House Sitting made Simple

The concept of House Sitting is new to a lot of people. As a result we have received many emails at Christian House Sitters asking us to explain the system.

In essence it is very simple.

A House Sitter moves into your home while you are away on holiday. They look after your home and pets for you and in return they receive a rent free holiday in your home.

The house owner saves money by not having to pay anyone to look after their home and pets.

They have the security of knowing that their home and pets are being looked after by a responsible Christian.

The House Sitter gets to travel and stay in lovely homes rather than an expensive and often characterless hotel room.

For example recently Marilyn & I spent a couple of months living in France. It was something we could not have afforded without being house sitters. We became part of the local community and had a lovely time. In return we looked after a beautiful house and their dogs and cats.

Can I charge rent?

No. The rent you receive is having someone look after your property and pets. They are normally expected to pay their own phone bills, food etc. If it is a long-term house sit then naturally you can reach an agreement about utility bills. However if there are animals to be looked after please remember what it would have cost to hire someone. So if there are animals we do not advise charging even if it is a long term house sit.

Is it safe?

Naturally one has to take precautions. We strongly advise all our sitters and home owners to get references before entering into any agreement. As this is a Christian site and all members list their church connection we suggest a reference be obtained from their church leaders.

We also include a general outline of anagreement for both parties to sign. Note this is a general draft and you will need to adapt it to your specific situation.

Will people know my details?

Only if you tell them. On the site it does not list your email address or address details.

Can You Guarantee a House Sit?

Sadly not. The list of available properties is constantly changing. New houses are added and existing properties find sitters. We are facilitators and have no idea what houses or sitters are going to become available in the future. We never know from one day to the next what is coming and what is going to be removed. For example we had a message from someone asking about a house in Florida. We wrote back saying that we did not have any. The very next day we got a house 5 minutes from Disney World available for 2 months. God is in control. We trust that He will provide the right match between owners and sitters.

To find out more visit our site  www.christian-housesitters.com and feel free to use the Contact Us link that you will find there.

Bless you,

Ray