What is Trusted House Sitters?
Trusted house sitters are a company that was founded in 2010 in Brighton, East Sussex. A website that allows home and pet owners to be able to leave their pets at home whilst they are away, and have someone come and watch over their homes and pets. A way for pets to be looked after in the comfort of their own home and not have to be in kennels etc. In return the person/s that come and stay, get free accommodation wherever they chose to house sit. Due to their dramatic growth, Trusted House Sitters have sits worldwide in 109 Countries. That’s almost the whole world! There are 197 countries in the entire world.
Travellers get free accommodation anywhere in the world they chose. And owners have their pets and/or homes looked after for free. It’s a mutual exchange.
How does it work?
Once you have signed up to the website you can start applying for house sits. You can either search the country you wish to visit. Or you can search for the type of sit you’d like to do. Either ‘by the beach’ or ‘city break’, there are many to chose from. The house sit will give you all the information you need to decide if you would like to do that house sit. It will list the dates, the location, if they have pets you need to care for and if so, what is expected of you. They will have pictures of the animals, the house, the land, the people that own the house. They also usually give you information of activities you can do around the area you will be staying in. Once you have come across some that you like you click apply and it will give you a box to tell the owner about yourself. I suggest going into a lot of detail and having your profile full of information about yourself, along with a nice picture of yourself. And from there, if the owners are happy, they will accept your application. It also gives you a chance to chat to each other and go through things in more details, ask questions etc.
How much does it cost?
Trusted House Sitters works via a membership program. They offer 3 types of memberships that sitters can chose from.
Basic membership £99 per year: Unlimited house sites for 12 months.
Standard membership £129 per year; Unlimited house sits for 12 months worldwide, free video calls and online chats with vets if pet sitting. Instant alerts for unlimited saved searches. A dedicated member support. Accident & third liability protection.
Premium membership £199 per year; Everything in the standard plus; Sit cancellation insurance, 2 global airport lounge passes and a premium badge on your profile
Use my code ‘THSPAIGE20’ for 20% off memberships.
The house sitters choses which membership works best for them and signs up. You pay one payment for one full year’s membership. That then entitles you to make an account and start applying for house sits all over the world. You may just decide to travel your own country for free and do house sitting for the full year. Some chose to do this full-time for a year or two and save money, as they won’t be paying any money on rent.
And some chose to do house sits in parts of the world they have never visited, in order to travel the world on a budget.
Is it safe?
It can always be nerve wrecking doing anything for the first time. Especially going to meet people you’ve never met before. But yes, Trusted house sitters is 100% safe. Both owners and sitters are 100% vetted and approved. My first house sit I was slightly nervous when I first arrived, but I was so welcomed by the owner and her neighbours whilst I was there. The house was beautiful, fresh towels were laid out for me, little notes around the house that made me so relaxed and comfortable, and lastly, a gift bag and hand written card thanking me. The world is full of beautiful, kind people, and also full of amazing opportunities. You just have to be willing to give it a shot. Read reviews, speak to the owners, even call them if you’re unsure. Speak to support on the website before hand, and speak to other house sitters too. All of this will help you to make a decision that’s best for you, and a decision that’s going to make you the most comfortable. Everyone understands how it can feel trying something new, as we have all been here before too.
( email me directly at admin@paigecopeland.com if you need some help)
Who pays for my travel costs?
You are responsible for your own travel costs, food and anything else you wish to purchase whilst house sitting. You are provided with free accommodation, and use of amenities whilst staying they’re (electricity, water, wifi etc). Each house sit is different, and so what is offered is different each time too. For example, I bought my own food, however I was told to help myself to the kitchen and anything I wanted. You will need to establish this directly with each individual house owner.
Do I get paid?
No, you don’t get paid. This is a mutual exchange. Although some home owners have bought me gifts for looking after their houses and pets. This however, is not to be expected but it does happen. If a home owner wishes to gift you, perhaps a lovely written card, or flowers, bottle of wine, that is down to them. Please do not ask for payment of any sort, as that is not what Trusted House Sitters is about. It is a mutual exchange. They give you their home to stay in for free and you take care of their home (sometimes pets) in return.
Are there any hidden costs?
None. You pay one payment only per year. And that is for which ever membership you wish to have. The reason you pay for a membership is because trusted house sitters is still a business and need to pay their employers a wage, so that this opportunity exists at all. If anyone asks you to pay anything else, please get in touch with support as you only pay for you membership, and your own travel expenses, as stated above.
Is there an app?
Yes, Trusted House Sitters have their own app, where you can log into your account. Create your profile, browse various house sits and apply straight from your phone. They also have the messaging feature built directly into the app, so you can talk with home owners directly on the app. You can also turn on notifications and get alerts when you receive a message or something new comes into your saved search. You can also ‘like’ house sits and have it saved on the love heart tab, so you needn’t worry about not finding it again. So you can revisit sits, when you haven’t fully decided. You can download it straight from the app store/google play.
Any tips?
Make sure you complete every section of your profile, along with a picture of yourself. Get references from previous house sits you’ve done, or previous pet sits you’ve done. If you have never done it before, ask friends and family to write you a character statement to attache to your profile. Maybe 2 or 3 statements will be good.
Whilst you are house sitting, keep in contact with the owners. Let them know how you are and that everything is okay. If they have pets, keep them updated with pictures and videos of their pets being cared for so that they can relax. Trust me – you’ll feel good too by keeping in touch!
Don't forget to use the code 'THSPAIGE20' for 20% off all memeberships
Don't miss!
Iceland, the land of fire and ice, is a captivating destination that offers a unique experience for solo travellers. This nordic nation …
Sleeper trains in Thailand Thailand sleeper trains are an affordable and convenient way to travel. I loved travelling by night, as I …
Disclaimer: some links on my website are affiliate links. This means that should you wish to make a purchase through one of my affiliate links, I could earn a commission at no extra cost to you what so ever.