Housesitting Agreements Identify Risk

If like many homeowners you invite housesitters into your home you’ll need a Housesitting agreement that identifies risk, especially relating to property. In this article we offer a number of ways to identify property hazards and risks, so you can prepare a house sitting contract with careful notes about how to care for our property and what needs to happen if accidental damage occurs.

Why The Best Housesitting Agreements Address Responsibility for Property Hazards

Housesitting agreements offer security to owners when they are not at home, but also come with obligations that need to be considered before they leave. There are certain hazards at the property that may bring about uncertainties as to who will be held liable if someone is injured due to them. These may include slippery floors, broken steps, malfunctioning machinery, icy sidewalks, or any other dangerous situation. A proper house sitting agreement would help clarify all those points.

Housesitter walking around a property — A sitter living in while you are away is better with a housesitting agreement in place between you
Photo credit – Anastasia Shuraeva

Identifying Property Hazards

The condition of the property must be discussed before the house sitter assumes control of it. Known potential dangers must be discussed, especially those that may cause harm. Some of these include loose railings, defective floorings, dim stairwells, hazardous outdoor surfaces, and broken appliances. It is beneficial for both parties to know what condition the property was in prior to the house sitter moving into it.

If the housesitting agreement addresses key property hazards it can also serve to inform the house sitter of areas of the property that are not allowed to be entered into because they may pose a risk. This would be particularly useful for places like the garage, the workshop, the swimming pool, sheds, or any other area that has equipment which needs extra care.

Establishing Responsibilities

The agreement will include the obligation of the house sitter to report hazards which may appear in the period of house sitting. If the pipe starts leaking, a staircase is damaged or the walkway turns into an unsafe one, it may be necessary to notify the homeowners about it as soon as possible. It will be also useful to indicate in the housesitting agreement what measures the sitter needs to take if there appears the issue which requires urgent action on the part of the sitter.

It is also important for homeowners to understand that just because of staying at the house, the person does not bear full responsibility for any property issues. House sitting obligations may include pet sitting, mailing collection, gardening and securing the house, but not inspection of the property for any problems which may appear there.

Addressing Injuries And Liability

Where an injury occurs due to a condition of a property, the allocation of liability may be determined based on the specific situation, danger, and the law. In no case can a housesitting agreement negate the legal liabilities imposed on the owner of the property or other persons. On the contrary, the contract can serve as evidence of the agreement made between two parties concerning property conditions, obligations regarding their notification, and safety precautions.

Such an agreement can also clarify the process of reporting an accident and keeping the records. Timely reporting and documenting an accident can save essential details about what happened, where and under what conditions an accident occurred. Where an injury leads to a dispute, one may contact a personal injury lawyer Hamilton to get familiar with his or her legal responsibilities.

Managing Changes During The Stay

Conditions of the property may change after the house sitting arrangement has commenced because weather may produce hazardous walkways, plumbing may result in water damage, and equipment may suddenly malfunction. Thus, it would be wise to have a clause in an agreement about how such new conditions will be treated instead of paying attention only to conditions prevailing from the very beginning of the arrangement.

Both individuals may decide on an easy process of communication for reporting a problem and making arrangements for repairs. For serious hazards, the most appropriate thing to do would be to deny access until everything gets solved. When the hazard involves a vehicle, a driveway, or a roadway problem, different legal issues may arise and a car accident lawyer may be needed if a car crash occurs and results in any injuries or damages.

Preparing a housesitting agreements helps both parties understand the responsibility and accountability
Photo credit – Kindel Media

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Reviewing Insurance Coverage

It would be beneficial to specify whether there is an expectation on either the homeowners’ or house sitters’ part to carry insurance coverage which could potentially be applicable to any accident or property damage. Homeowners may examine their current home insurance plan in order to understand whether this type of insurance covers the case when there is another person residing in the house. Information on any potential limitations or requirements related to the possibility of carrying insurance coverage may prove useful to the house sitters.

Issues related to insurance coverage can prove vital in case an accident or damage occurs because of some property hazard. An agreement can prompt both homeowners and house sitters to report all the information related to such incidents. Though, the agreement cannot affect the question of whether the insurance company decides to cover the losses, examining insurance coverage can help avoid confusion in case some problems occur.

The Best housesitting Agreement Identifies Risks

Identifying potential risks in the housesitting agreement could simplify everything for all parties concerned. Identification of the risks that exist, defining who should report what, explaining the process that should be followed in case of any new risk, and recording certain conditions could help in minimizing the possibilities of any misunderstanding. An agreement may not be able to cover all the legalities involved, but could set expectations nevertheless.