Questions to Ask a Potential Housesitter

Understanding their background

• “How did you get into housesitting?”

  Listen for genuine love of animals vs “free accommodation.” Both are valid, but you want someone whose primary motivation aligns with your needs.

• “What types of pets have you cared for?”

  Experience with your specific pet type matters. A cat expert may not be comfortable with a high-energy dog, and vice versa.

• “What was your favourite sit, and why?”

  Their answer reveals what they value. If they light up talking about the pets, great. If they only mention the location or house, note that.

Testing their problem-solving

• “Have you had a challenging sit? How did you handle it?”

  This is gold. Everyone has had difficult moments. What you're looking for: did they stay calm? Communicate with the owner? Take sensible action? Or panic?

• “Has a pet ever been unwell while in your care? What did you do?”

  Medical situations reveal character. You want someone who acts promptly, communicates immediately, and doesn't wait to see if things improve.

• “What would you do if [your pet] stopped eating?”

  A hypothetical that tests practical knowledge. Good answers include monitoring, trying different food, checking for other symptoms, and contacting you.

• “What drew you to apply for this sit?”

  Do they mention your pets by name? Reference something specific from your listing? Or give a generic answer that could apply to any sit?

• “Have you looked after [breed/type] before?”

  Breed-specific experience can matter. High-energy breeds, senior pets, or animals with particular needs benefit from someone who knows what to expect.

• “What questions do you have about [pet name]?”

  Experienced sitters ask good questions. If they have none, they either haven't thought about it or aren't that invested.

• “Is there anything about this sit that concerns you?”

  Invites honesty. Better to surface concerns now than have them withdraw later – or worse, struggle during the sit.

• “Have you ever had to cancel a sit?”

  Ask directly. People can have legitimate reasons – emergencies happen. But a pattern of cancellations is a red flag.

• “Is your schedule definitely clear for these dates?”

  Sounds obvious, but worth confirming. Some sitters apply speculatively. You want certainty.

• “How are you getting here?”

  Especially for international sitters. Have they checked flight costs? Do they have a plan? Vagueness here can indicate they haven't fully committed.

• “What's your backup plan if you get ill during the sit?”

  Solo sitters especially. It's reasonable to ask. Couples have built-in backup; solo sitters should have thought about this.

• “How do you like to communicate during a sit?”

  Daily photos? Weekly updates? Only when something's wrong? Match expectations now. Some owners want constant updates; others find it intrusive.

• “What would prompt you to contact me urgently?”

  Tests their judgment. You want someone who'll contact you for genuine issues but not panic over minor things.

• “Are you comfortable making decisions if you can't reach me?”

  Important for emergencies. You need someone who can act sensibly if you're unreachable.

The bottom line

A thorough conversation upfront is the best predictor of a successful sit. Reviews tell you about the past; your conversation tells you about the fit.

Take your time. Ask the questions that matter to you. And remember: the best sitters will appreciate your thoroughness – because they're thorough too.