Housesitting forums are full of complaints from sitters: “Information was scattered everywhere.” “The welcome guide was 30 pages long.” “I got a text at midnight with crucial info they forgot to mention.”
A good welcome guide strikes a balance: comprehensive enough that your sitter has everything they need, organised enough that they can actually find it, and concise enough that they'll actually read it.
Download Our Templates
We've created two versions: a comprehensive template with all sections, and a one-page quick reference your sitter can keep on the fridge.
Why your welcome guide matters
For your sitter
- • Single source of truth for everything
- • No hunting through messages for details
- • Confidence they're doing things right
- • Reference for emergencies
For you
- • Peace of mind on holiday
- • Fewer “quick question” messages
- • Clear expectations from day one
- • Reusable for future sits
The two-layer approach
The most effective welcome guides have two layers:
Layer 1: The One-Pager
Everything critical on a single page. The daily essentials your sitter needs to remember without looking anything up:
- • Pet feeding times and amounts
- • Walk schedule (times, duration)
- • Medication (if any)
- • Your contact info
- • Emergency vet number
- • WiFi password
- • Alarm code
This goes on the fridge.
Layer 2: The Full Guide
Everything else they might need, organised by topic. They'll read it once, then refer back when needed:
- • Detailed pet information
- • House systems and quirks
- • Local information
- • Emergency contacts
- • Rules and preferences
- • Garden/plants
- • Bins and recycling
This can be a document or platform welcome guide.
Pet information (the most important section)
Daily routine
Write this as a typical day, not a list of rules:
Morning (around 7am): Bella wakes up and needs to go out immediately – open the back door and she'll do her business in the garden. After that, breakfast: one scoop of dry food from the container by the fridge, plus half a can of wet food (fridge). She eats in the kitchen.
Morning walk (8-9am): About 45 minutes. She likes the route through the park – turn left out of the house, left again at the end of the road. She can be off-lead in the enclosed area but not near the road.
Afternoon: She usually naps. Happy to be left alone for 3-4 hours if you want to go out.
This narrative format is easier to follow than bullet points and gives context your sitter needs.
Behaviour and quirks
Be honest. Sitters would rather know upfront than discover surprises:
- Reactivity: “She barks at other dogs on lead. Cross the road if you see one coming.”
- Fears: “Terrified of thunderstorms. He'll hide under the bed – let him, and sit nearby.”
- Bad habits: “He begs at the table. Please don't feed him – we're trying to break the habit.”
- Quirks: “She won't eat from a bowl – scatter food on her mat.”
Health and medication
- Current medications: Name, dose, frequency, how to administer (hidden in food? Syringe?)
- Medical conditions: Anything the sitter should monitor or know about
- Allergies: Foods or substances to avoid
- Vet details: Name, address, phone, whether they know about the sit
🐱 For cats: hiding spots
This seems minor but it's crucial. In an emergency (fire alarm, need to evacuate, taking to vet), your sitter needs to find your cat fast. List all known hiding spots: behind the books on the third shelf, inside the airing cupboard, under the bed in the spare room.
House information
For a broader look at what to do before your sitter arrives, see our guide to preparing your home for a housesitter.
The essentials
- WiFi: Network name and password (not just “same as the router”)
- Alarm: Code, how to arm/disarm, what happens if it goes off accidentally
- Keys: Which key is which (front door, back door, shed)
- Heating/hot water: How to operate, recommended settings
- Appliances: Any quirks (the oven runs hot, the washing machine needs a firm push)
Quirks (every house has them)
- “The back door sticks – lift and push.”
- “Hot water takes 30 seconds to come through.”
- “The bedroom window doesn't lock – use the wooden stick.”
- “Don't use the downstairs toilet – it blocks.”
These details seem minor but save your sitter a lot of confusion.
What they can use
Be clear about what's available to them:
- • Kitchen: “Help yourself to anything in the cupboards. The whisky in the cabinet is off-limits.”
- • Laundry: “Washing machine and tumble dryer are fine to use. Detergent under the sink.”
- • Garden: “Feel free to use the patio furniture and BBQ.”
- • Off-limits: “Please don't use the home office – it's locked but contains sensitive work materials.”
Emergency information
All in one place, easy to find in a crisis:
- Your contact: Phone, WhatsApp, email – all of them
- Backup contact: Someone local who can help if you're unreachable
- Vet: Regular vet and 24-hour emergency vet
- Plumber/electrician: Someone you trust, if you have one
- Neighbours: Who knows about the sit, who has a spare key
- Utility shut-offs: Where's the stopcock? The fuse box?
What NOT to include
Keep it focused. Cut anything that's:
- Obvious: “Please don't leave doors open” (they know)
- Excessive history: The pet's full life story isn't needed for a two-week sit
- Micromanagement: “Walk exactly 47 minutes clockwise around the park”
- Anxiety transfer: Pages of worst-case scenarios that probably won't happen
- Duplicates: The same information in three different places
Your sitter is an experienced adult. Give them the information they need, then trust them to handle things.
Format tips
Use headings
So they can scan and find what they need
Keep paragraphs short
Walls of text don't get read
Include photos
Show where things are, what things look like
Print a copy
WiFi might go down; a paper backup helps
Share it early
Send before the sit so they can ask questions
Update after each sit
Add things you forgot; remove things that weren't needed
Quick checklist
Must include
- ☐ Pet feeding schedule and amounts
- ☐ Walk routine
- ☐ Medication details
- ☐ Pet behaviour/quirks
- ☐ Vet information
- ☐ Your contact details
- ☐ Emergency backup contact
- ☐ WiFi password
- ☐ Alarm code and instructions
- ☐ Key information
Good to include
- ☐ House quirks
- ☐ Bins/recycling schedule
- ☐ Garden watering needs
- ☐ Local recommendations
- ☐ Heating/appliance instructions
- ☐ What's available to use
- ☐ Off-limits areas
- ☐ Neighbour information
- ☐ Utility shut-off locations
- ☐ Cat hiding spots
The bottom line
A great welcome guide is comprehensive but scannable, honest about challenges, and organised so information is easy to find. Invest an hour creating it once, and you'll use it for years.
Your sitter will thank you. And you'll have fewer panicked messages on your holiday.