FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Frequently asked questions by Homeowners
What is Housesitting?
What is Pet Minding?
How do you screen your sitters?
What is the process involved in getting a Housesitting Company sitter?
Why should I use a Housesitting Company Sitter as opposed to asking my neighbour?
How much does it cost?
What pets does The Housesitting Company cater for?
What is the minimum length of time that I can book a Housesitter for?
Can I specify the type of Housesitter that I want?
What can and can’t I expect from my Housesitter?
Can a Housesitter look after my children or homestay?
Is it safe for me to leave my home with someone I don’t know?
I have pets, but I don’t want someone staying in my home?
How far in advance do I need to book my Housesitter?
Who pays for food and living expenses?
Can I ask my Housesitter for rental payments?
What parts of New Zealand do you cover?
Why should I consider a Housesitter over a tenant?
Can a Housesitter stay in my rental accommodation?
Will my insurance company mind if I have a Housesitter?
Will the Housesitter be using my car?
What happens if a Housesitter has an emergency and needs to leave the housesit?
Why do people want to become Housesitters?
What is Housesitting?
The Housesitting Company sources and supplies responsible single people or couples who come and live in your home providing security for your home and care for pets while you are away.
Choosing a Housesitting Company Sitter reduces the added stress and anxiety that pets often feel when they are placed in kennels and catteries when their owners are away. Instead, you can leave them to relax in their own familiar environment with a Housesitting Company Sitter who will imitate you as much as possible by looking after your pets the way you’ve instructed them.
Other factors to consider are the huge security benefits of having someone present in your home, turning the lights on at night, having a car in the driveway, all of which demonstrate the fact that your home is occupied. Having somebody present in your home substantially reduces the risk of theft.
Although it is you who chooses a Housesitter, the greatest benefit of our service actually belongs to your pets. They are happiest and at peace in their own home which is where they feel most safe and secure.
We are very cost effective when compared to kennels and catteries and pride ourselves on offering better value than our competitors when comparing similar services. Read about our pricing structure.
What is Pet Minding?
Pet Minding is designed for short trips away of up to 2 weeks in length. Your chosen Pet Minder will come once or twice per day to feed your pets, take your dog for a walk, clean out the litter tray, water your plants, clear your mail and any other necessities to ensure that your pets and home are cared for as if you were there yourself.
You don't even need to be going away to use a Pet Minder. If you find yourself too busy to walk your dog or you come home too late at night to feed your pets dinner, then we can help you with this.
How do you screen your sitters?
An important aspect of what we do at The Housesitting Company is to filter through the hundreds of enquiries that we receive every year from people wanting to be Housesitters and Pet Minders. Before we accept anybody into The Housesitting Company team they must pass through our 4-step filter process, which includes:
• annual security checks with the New Zealand Police
• supplying a minimum of two written references (of which you will receive a copy)
• their agreement to our strict Terms and Conditions
• A formal interview with a director of The Housesitting Company (for Housesitters outside of Auckland we conduct phone interviews)
One of our points of difference is that we screen all the people on our database annually and are constantly gathering up-to-date feedback from all their Housesitting jobs. This allows us to be confident in the people that we are recommending to you.
What is the process involved in getting a Housesitting Company sitter?
The Housesitting Company will do all the background work and organisation for you. Your role is simply supplying your details and preferences for a Housesitter, interviewing the applicants and then deciding whom you feel would be best suited for you and your pets.
When you call us on 0800 SITTER we will ask you a series of questions to help us understand your pets(s) needs and your preferences for a Housesitter. We will then direct you to our online Registration Form to activate the housesit.
We will endeavour to provide you with a choice of three potential Housesitters. We will send you their profile, photograph and a copy of their references for you to look over before you interview them yourself. You can then contact the Housesitters directly and organise interviews at your home so you can see how they interact with your pets and give you the chance to get to know the potential sitters before you make your choice.
We also supply you with our helpful Tip Sheets on how to best interview Housesitters which leads you to make an informed decision on whom you feel would be best suited as your Housesitter.
After you have interviewed the applicants and selected the one(s) you felt were best, we will send you our Housesitter Instruction Sheet to fill out. You should go over this with your chosen Housesitter during your final meeting with them on the week of your departure to ensure that all the important details are covered before you leave.
Why should I use a Housesitting Company Sitter as opposed to asking my neighbour?
