If the applicant is required to have their own car to ensure they can get your pets to a Vet in case of an emergency or if you are based somewhere fairly remote in terms of services or shops.

5) Post your dates around 2 – 3 months before your departure. If you open the applications earlier than 3 months, you may have to deal with a cancellation and start over. Life throws us all curve balls, committing to a dog and house sit within a 3 month period is more reliable and practical for both parties. Having said that, if you have a last minute trip and you post your lisiting. Your listing will appear with a last minute tag and applicants already in the UK or Europe may be interested. You can also reach out to UK based applicant profiles you like to check if they are available. There is also a feature where sitters can save your listing, you can see who has saved your listing through your dashboard and reach out to them to see if they would be available for your dates.

Choosing the Right Trusted Sitter for Your Home and Pets

You may have many applications, or you may have very few. Dog & pet sits with short 1 - 3 night weekend stays that are not in very desirable locations such as London, Edinburgh or the Lake District will have few applications as they are not appealing to travellers or nomads. In this case consider going away for a longer period (up to 5 nights) and optimise your profile highlighting the best parts of your town, home and pets. Reach out to pet sitters listed who are in your area or the UK with few to no reviews, if they are serious about using the service they may agree to the sit motivated by getting a 5 star review.

For those who have many applications, trusted housesitters allows the first 5 application to hit your inbox. On a first come, first serve basis. If you are not impressed by some of them and have ruled them out for further communication, you can decline the application. This will prompt the system to load your listing as new and make it available for applications.

As soon as you post, check in on the Trusted Housesitters app. If you do have a very desirable listing you will receive your 5 applications within 48 hours and will need to be available to chat to applicants and set up interviews.

Each sitter has a detailed profile that includes their experience, skills, and reviews from previous homeowners. This information can help you make an informed decision. When choosing a sitter, consider your specific needs. If you have a pet with special needs, for example, you might want a sitter with varied and significant experience.

Here are some factors to consider when choosing a sitter:

●Experience with your type of pet

●Relevant skills (e.g., gardening, pet training)

●Positive reviews and ratings

●Availability that matches your schedule

●Good communication skills

The best sitter for your home and pets is one that you feel most comfortable with. Trust your instincts. Interviews via video calls are helpful to access the applicants and the vibe. Once you feel confident to offer the pet sitter opportunity, do so through the platform, they will commit to your dates by agreeing to the sit.

Trusted Housesitters do not allow pet sitters to make any further applications to new pet sitting listing through the platform once they have committed to yours. Which means they cannot apply for better dog or pet sit opportunities that may arise without cancelling their commitment to you first.

Preparing Your Home for a Trusted Sitter

Before your sitter arrives, take some time and consideration to prepare your home. This includes tidying up, providing fresh linen, empty a cupboard for them to store their belongings, ensure all necessary supplies are available and  creating a comprehensive house manual. Trusted House Sitter provides you with a standard house manual template & guide of topics to expand on, including your local groceries stores, restaurants and points of interest. The manual should include important information such as emergency contacts, pet care instructions, appliance instructions and any house rules.

You can upload your house manual on the platform so your sitters can access it and let you know if they have any questions prior to arrival. Keep a hard copy available for them to refer to. If you have an older house or have agreed to the sit with an international sitter who may not be familiar with typical English homes a detailed manual can be very helpful. Once you create it, it will be a standing operating document for future sitters you can update as required.

Be generous and make your pet sitter feel welcome by inviting them to help themselves to whatever is available in your pantry and kitchen.

It is recommended to invite the sitter before your departure to meet them personally if possible to show them the ropes and get your pets comfortable with their presence.

Effective Communication with Your Sitter

Clear and open communication is ideal to ensure a successful house sitting experience. Before the sit begins, discuss your expectations and any specific needs your pets may have. This could include feeding times, exercise routines, or medication schedules. Make sure any of their needs or requirements are also met. During the sit, regular updates from your sitter can provide peace of mind but some homeowners prefer not to be contacted unless there is an emergency or they are unavailable online during their time away. Let your pet sitter know what you preference is.

Reviews, Ratings, and Community Trust

Trusted Housitters places a high value on community trust. This is reflected in their comprehensive review and rating system. After each sit, homeowners are encouraged to leave honest feedback about their experience. These reviews and ratings help future homeowners make informed decisions. They provide insights into a sitter's reliability, communication skills, and care for pets and homes. Pet sitters rely on these ratings to be able to apply for future sits and encourages them to ensure they are flexible, resourceful, take initiative and can be counted on. Try to connect with pet sitters who have at least 3 reviews and when interviewing them ask them about their lifestyle and motivation to be a Pro Trusted Housesitter member.

The dog or pet sitter will also be prompted by the system to leave their feedback on their experience and stay in your home. Future potential applicants will read these to give them a sense of what they might experience if they apply in the future.  

Trusted Housesitters have a review window of 14 days for both parties. If your sitter has not left you a review, reach out to find out why and get their feedback on any constructive criticism or suggestions they may have for you. 

You can read reviews here on Trusted House Sitters.

Addressing Insurance and Liability

As a standard and premium pet parent member you will be covered by Trusted Housesitters Home and Contents Plan, at no extra cost to you. Underwritten by global insurer, Guardhog. This includes a comprehensive insurance policy that covers potential damages or accidents during a sit. It ensures that you are not left to bear any unforeseen costs including property damage, theft or public liability. More info here.

Handling Emergencies and Flexibility in Planning

Emergencies can happen at any time. Be well prepared for your sitter with emergency contact information for your home, pets and family members. Trusted Housesitters includes a 24/7 support line for homeowners and sitters. As a home owner you have the flexibility on the platform to adjust your dates should your plans change.

Conclusion: The Advantage for Homeowners

Trusted Housitters offers a unique advantage for homeowners. Not only does it provide reliable pet and house sitting services, but it also fosters a sense of community among pet lovers. With its rigorous vetting process, homeowners can rest assured that their homes and pets are in good hands. Moreover, Trusted Housitters provides a cost-effective solution for pet care. It offers flexibility, peace of mind, and a global network of trusted sitters. For homeowners seeking a trustworthy and convenient solution for their pet and house sitting needs, Trusted Housitters is an excellent choice. 

Sign Up for FREE here to check it out and if you decide to become a member use discount code
[ Petsownus25 ] for 25% off your first years membership.