Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ

Spread the love

How much does it cost to join?

Spread the love

We have two service levels at HouseSitMatch:

  1. STANDARD
  2. PREMIUM

For a full explanation of the features of each of these packages please see about us. Or register here.

This is a popular FAQ.

Spread the love

Any tips for searching your database?

Spread the love

Searching for a Housesit

Enter ‘keywords’ that will help you find a housesit with the attributes that interest you, and click Search e.g.:

Cats

Dogs

Beach

The search tool will select any housesits that display these keywords in the Profile Description.

In the ‘Locations’ window, enter any town, city or country you wish to search for and click on Search e.g.:

London

United Kingdom

Then, scroll through your search results.

Searching for a Housesitter

In the ‘Countries to Housesit’ window enter the country where you wish to find a Housesitter and click Search.

Or alternatively, you can find a housesitter by Username in the next window.

Spread the love

Do you organise visas or any travel arrangements?

Spread the love

No, we are not a travel service. You need to make these arrangements yourself. This is a very popular FAQ.

Spread the love

Do I need to have police clearance?

Spread the love

If you have police clearance in advance from your home country this will save time. We have online verification and background checking for members once registered.

All our members are asked to go through our ID checking system called Hooyu.

This important step is free to registered paying members and builds trust in our website and database. You need to have two identity documents to hand e.g. Passport scan of photo id page, Photo driving licence Facebook logins, any other social media logins.
In addition, we ask housesitters to have an up to date Verifile background check, which can be managed through the My Profile > Verfication page.

There is a small charge for this process. When the background check is complete a verified and checked symbol appears next to the User profile. The symbol will appear like this

This is a very popular FAQ.

Spread the love

Can I register as both a sitter and an owner?

Spread the love

Yes you can, but not with the same registration profile. You have to register twice using different email addresses.

Spread the love

How do you decide who goes to the top of your search listings?

Spread the love

If you pay for Premium, then your profile is in the top results returned for the relevant search and the date of your last login. Standard registration also presents your profile in order of the most recent login date.

Spread the love

What will give me the edge over other sitters?

Spread the love

Experience is definitely useful but a willingness to be flexible and an affinity with animals certainly helps. Get Verified online so homeowners gain confidence that  you have been checked through us. All members have basic identity checks on registration free of charge! For a police check you need to website click the link for our partner ONFIDO when you are logged in.

Spread the love

Do I need to have house-sat before?

Spread the love

No, there are opportunities for everyone.

Spread the love

Do you have long-term sitting assignments?

Spread the love

Long-term assignments do come up but they are not the norm. The average sit length is two to four weeks.

Spread the love

Who pays for utilities?

Spread the love

Generally the homeowner pays for utilities certainly for shorter sits. But in the case of longer sits house-sitters may be asked to pay a contribution toward the utilities. This is all negotiable.

Spread the love

How does HouseSit Match work?

Spread the love

You register choosing your preferred service level and upload a profile. From there you can search property profiles to find one that suits you or wait until an owner contacts you, which is unlikely as they are generally bombarded with approaches. It is best to be proactive. Your chances of a match are increased if you choose the Premium subscription.

Spread the love

Does a homeowners contents insurance cover my goods?

Spread the love

Insurance policies vary wildly so this is something will need to be discussed with the homeowner. Some policies will cover your goods due to the fact that the owner invited you into their home but each company is different hence the necessity to clarify this on an individual basis.

Spread the love

I am allergic to animals, does this mean I wont get a house-sitting assignment?

Spread the love

Not necessarily, as not all house-sits require you to look after pets. However, most of the house sitting assignments are for petsitting.  Register for the newsletter and stay close to what is available…

Spread the love

Can I bring my own pet with me?

Spread the love

This is not ruled out that you can take your own pet to a petsitting assignment, but it is likely to impact on you being selected from a short list containing house-sitters without pets. We like it if our homeowners and house-sitters are as flexible as possible, so we suggest this is something you negotiate with the homeowner.

Spread the love

Can I undertake a sitting assignment with my children?

Spread the love

While some homeowners are more than happy for you to bring your children with you, there is no hard and fast rule, and many homeowners will have definite preferences. The best way to deal with the question is to discuss your situation with the owner, have an open and honest discussion to ensure both sides are satisfied with the arrangement.

Spread the love

How do I edit my profile?

Spread the love

You can edit your profile as many times as you like. Login and look on the My Account page for the Settings Wheel which looks like this 

Click to reveal the Drop Down list that shows Edit Profile. Click and start to update your profile content. Please remember to save and submit.