A Housesitting Company Sitter chooses this role as their lifestyle and it is their undertaking to look after your home and pets as if they were their own. When you ask a Housesitting Company Sitter to clean out the kitty litter, walk the dog and forward your mail to your holiday address, that’s exactly what they will do. In contrast, a neighbour may see it as a chore and the morning dog walk may unwittingly be forgotten in their own busy lives. To book a Housesitting Company Sitter you can either call us on 0800 SITTER (748837) or send us an email.
How much does it cost?
The Housesitting Company's housesitting rates start at $13 per day if you don't have any pets and your primary interest is the security and welfare of your home. If you have pets, the average rate range would be between $16-$21 per day, but this would depend on how many and what type of pets you have and the length of your housesit. There is a minimum charge of $150 for 1-7 days and $200 for 8-14 days and a surcharge applies during our peak season between Dec 10th – Feb 10th. In some situations we may advise you to consider Pet Minding rather than Housesitting which may prove the better option.
In order to receive an accurate quote for your Housesit or Pet Minding job please contact us with your specific dates and requirements. You can either call us on 0800 SITTER (748837) or click here to send us an email.
What pets does The Housesitting Company cater for?
Housesitting Company Sitters are pet lovers and typically come from a variety of interesting backgrounds. Most Housesitting Company Sitters have lived with domestic pets such as cats and dogs while others in our team have had full farming backgrounds and are confident in caring for horses, sheep and other livestock.
At the Housesitting Company, no animal is too difficult or unusual, as shown by what has been cared for in the past, such as: Donkeys, horses, cows, sheep, a chinchilla, peacocks, a gala bird, a rabbit warren, aviaries, frogs, rats, guinea pigs, a worm farm, hens, a magpie, fish, chickens, ducks, geese and of course, long lists of cats and dogs.
Click here to let us know what pets you require care for.
What is the minimum length of time that I can book a Housesitter for?
There is no minimum length of time to book a Housesitting Company Sitter. You may find that booking a Housesitting Company Pet Minder is the better option if you are going to be away for less than a week. You can either call us on 0800 SITTER (748837) or send us an email about your requirements so that we can advise you of the available solutions.
Can I specify the type of Housesitter that I want?
Yes you can. When you contact The Housesitting Company on 0800 SITTER (748837) we will discuss your preferences for a Housesitter and how you expect your home and pets to be cared for. This helps us narrow down the selection of Housesitters so that we can send you applicants that best fit your description.
What can and can’t I expect from my Housesitter?
Your Housesitter’s role is primarily to care for your pets and home. Your Housesitter is not there to give your house a spring clean, run your home business or, for example, look after your aunt living in the granny flat.
Usually Housesitters have regular jobs themselves and therefore can’t be expected to be home all of the time, but they are required to be home for at least 9 hours per day. If you need a Housesitter that is retired or works from home then you should advise The Housesitting Company of this so that we only send you through Housesitters who meet your request.
Can a Housesitter look after my children or homestay?
The Housesitting Company is not a nannying or babysitting service provider. We are unable to place a Housesitting Company Sitter into a home when there will be someone else living there. This is to ensure the safety of our Housesitters, in addition to making sure that the security of your home isn’t compromised.
Is it safe for me to leave my home with someone I don’t know?
It is never a good idea to ask somebody you don’t know to look after your most valuable assets and beloved pets.
The Housesitting Company carries out security checks on potential Housesitting Company Sitters before they are accepted. They must have clean Police records which are updated annually. They need New Zealand residency, or a valid work permit and are required to supply two written references (which you will get a copy of) and are personally interviewed by a director of The Housesitting Company before being accepted into the Housesitting Company team. Read about our screening procedures here.
Initially we aim to provide you with a selection of three candidates with their profile, photographs, a written introduction about who they are and why they are housesitting, along with their references. From here you may interview your candidates in your own home where you and your pet(s) have an opportunity to judge their suitability.
We recommend that you meet with your chosen Housesitting Company Sitter again before you go away so that your pets have an opportunity to familiarise themselves with the Housesitter. At this point you can go through our Housesitter’s Instruction Sheet with your chosen Housesitter to ensure that all your requirements have been discussed properly and understood. By the end of this process you should feel confident in the Housesitter(s) you have selected.
Hear other homeowners talk about their experiences using The Housesitting Company by clicking here.
I have pets, but I don’t want someone staying in my home?
The Housesitting Company Pet Minding service is designed for those who need someone to visit their home once or twice per day to feed the pets, water the garden, walk the dog, take in the mail and any other tasks that may be required. Housesitting Company Pet Minders take on the usual tasks that a Housesitting Company Sitter would do without living in your home. Housesitting Company Pet Minders also follow the same screening process as our Housesitters to ensure that you are choosing from the most trustworthy and capable people.
