The short version
We're not matchmakers. We're not referees. We verify credentials and provide visibility. What happens between sitters and homeowners is between them.
But if we get consistent, credible concerns about someone, we'll have a conversation. If there's criminal activity, instant removal.
What we expect
You've got 20+ verified reviews. You didn't get there by accident. You know how this works.
Honesty
Your profile reflects reality. If things change, update it.
Professionalism
In communications, in conduct, in how you represent yourself.
Accountability
If something goes wrong, own it. We've all had sits that didn't go perfectly.
We don't expect perfection. Housesitting is complicated. Pets are unpredictable. Humans are messy. Things happen.
What we're not
We're not a platform. We don't facilitate bookings, hold payments, or insert ourselves into your arrangements. If you and a homeowner have a disagreement about expectations, cleaning standards, or whether three walks a day meant three or “around three-ish” — that's between you.
We're not investigators. We don't have the resources or the desire to dig into he-said-she-said disputes about whether someone left the kitchen clean enough.
We're not judges. We can't determine who was “right” in most situations, and we won't try.
What we are: A verification service that vouches for your track record and gives homeowners a way to find you. That's it.
When we get involved
Patterns emerge
One complaint? Could be anything. A difficult homeowner, mismatched expectations, bad luck. Multiple complaints about the same thing from different sources? That's a pattern. Patterns matter.
Credibility matters
“They seemed distracted” — noted, but not actionable. “They left a day early without telling me and I came home to find my dog alone” — that's specific and serious. We weigh credibility, specificity, and whether the concern relates to something we can actually evaluate.
The stuff we can't ignore
Some things are immediate. No patterns needed. No conversation required:
- Criminal activity — Theft, assault, fraud. Proven = gone.
- Serious animal welfare concerns — Documented neglect or harm.
- Fraudulent credentials — Your GDPR export was fake. Your reviews aren't real.
For these, we remove first and ask questions later.
How it works
We hear something
Someone contacts us with a concern. Could be a homeowner, could be another sitter, could be something we noticed ourselves. We read it. We don't react immediately.
We consider context
Coming from the housesitter side ourselves, we know homeowners sometimes have unrealistic expectations, reviews don't tell the whole story, some people are impossible to please, and communication failures happen on both sides. We're not naive. Not every complaint is valid.
We reach out
For most concerns, we'll contact you directly. A frank conversation, not an interrogation. "We've heard X. What's your take?" We're not looking to catch you out. We're looking to understand.
We decide
Options range from 'nothing' (concern wasn't credible) to 'noted internally' to 'warning' to 'removal'. Your response matters — both what you say and how you say it.
The grey areas
Let's be honest about what's hard:
“The place was dirty”
The most common complaint in housesitting. Also almost impossible to adjudicate. Clean means different things to different people. Without being there, we can't know. One complaint: noted. Multiple complaints: we'll talk. A pattern plus evidence: that's a problem.
“Communication was poor”
Expectations vary wildly. Some homeowners want daily photo updates. Some sitters think a check-in every few days is plenty. Neither is wrong — they're just incompatible. Unless someone genuinely went silent during an emergency, this falls into “work it out between yourselves.”
“They seemed to be using it as a holiday”
Housesitting can include enjoying the location. That's part of the deal. The question is whether the pets and home were properly cared for. Someone spending 12 hours a day at the beach while an anxious dog sits alone? Problem. Someone exploring the area while the cat sleeps in a sunbeam? That's housesitting.
What we ask of you
If something goes wrong on a sit: Deal with it directly with the homeowner first. Most issues can be resolved person-to-person. We're not your first call.
If you're contacted about a concern: Respond. Honestly. The worst thing you can do is ignore us or get defensive. We're not looking for perfection — we're looking for professionals who can own their stuff.
If you see something concerning about another sitter: Let us know. We're a community of experienced sitters. We have an interest in maintaining standards.
Final thought
We're building something for experienced sitters who want to be found and fairly compensated for their skills. That only works if the directory means something — if being listed here is a signal of quality, not just a paid advertisement.
We'd rather have 50 excellent sitters than 500 questionable ones.
Quality over quantity. Always.
Raise a concern
If you have a concern about a sitter listed in our directory, let us know.
concerns@reputablesitters.comTell us who, what happened, when, and any documentation you have. We'll acknowledge receipt within 48 hours.