Many homeowners have rented our rooms or had housesitters. What property management insights could they share and as a new homeowner what could you learn from their experience? In this blog we review some key learnings in property management that homeowners have shared with us regarding their property management at home.

Property Management Insights on House Sitting Requests

petsitter installed in a home caring for dogs — With petsitters in your home you have an opportunity to share property management insights with them to care for your property as well

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Many rental arrangements involve an agreement between two parties where the tenant pays rent to the landlord in exchange for accommodation. This arrangement could last anywhere from a few days, when it’s short-term, to years if it’s long-term. However, with increasing job mobility, homeowners are now getting more requests for informal arrangements such as house sitting.

This option can be beneficial for property owners who aren’t looking to become formal landlords, but it also comes with potential challenges of letting strangers into your home. Read this article as we discuss the valuable property management insights on how to navigate house-sitting requests and assignments.

What is House Sitting: Property Management Insights

House sitting is a temporary arrangement where a homeowner allows an individual to live in or regularly check on their property while they’re away. In essence, the basis of our property management insights is that house sitting is like babysitting a house while the owner is unavailable for an extended period. Some of the sitter’s duties may include collecting mail, looking after pets and plants, and ensuring the general welfare of the house.

For the most part, these arrangements are typically informal, with the sitter being a trusted friend or relative. However, there is now an increase in these agreements, necessitating the need for formal contracts and written agreements with specific responsibilities for the sitter.

Difference Between House Sitting and Subletting

Legal Status

There can be a gray area between house sitting and subletting, especially when there’s no formal structure, but they are distinct. For starters, with house sitting, the individual is more akin to a guest or service provider than a tenant. In other words, they don’t enjoy the same legal protection and can face eviction whenever the homeowner deems fit. Working with a reliable property manager in Boston can help establish written house-sitting guidelines that won’t cause trouble in your lease agreement.

On the other hand, subletting is a lot more formal, with the subtenant gaining permission from the tenant and landlord to live there in exchange for a percentage of the rent. This scenario gives the subtenant more rights, and the landlord may need a formal eviction to remove them, even when the tenant has left the property.

homeowner property management insights — Ensuring you are up to date on all the property management insights can be helpful for housesitters

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Financial Arrangement

Another distinction between house sitting and subletting is the financial arrangement. In the former, the sitter is typically excluded from paying rent. Instead, they offer their services as a caretaker in exchange for free housing. If there’s any fee involved, it is often nominal, such as the cost of utilities. In comparison, subletting is more transactional, with the subtenant agreeing to pay rent, either to the landlord directly or through the tenant. They’re also not obligated to take care of the homeowner’s pet or perform other duties outside the typical tenant responsibilities.

Why Do Tenants Request House Sitting

Jack Russel dog sitting on a sofa — With pets at home housesitters can be of great service, caring for both pets and property

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Security and Upkeep

Avoid burglaries and vandalism while you’re away for an extended period by hiring a house sitter. Vacant houses face greater security risks, especially when your property is in a sparsely populated area. To deter potential criminals, homeowners may hire someone to do routine checks or live-in while they’re away. In case a house sitter is not available, relying on a home security system may be the best option to monitor the property.

Sitters also ensure the property is in good condition while you’re away by doing some gardening work, making minor repairs, and keeping your house properly heated or cooled.

Pet and Plant Care

If you’re unable to travel with your pets or have high-maintenance plants, house sitters can help you keep them alive during your trip. That way, you can avoid coming back home to wilted plants and bypass the extra expense of boarding a pet while traveling.

Create a Proactive Plan for Intermittent Vacancy

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Establishing Formal Guidelines

Manage expectations carefully by creating formal guidelines for house sitting when the unit is empty. After all, the last thing you want is to come home and realize they’ve had guests over or let your plants die from overwatering. It would be best to clarify what responsibilities the sitter has to complete while tending to the house, such as forwarding mail or securing windows. You can also include house rules on having company, or which areas of the house are off-limits.

Importance of Notifying Landlords

Remind tenants to send a formal notice during an extended absence. This courtesy allows landlords to plan ahead for maintenance, emergencies, or the risk of vacancy. In some instances, the homeowner may even need to get another sitter to ensure their home doesn’t exceed a vacancy period that invalidates their insurance policy.

Property Management Insights in Conclusion

l transaction and provides the individual with more legal rights similar to a full tenant. We hope you found this article on property management insights of use. Because managing house sitting requests isn’t just about finding someone to stay in a home and care for the pets, although that is a large part of the role. It’s about protecting the property and keeping the owner at ease while they’re away for extended periods. As a result, house sitting is substantially different from subletting, which involves a financial transaction.

A proactive plan for intermittent vacancy can prevent confusion in the future. Create a formal guideline for your house sitter that includes their responsibilities, house rules, and other duties. With these measures in place, you can make house sitting a useful property management tool.