Because this is a popular FAQ we make sure that as a new member you will receive a series of welcome emails with photo and video explanations  for how to edit your profile.

Spread the love

How do I turn off or amend email alerts?

Spread the love

This is easily done on the My Account page.

Look at the bottom right hand side of your My Account page for the Bell symbol which appears like this

Click on the bell to reveal the Web Notifications link, and click on that to reveal your Notifications settings which will look something like this

You can opt in to as many of the notifications as you want.

TOP TIP

To start with it might be useful to have notifications sent to you for every event in order that you have the opportunity to respond in a timely fashion and build an understanding of how the system works. However, ultimately the choice is yours to fine tune as is most useful for your purposes.

Spread the love

What happens if I need to leave a sitting assignment early?

Spread the love

Emergencies can arise and if one does then you need to contact the homeowner as soon as possible to let them know your situation. But remember you have undertaken an agreement that should be honoured.

Spread the love

What happens if a homeowner returns early?

Spread the love

Extenuating circumstances can arise which means an owner could return earlier than expected. The key thing is to keep the communication channels open and be open and honest with each other.

Spread the love

Can I bring my own things with me?

Spread the love

House-sitting assignments vary wildly, and it depends on exactly what type of things you are proposing to bring with you. We suggest you discuss and agree this with the homeowner as some are more flexible than others. Also as owners are generally away on holiday, their home will be fully-furnished so you will find that you wont need much other than your clothes and toiletries.

Spread the love

Can I use a homeowners internet provider?

Spread the love

This is to be agreed with the homeowner, but generally the answer is yes.

Spread the love

How long can I house-sit for?

Spread the love

As long as you want to – you may never have to pay rent again! However, the length of time that you house-sit in one home will be limited and the contracts you arrange with the homeowner will be clear about those limitations. For example, in the UK we strongly advise owners and sitters to ensure the maximum stay does not exceed 11-months to comply with tenancy legislation. In Australia, any stay over 3 months is no longer considered a holiday and will require a different contract. We can guide you through the requirements and have prepared the relevant template documents for you in accordance with contemporary legislation in both countries.

Spread the love

How long can I house-sit for?

Spread the love

As long as you want to – you may never have to pay rent again! However, the length of time that you house-sit in one home will be limited and the contracts you arrange with the homeowner will be clear about those limitations. For example, in the UK we strongly advise owners and sitters to ensure the maximum stay does not exceed 11-months to comply with tenancy legislation. In Australia, any stay over 3 months is no longer considered a holiday and will require a different contract. We can guide you through the requirements and have prepared the relevant template documents for you in accordance with contemporary legislation in both countries.

This is a popular FAQ.

Spread the love

Do I have to pay a bond or deposit?

Spread the love

This is entirely dependent on what is agreed between you and the homeowner.

Spread the love

What do I do if I break something?

Spread the love

The best thing is to open and honest about this and let your homeowner know on their return what has been broken and you can then agree between you if it needs to be replaced or not or if an insurance claim needs to be lodged.

Spread the love

Why is HouseSit Match the best option?

Spread the love

Because we check the identity of all members on registration free of charge. Also we vet all housesitters, and we offer the widest range of options to assist you to find a house that suits your needs. And our Premium membership option gives you an edge with a larger profile, more photographs and a video link!

This is a popular FAQ, please check out our TRUSTPILOT reviews to see what other members say about HouseSitMatch.

Spread the love

What are the benefits of house-sitting?

Spread the love

The benefits of house-sitting are many fold, primarily you get free accommodation! Please have a look at the Housesitter and Petsitter Benefits page for more information.

This is popular FAQ

Spread the love

What happens if a pet gets sick/falls ill?

Spread the love

It is important to make sure you have the pets vet details so you can call or take it in if need be. You may also want to contact the homeowner at the earliest opportunity. We suggest that you discuss these emergency procedures with the homeowner prior to?the sit.

Spread the love

What happens if a pet dies?

Spread the love

In the unfortunate case of this happening, call the owner and let them know. If they are not contactable use the designated emergency contact number, which is usually a relative and let them know what has happened.

Spread the love

Do I have to pay for pet food?

Spread the love

Any spend is usually reimbursed. This is one of the things that needs to be specified in the house-sitting agreement.

This is a popular FAQ.

Spread the love

Do I have to pay for gardening or pool upkeep requirements?

