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25 Top Questions to Ask Before House Sitting – Complete Checklist
Dreaming of your next housesitting adventure? Landing the perfect assignment is incredibly exciting, but the secret to a seamless, five-star stay happens before you even pack your bags. To help you avoid unexpected surprises and set yourself up for absolute success, we have put together the ultimate pre-interview checklist. From decoding complex home tech to mastering pet routines, here are the top questions every house sitter should ask a homeowner before saying “Yes!”
Top Questions to Ask Before House Sitting – The Complete Checklist for Sitters and Homeowners
Before agreeing to any house sit, both homeowners and sitters should ask questions about pets, routines, emergencies, insurance, security, expectations and communication. Asking these questions early helps avoid misunderstandings and creates a successful house sit.
A house sitting assignment sounds like the perfect adventure: a new destination to explore, a cozy home to enjoy, and often, a wonderful new pet to look after. But as any experienced house sitter will tell you, a successful assignment doesn’t happen by accident. It is built on clear communication and mutual expectations of what the housesitting will offer.
Photo credit – Jenny Kaye
Why Asking Questions Matters
The secret to a seamless, five-star experience lies in the house sitter interview phase, especially for a first time house sitter. By asking the right house sitter interview questions before you officially accept, you ensure you are a great fit for the assignment and prove to the homeowner that you are a thorough, proactive professional. A first step might be to review our article on the top 50 house sitting safety tips. Then proceed to prepare for your house and pet sitting interview questions.
Why we recommend asking these questions
At HouseSit Match we’ve helped connect homeowners and trusted house sitters for more than 10 years. One consistent lesson is that successful house sits begin with a thorough conversation before either party commits. Clear expectations help prevent misunderstandings and build trust from the outset.
Key Takeaways
✅ 9 essential categories of questions to ask before house sitting
✅ Covers pets, home tech, security, trades visitors, neighbours, emergencies & more
✅ Includes a quick-reference checklist table
✅ Real-life founder story from a housesit in France
✅ FAQ section with answers for sitters and homeowners
Here is your ultimate checklist of the top house sitting questions to ask before house sitting, broken down into nine essential categories.
1. Questions About The Location: Amenities and Exploration
Before you commit, you need to understand the logistics of where you will be living and how you will get around. While some of these answers may come up casually, refer to these questions to ask before house sitting so you are prepared and there are no surprises.
- What is the access to local amenities? Where is the nearest grocery store, pharmacy, and doctor’s office, bank or ATM cash point machine?
- How close is the nearest town or transport hub? Is there a local bus hub, train station, or major airport nearby? If you don’t have a car, is the area walkable or reliant on ride-sharing?
- What are the top points of interest for tourists? Ask the homeowner for their favorite local parks, walks, or hidden gems so you can plan your free time.
2. Questions About The Pets: Routine, Health, and Quirks
If the assignment involves pet care, this is your top priority. You need to know exactly what looking after them entails on a daily basis.
Photo credit – Jenny Kaye
- What are the basics? How many pets are there, what breeds are they, and how old are they?
- What is their current state of health? Do they require daily medication, supplements, or special lifters/ramps?
- Are there any behavioral triggers? Especially for rescue pets, ask if they are afraid of thunder, reactive to other dogs on walks, or prone to resource guarding.
- How long can they be left alone in the home? This is crucial. Can you go out for 4 to 6 hours to sightsee, or do they require 24/7 companionship?
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3. Questions About The Home: Maintenance and Property Care
Photo credit – Lamia Walker
Every house has its quirks, and you are there to keep the ship sailing smoothly. Clear up exactly what chores are expected of you.
- What are the indoor and outdoor plant care requirements? How often do indoor plants need watering? Is there an outdoor pot plant collection or an automated watering system you need to monitor?
- Are there luxury amenities to care for? Is there a swimming pool or a jacuzzi? If so, do you need to test the chemicals, skim the leaves, or manage the covers?
- What are the general cleaning expectations? Agree on what condition the house should be in when they return.
Tip: Always ask where the main water shut-off valve and fuse box are located. If a pipe leaks, you need to know how to stop it instantly!
