6 House Sitting Disasters and How to Avoid Them

House sitting is a fantastic way to travel without the hefty accommodation expense. Of course, there’s always the possibility that something could go wrong. I’ve had many amazing experiences house sitting but in this post, I’m going to tell you about my 6 biggest house sitting disasters to help you avoid them during your own adventures.

6 House Sitting Disasters and How to Avoid Them

Taking on the responsibility of someone’s home and pets is a serious commitment, and it comes with great responsibility. A great trait for any house sitter is to be able to think on their feet so they can deal with challenges, big or small. Remember, house sitting disasters can be overcome! Here are some examples and tips on how you can avoid encountering them yourself.

1. The House is Disgusting – Tennessee, USA 2022

Photos on a host’s listing profile are one of the few insights you’ll get into the home or animals you’re going to be caring for. I should have trusted my gut on one listing I applied for in late 2023. The photos showed only a few room angles in suspiciously well-positioned and favorable lights, and it looked a little messy. I felt something wasn’t quite right, but applied for it anyway.

I’m not super OCD, but I’ll admit to liking things clean and tidy. On arriving at the house sit in Tennessee I knew within a second that I’d messed up. The tiny house, that came with 2 large dogs was a real mess, with inch-thick dust and hair everywhere. There was junk on top of junk, week-old dishes in the sink, and rotten food in the fridge.

Despite having just got off a flight I couldn’t unpack a thing until I had tackled the cleaning. I attacked the kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom with every cleaning product I could find. The hosts, whom I never met, seemed genuinely content with their home so what could I say? My advice? Trust your gut and ask questions if you have concerns before applying.

2. A Very Sick Dog – Texas, USA 2022

One of the biggest fears when pet sitting is that something will happen to an animal in your care. Pets get sick, it happens, but hosts usually leave detailed instructions of what to do in this case. Taking on numerous house sits increases the likelihood of eventually experiencing an unexpected pet illness.

I looked after a beautiful home and a lovely Giant Schnauzer called Trix in the Autumn of 2023. She was a great dog, friendly,…