Spread the love

Any spend is usually reimbursed. This is one of the things that needs to be specified in the house-sitting agreement.

Spread the love

How much does it cost?

Spread the love

We have two service levels:

  1. STANDARD
  2. PREMIUM

For a full explanation of the features of each of these packages please see about us. Or register here.

This is a popular FAQ.

Spread the love

Do you reference and police check house-sitters?

Spread the love

All our members are asked to go through our ID checking system called Hooyu.

This important step is free to registered paying members and builds trust in our website and database. You need to have two identity documents to hand e.g. Passport scan of photo id page, Photo driving licence Facebook logins, any other social media logins.

In addition, we ask housesitters to have an up to date Verifile background check, which can be managed through the My Profile > Verfication page.

There is a small charge for this process. When the background check is complete a verified and checked symbol appears next to the User profile. The symbol will appear like this

This is a popular FAQ

Spread the love

Can I interview prospective house-sitters?

Spread the love

Yes, of course you can. In fact HouseSit Match recommends that you don’t make a decision until you meet with prospective sitters.

Spread the love

How do I know I can trust someone with my pets?

Spread the love

You don’t. If you have a Standard subscription you have to rely on your gut reaction when you meet a prospective house sitter and your pets reaction. As we do in everyday life, we often make decisions based on our better judgement so use that judgment here when deciding on a house-sitter.

To see what other people have said about HouseSitMatch look up our TRUSTPILOT reviews.

Spread the love

How do I know I can trust someone in my home?

Spread the love

You don’t. You have to rely on your gut reaction when you meet a prospective house-sitter. As we do in everyday life, we often make decisions based on our better judgement so use that judgment here when deciding on a house-sitter.

Spread the love

Is having a house-sitter better than leaving my home empty while I am away?

Spread the love

Yes, it most definitely is. Empty houses can be targets for thieves. Even if you don’t have pets there is still the upkeep of your garden to consider.

Spread the love

Why are house-sitters better than paying tenants?

Spread the love

With paying tenants you would have to move all your personal possessions out of your home and store them elsewhere to make the house available for renting. You also have your pets to consider. Having house-sitters take care of your home and pets in your absence is a great short term solution. Of course, if you are planning to be away for 12 months or so then paying tenants could be a better option.

Spread the love

How do you decide who goes to the top of your search listings?

Spread the love

If you pay for Premium, then your profile is in the top results returned for the relevant search. If you have a StandardåÊregistration then your profile appears in order of relevance by country, state/region and availability.

Spread the love

Can I register as both a sitter and an owner?

Spread the love

Yes you can, but not with the same registration profile. You have to register twice using different email addresses. Please note: always make sure you log-out of one profile before logging in to use your other one.

Spread the love

How do I identify a reliable house-sitter?

Spread the love

Experience is always a good indicator as are good references. HouseSit Match suggests you meet with your sitters more than once before you go away and trust your gut feeling.

However, you should also check their profile for ID check, police and background checking and their own profile description. All these points of reference are useful information to help you formulate your first questions for the sitter as you get to know them.

On HouseSitMatch.com you can also check any previous references they have earned from homeowners. That’s always a useful reference point.

Spread the love

Are there any tips for searching your database?

Spread the love

First, decide which country you need a sitter in and then which state/region or city, then think about how long you will need a house-sitter for and scroll through your search results.

Spread the love

Does my building and contents insurance cover a house-sitter?

Spread the love

Insurance policies vary so you will need to check this with your insurance company. We have been advised by some owners that their policy has covered sitters’ possessions due to the fact that you have invited them to stay in your home. But don’t take this for granted, you must check.

Spread the love

Why should I choose HouseSit Match?

Spread the love

HouseSit Match offers a range of facilities to assist you to find a sitter that suits your needs, and our Premium membership option gives you an edge.

We are the only housesitting membership network to ID check everyone and insist on police and background checking for free housesitters.

This is a popular FAQ, we’d like you to check out our TRUSTPILOT reviews to see what other people say about our membership.

Spread the love

Password Reset

Top 10 FAQ – If you’ve forgotten your password, click this button and enter your email address. We’ll send instructions to reset your password.

Change my email

Top 10 FAQ – Login to your account, go to My Account add new email address and click Update Account.

Update Payment Details

Top 10 FAQ – Login to your account, go to My Account, scroll down to HouseSit Match Subscription and click Update Your Details.

FAQ cartoon for HouseSitMatch


Spread the love