Can I Trust Drop-In Visits and House Sitters with my Home and Pets?

What does a home owner need to know?

If you have just come across Drop-In visits or House Sitting as an alternative to Day Care when you are away from home, I bet you'll have a burning question... "Can I trust you with my home and pets?"

Think about it. You've never met me before. You found me online, and I'm offering to come and look after your home, all your worldly possessions, and your precious pets, while you go away on vacation.

I'm asking you to trust me - to have a firm belief in my reliability, honesty and integrity and to have faith that when you return, everything will be just as you left it.

"Yeah right!" I hear you saying incredulously, "sorry, but that's just not going to happen!"

Yet, that's exactly what thousands of home owners do every year when they entrust pretty much everything they own to Drop-In Visits and Pet Sitters.

I have to admit, it does sound a little crazy. But… doesn't it also sound appealing to have someone look after your home and care for your pets, giving you the opportunity to work away?

Approach Drop-In Visits and House Sitting Professionally.

Unlike Day Care and Home Boarding business's which need to be Licenced, Drop-In Visitors and House Sitters do not need to be Licenced which means anyone can do it.... below is an all important checklist to ask for to give you peace of mind.

• Always use a professional, reputable** business. Look for Licenced Home Boarding and Day Care business's first as some like us here at Happy Hound Haven do provide Drop-In and Pet Sitting services. ( with the bonus of being Licenced and Insured )

• ALWAYS ask for a valid DBS certificate.

• Make a list of essential skills needed to look after your home and pets. ( Pet first Aid Certificate is a must in my opinion ).

• Ask the service provider for a Key Release Form which you both sign. ( 30 seconds to read and sign ). This will show that they will safeguard your key in a manner consistent with the pet/home service industry. ( tagging and locked storage when not being used ).

• A Home Information form should also be given to you to complete. ( 2 minutes to complete and sign ).

• Arrange a visit and trust your gut, being mindful of any red flag moments.

• Be honest about your own expectations.

• Always discuss your pets temperament and behaviour, be honest about any aggression, anxiety or medical issues.

• Discuss your needs around cleanliness - some people are laid-back about this, others fastidious in their requirements - find the right match by talking about this.

** And what do we define as a "reputable" Drop-In and Pet Sitting business ? Well for us, it's a well established website, with a good choice of Licenced Services, a secure messaging system, a two-way reference option so that you can check previous experiences from both the sitter and the client, a support network and a business that is well respected by it's users.

If you follow our advice, you really are minimising any possible problems and it will be much easier to trust the service providers who come to visit your home and pets. Please think twice about reaching out to a Facebook group or forum for someone to take care of your most precious possessions. Or if you do make sure you do a ton of checks first and follow all the best practices for selecting house sitters.

Risk assessment and due diligence are two processes that could make a huge different to your experience.

In Conclusion