Using Canadian House Sits As A Home Owner

You don’t want to waste your time filling out complicated forms or checking a million tick boxes – and we don’t want to waste your time either!

That’s why we’ve kept Canadian House Sits simple and easy to use, while still making sure it does everything you need it to.

Read below to discover the things you need to know about how our website and services work so you can get the most out of our platform and out of your house-sitting ads.

Sign up for free (it’s as easy as 1, 2, 3)

To sign up to Canadian House Sits as a home owner, you only need to provide us with three things: your first name, email address, and a password. We respect your privacy, so we won’t ask you for any more information beyond that. And it’s 100% free. Too easy.

Post your first house-sitting listing (you’ll be done in a minute)

To post your first house-sitting listing, log in to your account and click the blue “+” button. Identify your city and province, set your start and end dates, indicate whether your dates are flexible, select or deselect the “pet sitting required” option, and write a short description that outlines the tasks your house sitter will be responsible for and perhaps what you have to offer (such as a swimming pool or even just high-speed Wi-fi). Then click “submit” to send your listing to us for approval.

Make your listing stand out (the more detail, the better)

You’ll receive an email notification the moment your listing is approved (always within 12 hours). You can now log in to finetune your listing and make it stand out. We recommend you upload photos of your property and pets (but not of you). You can upload a maximum of four images, and it’s worth using all of them. If you haven’t done so already, we also recommend writing a short description like we’ve described above.

Message house sitters directly (it pays to be proactive)

House sitters will often message you directly when they see your listing, but why wait? Once your house-sitting listing is active, you can browse our Canadian house sitter profiles and message your chosen house sitters directly.

Promptly respond to enquiries (procrastination is sooo last year)

If you receive a message from a house sitter, don’t wait too long to reply. Many house sitters message a number of home owners when they’re looking for their next house-sitting gig, so it pays to get in first. Promptly responding to messages gives you the best chance of securing the house sitter you want to look after your home and pets.

Clearly outline your house-sitting agreement (be safe, not sorry)

Before you make a final choice regarding your house sitter, it’s important to make sure you’re both on the same page. So take the time to clearly explain their responsibilities for pet and home care and explicitly ask them if they agree to undertake these tasks.

For pet care, you may need to outline details such as pet feeding times, walking and exercise routines, bathing and worming schedules, veterinary appointments, and more.

For home maintenance and care, you may need to agree on the frequency of mowing, weeding, and bringing in the mail, and provide trusted contacts such as electricians, plumbers, pool cleaners, etc. for any specialised, ongoing, or emergency maintenance work.

We also recommend providing your house sitter with emergency contacts such as family members or neighbours they can contact if something goes wrong and they can’t reach you.

If your house-sitting listing is for a long-term assignment (3+ months), you should also discuss whether your house sitter will be contributing money towards power bills etc. This is up to you, but you should agree one way or another before they come to house sit.

Take care of the little details (it’s a +1 for good karma)

Your house sitter will be looking after your home and pets, so it’s only fair that you look after them, too. Consider printing out your pets’ routines and information, stick the Wi-fi password on your refrigerator or noticeboard, and let them know where they can find linen for the beds and towels for the bathroom, etc. Always make sure they have a set of keys, plus contact details so they can access a spare set from a trusted friend or relative if they lock themselves out or something goes wrong.

If your house sitter is new to the area, they’ll definitely appreciate recommendations about the best grocery stores, cafes and restaurants, doctors, parks and/or beaches, etc. So why not go the extra mile and leave them a note about that too?

Enjoy your vacation (because that was the whole point, right?)

Once your house sitter has arrived and you’ve given them the grand tour, introduced them to your pets, answered any final questions they may have, and handed over the keys, it’s that time you’ve been waiting for… vacation time!

With your home and pets taken care of, you can leave on vacation with greater peace of mind – and more money in your pocket now that you’re saving on pet boarding costs. While you’re away, you can keep in touch with your house sitter via our website or directly. And when you get back, you’ll have a happy pet and a well-maintained home to return to.

Get started

To enjoy the benefits of free home and pet care while you’re away, join Canadian House Sits today.