4. Questions About Security & Home Tech: Broadband, TV, and Entertainment
In our connected world, tech troubleshooting can be a major headache if you aren’t prepared. This is especially vital if you plan to work remotely during your stay.
- What security systems are in place – Does the homeowner have CCTV around the house, is there an alarm system and what would they like you to do to manage them?
- What is the broadband speed and reliability? Ask where the router is located, what the password is, and if there are any data caps or cellular dead zones in the house.
- How do the TV and satellite entertainment systems work? Modern setups often involve multiple remotes and smart streaming boxes (Apple TV, Roku, Fire Stick). Ask for a quick walkthrough of how to access local channels, cable/satellite packages, or streaming services.
- Are there smart home devices to manage? Do they use smart thermostats (like Nest), smart lighting, or voice assistants that you need to interact with?
- Is there a back up power supply? Your questions to ask before house sitting should include what happens if there is a power cut? Where is the fuse box in the house? Ask the owner to show you how to manage that. And is there a back up power supply?
Quick-Reference House Sitting Checklist for Your Next Interview
| Category | Must-Ask Question | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Logistics | “How long can the pets be left alone?” | Determines your freedom to explore the location. |
| Home Tech | “How do I operate the broadband and TV setups?” | Keeps you connected for work and entertainment without frustration. |
| Deliveries | “Are you expecting any parcels or contractors?” | Prevents unexpected doorbells and security confusion. |
| Handover | “Can we arrange a 24-hour overlap before you leave?” | Gives you a real-time walkthrough of the pet’s true routine. |
5. Questions About Trades Visitors – Expecting Any Deliveries or Trades?
One issue we regularly see is that post and parcels arrive, sometimes in a torrent, even when the homeowner is away. How do you handle this if you are not prepared?
In our world of online shopping, and of greater numbers of people working from home, it’s highly likely stacks of post or a number of packages will arrive while the owners are away. The homeowners may run a business from home and so post may be a daily occurrence you need to receive and monitor. Ask where they want you to place the post safely in their absence. Here are some other questions to ask before house sitting so you know how the trades visitors and neighbourhood deliveries work.
- Are there any scheduled deliveries or subscription boxes arriving?
- Are any tradespeople or contractors expected? You need to know if a gardener, pool cleaner, or roofer is scheduled to show up so you aren’t startled by strangers on the property.
- Rubbish and Recycling Collections – What days are refuse collections and where are the containers kept and moved to on those days?
Photo credit – Kindel Media
- Which neighbours should I know? Ask for the names and numbers of one or two trusted neighbours.
- Which neighbour will have a spare key for the house? Ask if they will make a face to face introduction, just in case you need to reach out to them.
- What are the neighbourhood rules? Are there specific ways to put out the rubbish for collection, or strict local noise ordinances you should be aware of?
6. Questions About Neighbours: Friends and Boundaries
Good neighbours are a house sitter’s best asset. This is especially important among the questions to ask before a housesitting.
Never forget a question again!
Bookmark this page or copy our quick-reference table into your phone notes so it’s ready to go during your next video interview. Looking for more house sitting wisdom? Subscribe to the HouseSit Match Newsletter for weekly house sitting tips, tricks, and fresh listings delivered straight to your inbox.
7. Questions About Emergency Contacts
We’ve found that if something goes wrong with the property, you need a backup plan that doesn’t involve stressing out a homeowner on a beach halfway across the world. Sometimes a local emergency contact is all you need to solve a problem quickly and prevent it from escalating. Hence you should include the request for emergency contacts in your list of questions to ask before house sitting. It is equally important to be forthcoming about your own.
PRO TIP – a well managed housesitting platform like HouseSit Match will ask you to share these contacts as a precautionary step. REMEMBER – You won’t need it until you need it. Best to be ready!
- Who do I call in a home emergency? Ask for a list of preferred local tradespeople (plumber, electrician, locksmith).
- Is there a local friend or family member nearby? If you have an emergency yourself, it’s vital to have a local contact who knows the homeowners.
FOUNDER’S NOTE –
In my experience, the real advantage of preparing a thorough list of questions to ask before house sitting is that you can be ready for how to handle the unusual, because you have information and support.
