How to become a house sitter and travel the world for cheap

Looking for a new adventure? Keen to travel more now you have time on your hands but without a bottomless pit of money to fund it?  

When you consider the high cost of holiday accommodation, looking after someone else's house - for free - might just be a solution.

“People are discovering house sitting for the first time as a serious alternative to paying huge holiday rents. You can literally save tens of thousands if you house sit for a few years,” says Nick Fuad, MD of House Sitters UK.  

The concept relies on honesty and trust— you join an online community platform that matches homeowners with sitters and, apart from an annual site membership fee, no other money normally changes hands.  

The popularity of house sitting has grown since the pandemic. Global house sitting company, TrustedHousesitters, say membership rose by 38% from January 2023 to 2024 and Housecarers, the longest established house sitting site, says it’s benefiting from a 100% lift post-pandemic.  

This isn’t only because people are travelling again, and working more flexibly, it’s also down to the fact that many more homeowners have pets that need looking after while they’re away.  

The knock-on effect of that, says Angela Laws, Head of Community at TrustedHousesitters, is that there was also an increase in the cost of pet boarding, to meet the newfound demand.  

Step up house sitters. 

If you’re an empty-nester or retiree with flexibility over when and where you go and you like the idea of a ‘slow holiday’ to enjoy the local area, house sitting could be for you. But the opportunities will be greater if you’re an animal lover too. 

“You need a genuine love of animals, as most homes will have a dog or a cat or more. Many homeowners are more concerned about having their pets cared for than their actual home,” says Fuad. 

Retirees who register as house sitters are among the first looked at by homeowners, according to Ian White, Founder of Housecarers.com.  

“They know that life experience cannot be replicated. They have confidence in seniors and trust them to watch over and care for their home, possessions and pets.  

“After a lifetime of raising families, running businesses and being everything to everyone, retirees are finding there’s a way to travel and experience the world on their terms,” he says.  

It might sound like a financial no-brainer — free holiday accommodation, a home from home environment and saving on household bills.  

However, it’s important to understand that even ad hoc house sitting, where no fees are paid, still comes with commitments and responsibilities and can be far from a simple task.  

You are, after all, in charge of the day to day running of someone else’s home, from cleaning, gardening and pet care to dealing with any home emergencies.

It’s also important to understand, if you’re thinking of agreeing to sit internationally, whether certain countries consider house sitting as work, in which case you may need to get a visa before agreeing to the sit.

If you’re planning on coming to the UK to house sit and are wondering whether it will be classed as work, a UK Home Office spokesperson told Saga Money News: “Individuals visiting the UK are not permitted to work. Any activity which may be considered work, even if the individual does not receive payment, is prohibited."

If you’re unsure about whether you’ll need a visa to enter the country you’re considering house sitting in, it’s always best to consult a qualified immigration lawyer and make sure you understand the relevant laws for that country before agreeing to any sits.

How to get started 

If you’re thinking of taking the first steps with house sitting, then you’ll need to consider a few things before you can start connecting with people and offering to look after their house (and possibly pets). 

The first is to find your way in – the most common approach is to use a site where people can post their house sits and members can apply for the opportunity. 

Many sites will charge a membership fee for use – the higher-end services will come with premium options that allow you to add in insurance or contact vets. 

You should also check reviews or testimonials and consider how easy you find the site to use – as well as what background checks owners and sitters undergo.  

If you’re not a fan of video calling, that could limit the amount of sits you’re offered, as many people like to have a face-to-face chat with a prospective sitter before they agree. 

There are plenty of YouTube videos reviewing different sites by seasoned sitters and a Facebook group called House and Pet Sitters UK, which has over 110,000 members, to help you get a sense of what you’ll be getting into. 

It’s important to make sure the community you’re joining is reputable with a wide database, ID and document verification, strong testimonials and a good feedback and support system.   

You should prepare a profile, detailing your domestic, gardening and animal experience, photos and verifiable character references from colleagues or friends. The more you can show of your personality, experience and level of responsibility, the better. 

“It’s important that you’re as open and as honest as possible when creating your profile; owners will use this as part of their selection process, to see if the sitter they want to know more about is the right sitter for their pets and home,” says Laws. 

Once you’ve worked out what you want with house sitting, a good tip is to start with short local sits, being present and able to meet the owner and pets ahead of time. This is your chance to test drive the lifestyle to see if it's the right choice for you.  

Keep an open mind, as it’s not the same as booking a holiday; you’ll need to be flexible and open to the needs of those offering the sits. 

How to be fully prepared 

Once you’ve set yourself up for house sitting, there’s a whole world of choice when it comes to the places you might find yourself in. 

However, there are some common practices that you can use to make sure you’re always clear and covered when it comes to what’s expected. 

When it comes to looking after animals, make sure that you have the necessary experience to care for the pet you’re sitting - requirements can be varied, from horses and chickens, reptiles to even deer. If you’re worried at all, raise these concerns with the owner.  

Even if it’s a great house in a location you’ve always wanted to visit, it’ll be ruined if you’re not able to perform the tasks required. 

Always consider using a house-sitting agreement (most platforms provide templates) and discuss everything with the homeowner by video chat before you accept the sit. This means you’re far less likely to run into issues as you go, and you can spot potential problems before they start.

"Usually, you know straight away if the house sit will work or not. Trust your gut instinct. If, for some reason, you feel the homeowner has different expectations to you, don’t be afraid to politely turn the house sit down,” says Fuad. 

“Ask the owners if you have any questions or concerns, make sure you’re familiar with the local emergency service contact numbers and prepare for plans to change as there are no guarantees, although the majority of sits go ahead as planned,” says Laws. 

Finally – it’s important to keep friends and family updated about your plans, especially if you’re a solo traveller.  

Making sure they have all the details and a regular schedule of when you’ll be checking in can be invaluable with keeping everyone feeling safe and ensure the stays are always enjoyable. 

This article was updated on 17 October 2024 to reflect a statement from the UK Home Office regarding whether international travellers to the UK to house sit is considered work, and further clarification on what to be aware of if travelling internationally for house sits.