Choose a sitter with background checks or run a check yourself?
Every home and petowner who needs a housesitter and petsitter asks themselves this question? What does the background check reveal? If the sitter doesn’t have an up to date police check to share what do you do? If you have used a housesitting website like Housesit Match to find your house sitter, it is likely they will have had checks and reviews for you to read. These are worries most people have when they think about looking for ‘someone to mind my house’. Here are some notes to reflect on to help you decide what to do.
Should you choose a housesitter with background checks? Or do you the checks yourself?

Housesitter background check
There is nowhere in the whole wide world quite like home. It’s a place where you can always return to recharge, seek solace, and spend quality time with the ones you love. When you’re home, you’re safe from the rest of the world. And when you are away it is possible that you will need trusted house sitters. But how do you make sure that you have the ideal petsitter or housesitter for you? The first step is to make sure you do a housesitter background check.
The police and background check
If you’re leaving home for some time and want to ensure it is taken care of while you’re away, hiring a live in housesitter is an excellent option. If you have pets then a live in pet sitter is a great kennel alternative.
That said, going this route can raise other concerns especially if they are unknown to you. Is the live in pet and house sitter trustworthy? Are they who they say they are? To get answers to these questions, many homeowners turn to an ID and Police check for housesitting.
Not sure if a background check is the right option for your housesitter search? Here are a few key points to consider when deciding if you should run background checks on housesitting candidates before making your final selection.
Cost of Background Checks
If you’re wondering, “How much does a background check cost”, you may be pleased to hear that not all background check services cost an arm and a leg. Indeed, many options are relatively low-cost. It is especially true when you consider what could happen if you do not properly vet a candidate.
Your home is a sacred space, and you should never give anyone access to it that won’t take that responsibility seriously or may betray your trust. For the cost of a background check, you may be saving yourself from more significant expenses and frustration down the line.
Value of Peace of Mind with Trusted House Sitters
When weighing costs and deciding if a background check is worth the extra money, consider how valuable your peace of mind is when you are away from home. Recent studies have found that stress levels have skyrocketed in recent history worldwide. Why add to more of that stress?
Whether you’re traveling for work or leisure, the knowledge that your home is in the care of a fully vetted and trusted house sitter can drastically impact your travel experience.
Additional Benefits
Do you have houseplants? What about pets? While you can always drop your pup off at a doggy hotel during your trip, a housesitter is an excellent option to look over your property and care for the furry friends you love the most. Think about if your home has unique maintenance demands that you need someone to look after while you’re away, such as lawn care.
With so many people facing unemployment, candidates from all walks of life will apply for positions as housesitters. A background check can give you further insight into a candidate’s work experience. With this information, you can make an informed decision about their ability to care for your home, pets, plants, and more.
Are background checks right for you and your live in house sitter?
Ultimately, choosing to run a housesitter background check on potential housesitters is a personal decision. Housesitters are usually asked to mind a home. And as so they will be collaborative and usually proud of their reputation as trusted house sitters.
Whether you have used a housesitting website like Housesit Match to manage that process for you, or you are managing the whole recruitment, running a candidate police and background check can add immense value to your quality of travel. It will give you peace of mind that your home is in capable, trustworthy hands while you’re away. So make sure to do a housesitter background check. Ensure you know who the person really is and that their police and background check is clear.
If you need housesitters to do pet minding, or to mind my house by being live in house sitters think carefully about what might be suitable for you.
Not only does it give you confidence it also relieves the live in house and pet sitter who then knows you trust more them fully. It all adds to the trusted housesitting experience.
Further reading about housesitting and housesitters
At Housesitmatch.com we like to share useful blogs and practical advice about housesitters, housesitting and pet sitting. We hope you find this small selection of our blogs on house sitters useful.
Housesitters keep pets safe at home and save money
What a housesitter does – Top 10 responsibilities
Top dogsitting tips for beginners