Using Canadian House Sits As A House Sitter
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 sitter profile.
Sign up easily (without signing your life away)
To sign up to Canadian House Sits as a house sitter, you only need to give us your first name, email address, and a password, then pay your $49 annual fee. We respect your privacy, so we won’t ask you to tell us where you live, what you ate for breakfast, or any of those other ridiculous and over-the-top details some sites ask for.
Create your house sitter profile (& make it magical)
To create your house sitter profile, log in to your account and fill out your details.
We recommend uploading a photo of yourself where your face is clearly visible. After all, home owners want to actually see the people they’re trusting their home and pets with! You may want to upload a picture of yourself with pets to establish your animal lover credentials.
In your description, outline any house-sitting experience you have, talk about your experience with pets, and perhaps explain why you want to house sit. You can also indicate whether you’re looking for long- or short-term opportunities (or both) and if you’re interested in house-sitting in any particular locations.
Message home owners directly (it pays to be proactive)
Home owners may message you directly when they’re looking for a house sitter, but why wait? Once your profile is complete with photos and a description, you can browse available house-sitting gigs and message home owners directly to apply. (This is strongly recommended as it’s the best way to be successful.)
Promptly respond to enquiries (procrastination is sooo last year)
If you receive a message from a home owner, it pays to be prompt with replying. Many home owners receive messages from a number of house sitters after listing a house-sitting gig, so it pays to get in first. Promptly responding to messages also helps to establish you as reliable and conscientious – both traits that home owners are looking for in a house sitter. So give yourself the best chance of success by responding to messages quickly.
Clearly outline your house-sitting agreement (be safe, not sorry)
When it comes to house-sitting and pet care, it’s important to ensure that you’re on the same metaphorical page as your home owner. Ask home owners to clearly outline their expectations regarding home and pet care so you know what to expect and whether you can actually commit to what they’re asking for.
For pet care, we recommend asking about 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 ask about the frequency of mowing, weeding, and bringing in the mail, and whether you’ll need to be present for, or coordinate, work from any regular service providers such as lawn maintenance people or pool cleaners.
If the house-sitting gig you’re applying for is a long-term assignment (3+ months), you should also discuss whether your home owner expects you to contribute money towards power bills etc. – and how much they’re expecting you to contribute.
Knowing all this before you agree to a house-sitting gig will help ensure that no one is in any for any surprises. And if it means you discover you’re not a good fit for each other, you’ll know sooner rather than later so you can part ways amicably and both keep looking elsewhere.
Get started
Ready to begin house-sitting and enjoy free accommodation? Then join Canadian House Sits as a house sitter here today.