HouseSitBeta

Trust & safety

Safety tips for first-time and experienced members

The practices we've seen produce great sits across nine years — and the small habits that prevent the awkward, expensive, or scary situations.

Founder note: my wife Natallia and I have completed dozens of sits across Europe since 2017. The advice below is what we wish someone had told us early on — and reading the other role's tab is the fastest way to be great at yours.

A sunlit terrace with a table and a lake view at one of our European house sits

Build your sitter shortlist before you commit

Treat the first messages as the start of getting to know someone, not a final decision. Ask about their experience, why your home and pets appeal to them, and how they like to stay in touch during a sit. A relaxed, specific conversation — and a quick video call before you decide — tells you far more than any checklist.

Verify the basics, not just the badge

Our "Verified ID" badge means someone has completed a Stripe Identity check — government-issued ID and a live selfie. That's the foundation, not the whole picture. Layer in:

  • Read every review, especially the longer ones — patterns matter more than single ratings.
  • Look at their imported reviews and references — proof a sitter has brought from other platforms, or from people who've hosted them before.
  • Have a video call before you confirm. A 15-minute conversation tells you more than a hundred messages.
  • If something feels off, trust that feeling. There are always more sitters.

Write a clear handover document

The cleanest sits all have one thing in common: a one- or two-page document the homeowner sends a week before. It covers feeding routines, vet contacts, the wifi password, what to do with the trash, your travel dates and how to reach you in an emergency, plus any quirks the home or pets have. Sitters love this. They feel prepared and you sleep better.

Put away anything fragile or precious

A sitter doesn't have your muscle memory — they don't know the cupboard door that sticks or the shelf that wobbles. Before you leave, tuck anything valuable or breakable somewhere safe. It saves an awkward "something broke" message and lets your sitter relax into your home instead of tiptoeing around it.

Your address stays private until you choose

Share as much of your home as you like — photos of the rooms, the garden, the view all help the right sitter picture themselves there. The one thing we keep private is your exact address: discovery shows only an approximate area, and the precise location is shared with the sitter you accept. Hand over entry details once you've chosen someone.

Use a check-in cadence both sides agree on

Most successful sits have a daily message in the first 2-3 days, dropping to every other day or every few days as trust builds. A photo of the pets, a quick "all good here." Set this expectation up front so the sitter knows what you want, and you don't worry when there's silence.

Have a backup plan before you fly

Identify a neighbour, family member, or friend within 30 minutes who can step in if anything happens — illness, emergency, or an unexpected sitter cancellation. Make sure your sitter has their contact. This costs nothing and is the single best safety investment you can make.

When something goes wrong

Use the Report button on any profile or listing, and for anything urgent or dangerous during a sit call local emergency services first — we're not an emergency service. We read every report and act on accounts: a warning, suspension, or ban for anyone who endangers people or pets. We don't read private messages by default, but when you report a problem we'll review that conversation to act on it, give a participant their own messages and the relevant context — redacted to protect the other person — or hand it to the police on a lawful request.

We can't mediate the sit or cover costs — that's between you and the host (see our Terms) — and we can't promise 24/7 support yet. But the in-app feedback button reaches us directly.