Pet Minding is ideal for when you are only going away for a short period of time (say 2-10 days). Contact us on 0800 SITTER (748837) or send us an email to find out if a Pet Minder is the best option for you.
How far in advance do I need to book my Housesitter?
As a general rule, booking your Housesitter should appear on your To-Do List right after deciding on your dates of travel. We have been known to work small miracles and organize a Housesitter two days out from peoples’ travel dates but ideally you should contact us 4-6 weeks prior to your departure. This allows you plenty of time to meet with several candidates and then you can relax knowing that everything is booked and taken care of well before you go away.
Who pays for food and living expenses?
Housesitters supply their own food and won’t touch your food unless you invite them to. All pet related costs are to be covered by the Homeowner and the Housesitter would expect to be reimbursed for any vet visits or purchases of any extra pet food.
The use of the normal utilities, such as power, water, phone (excluding toll calls) and internet would be paid for by the Homeowner. The exception is for longer housesits (5 weeks or more) where your Housesitter may be willing to contribute towards the utilities that they use. This would be negotiated with the Housesitter prior to their acceptance of your housesit. Usually around $30 per week is considered acceptable and is seen as a contribution and not a rental payment. You must let The Housesitting Company know if you are expecting your housesitter(s) to contribute towards utilities.
Can I ask my Housesitter for rental payments?
The way the typical Housesitter/Homeowner agreement works is that the Housesitter provides their services to care for your home and pets in exchange for being able to live in your home rent free.
For longer housesits (5 weeks or more) your Housesitter may be willing to contribute towards the utilities that they use. This would be negotiated with the Housesitter prior to their acceptance of your housesit. Usually around $30 per week is considered acceptable and is seen as a contribution and not a rental payment. You must let The Housesitting Company know if the Housesitter(s) is/are to contribute towards utilities.
What parts of New Zealand do you cover?
The Housesitting Company’s offices are based in Auckland but we operate and provide Housesitters nationwide. We have a number of Housesitters that enjoy the travelling aspect of housesitting and are willing to undertake housesits in the more rural areas of New Zealand. Please contact the Housesitting Company to discuss your situation.
Why should I consider a Housesitter over a tenant?
Sometimes we have enquiries from people who are going away for a long time (12 months – 3 years), for example, temporary work contracts. In using our services you can be confident that the person selected has been fully screened through our four step process and will have references from previous housesits, and of course, are pet lovers. You leave your pets with the peace of mind knowing that they will be properly cared for in their own home and environment.
In these situations the Housesitter would normally be contributing towards the costs of various utilities such as power, water, phone and internet.
Please contact The Housesitting Company on 0800 SITTER (748837) if you wish to discuss further.
Can a Housesitter stay in my rental accommodation?
In most cases this is perfectly acceptable however we would advise you to contact your property manager or landlord advising them of your intentions, making sure that having a Housesitter doesn’t void your tenancy agreement.
Will my insurance company mind if I have a Housesitter?
We believe that the safest thing you can do for your home and contents is to have a Housesitting Company Housesitter living at the premises while you are away. Some insurance companies even specify that your insurance policy is void if your home is unoccupied for a certain length of time. Unfortunately, we can’t say this on behalf of your insurance company and therefore we require you to contact your insurance company advising them of your intentions.
Will the Housesitter be using my car?
Housesitting Company Sitters are expected to use their own vehicles. However, you may ask your Housesitter to take your car out occasionally for example, for the purpose of keeping the battery charged or to take your dog to the beach if they don’t have a suitable vehicle to transport them in. In these cases a Housesitting Company Housesitter is only using your vehicle because you have asked them to. We recommend you contact your vehicle insurance company for their advice.
What happens if a Housesitter has an emergency and needs to leave the housesit?
Once a Housesitting Company Sitter is booked to care for your home and pet(s) they are obliged to fulfil the assignment under our contract with them. In the exceptionally rare case that a Housesitter has to leave the premises before the arranged end date (for sickness, family emergencies, etc) we would contact you and explain the situation. At this point we would do our very best to provide you with another suitable Housesitter. In the unlikely event that we cannot find you a Housesitter, we will refund your money proportionally based on the days remaining.
Why do people want to become Housesitters?
In most cases people decide to become Housesitters either to enjoy the considerable benefits of living rent free, or enjoy travelling throughout New Zealand, or to experience living in different suburbs before buying their own home.
If you are interested in learning more about becoming a Housesitter, please click here.
