CHRISTIAN HOUSE SITTERS


A Worldwide Christian House Sitting Ministry.

ADVICE TO SITTERS

Housesitting is a wonderful way to enjoy your holiday without having the expense of renting accommodation. However it is important to prepare correctly, as that will mean that you have the very best holiday and your home owners benefit from having you there as well.

Please read the Christian House Sitters Terms and Conditions page especially noting the comments under the heading Clarification half way down the page. To reach the page click on T&C in the site menu at the top of this page.

Before you agree to the house sit it is very important that you have a conversation with the owners during which you find out exactly what they are expecting from you and what they are offering. That way, there are no nasty surprises for either party. Hopefully the owners will have listed all their requirements and the details of the property accurately when they joined but it is still worth confirming everything.

If you are going to be looking after animals please find out from the owners what they expect you to do. For example it may be important not to leave the animals alone for more than a set number of hours. You do not want to find this out after you have arrived. It is far better to know before you agree to the house sit.

We strongly recommend that you ask the owners to write down exactly what is expected of you. This may include things such as looking after animals, watering pot plants, taking in the mail or taking telephone messages, etc.

No doubt you will have followed the advice given on our website to have a written agreement with the home owners and these details should be included in that agreement. If not please look at the Suggested Agreement page there is a copy below.

Please make a point of arranging your arrival and departure time with the owners before the house sit. Plan your journey carefully as it is obviously important to the owners to be able to leave for their holiday on time and it is very inconvenient if you arrive late.

Remember the owners have been kind enough to allow you the use of their property while they are away so treat it with respect. When they come back, they will expect to find that the house is clean and well looked after.

Sadly, accidents do happen, and occasionally there may be a breakage. When that happens, it is your responsibility. And we would expect you to inform the owners as soon as possible and to arrange to either repair or replace the damaged item.

It is always thoughtful and appreciated when a house sitter prepares a meal for the returning family. Remember they have no doubt had a long journey and the last thing they feel like doing on arriving home is preparing a meal.

Discuss with the owners how they feel about you using any supplies that they have left in the house. Do not simply assume that they have been there for your benefit. The owners may be expecting to use those products when they return. If you do use anything naturally, it is good manners to replace it. In the same way you are expected to cover the cost of telephone calls which you make during their absence.

If you do have any questions please clarify them with the owners before you agree to the house sit and if in doubt feel free to contact us.



Suggested Agreement.


Remember this is a Christian House Sitting Service so we highly recommend that Home Owners obtain a character reference from the House Sitters local church and a second reference.
We also suggest that you draw up a brief agreement based on the following outline. This should be agreed and signed by both parties prior to the house sit. This is to prevent any future misunderstandings.
NOTE. This is just a suggested outline. The laws are different in every country. This should be used as a guide.

Agreement entered into between
Name of House Owner
and
Name of House Sitter
Address of the House Sit
Starting Date
Ending Date
Responsibilities of the House Sitter.
ANIMALS
If you have animals please include specific clear details about feeding routine for your animals and how you expect your animals to be exercised. (If you want the animals exercised at specific times please tell your sitter so they can plan their free time.)
Specify how long you are happy for the house sitter to leave the house and pets unattended?
Owners are responsible for supplying food for their animals and any vet fees that may arise.
CLEANING & GARDENING
House Cleaning:
Please specify what cleaning you want done in your house each day.
Gardening:
If you require any gardening please specify exactly what you want done.
EXPENSES.
Reminder from our FAQ page.
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.
FOOD.
Please make it clear if the sitter can use any food that you leave behind and if they need to replace it before you return.This prevents misunderstandings later.
VISITORS.
Please specify if you are happy for your House Sitter to entertain visitors in your home.
INSURANCE.
Please make certain that you are not going against any clause in your property insurance. The conditions vary between countries and indeed companies and we have never had a problem but do check. Normally the sitter is regarded as a guest because they are not paying or being paid.