My Personal Experience
As some of you may know I housesit as often as my business and personal commitments allow, because I love the whole experience. Last year my husband and I spent a month housesitting in France, in a beautiful home. We had a perfect 24 hour handover with the owners, we met their cats, and after I had used all the questions to ask before house sitting, we felt we felt we were ready. They had also documented information about how the house and pets should be cared for in a thorough briefing note with pass codes, directions, diagrams etc. We really enjoyed the housesit.
In the Unlikely Event…
Three days before the end of the sit, however, the plumbing around the house started gurgling audibly, and then the drains stopped draining and the water levels in the pool were rising.
We spoke to our local emergency contact who gave us a plumber’s details. The plumber came, he said this was an outdoor septic tank issue. He recommended a local specialist. We had managed to reach the homeowners at this point and they agreed that we should contact a septic tank specialist, saying they would reimburse us on their return.
He came and dislodged a block of chalk from the tank in the garden (basket ball sized) which apparently had built up over some years – it’s a chalky region and he had seen this before. With the chalk block removed, the gurgling stopped and the drains returned to their normal function in time for the homeowners return.
Extremely Rare Eventualities do happen
…even to founders of housesitting platforms. Fortunately we were as well prepared as we could have been and everything was in place to help us solve the issue quickly.
8. Questions About Vet Surgery Contacts and Pet Passports
Medical emergencies require swift action. So these questions for pet sitters should be among the top questions to ask before house sitting. Never accept a pet sit without this information readily available. If at all possible run through some possible scenarios with the homeowner so that you begin to think of what they would want you to do.
Photo credit – Lamia Walker
- What veterinary information and vet surgery contact details will you need? Get the name, address, and phone number of their regular vet, as well as the nearest 24-hour emergency animal hospital.
- Emergency Vet Contacts – Ask the Pet owner if they have a HouseSit Match Choice or Premium Membership – If so ask for the 24/7 Vets Hotline in the unlikely event that a pet has a health issue out of hours then you can call for online support.
- Where are the pet passports and medical records kept? Ensure all vaccinations are up to date and that you know where the physical paperwork is located in case of an emergency clinic visit.
- Pets At Home Alone – For how long can the pets be left at home alone? Most owners say between 3-5 hours. Check what is required by this pet owner.
9. Arrival and Handover Details
The transition period can set the tone for the entire housesit. Allocating enough time before the homeowner leaves is important to ensure the pets are settled and familiar with you as the housesitter, and in particular that you the sitter are familiar with the pet and property routines so that you are set up for a successful housesit. Be sure to include the following in your list of questions before house sitting.
- Can we arrange a 24-hour overlap? A 24-hour handover is gold standard. Spending a night while the homeowner is still there allows you to shadow them during their morning and evening pet routines, see how the house operates in real-time, and ask last-minute questions.
- What are the exact departure and return times? Know exactly when they are leaving and what time they expect to walk through the door on their return day.
- House Manuel or Briefing Document – Is there a detailed briefing document where you can find all the information you need about the house and property to help you manage the housesit in the homeowner’s absence? At HouseSit Match there is a comprehensive briefing document called the ‘Easy Sit Guidelines’. Ask the homeowners if they have prepared one like that.
Why trust this advice?
HouseSit Match has spent more than a decade helping homeowners and house sitters arrange successful sits. The advice in this guide is based on common questions and issues we’ve seen across our community, together with feedback from experienced members. Worth reviewing and building your own list of questions before you become a housesitter.
Final Thoughts on the Questions to Ask Before House Sitting
In our experience, framing these questions during your initial video call shouldn’t feel like an interrogation. In fact, homeowners love a proactive sitter! They too will be ready with their questions to ask a housesitter. Considering the questions to ask before house sitting carefully, proves that you are responsible, organized, and dedicated to providing the highest level of care for their home and beloved pets.
Before your next interview on HouseSit Match, keep this list of questions to ask before house sitting handy. Review the list carefully and consider the scenarios you want to ask about. Take plenty of notes, and look forward to a smooth, successful housesit assignment!
Looking for trusted house sits? HouseSit Match is rated 4.9/5 on Trustpilot by hundreds of homeowners and house sitters. Join our community to find verified sits and experienced sitters.
The Three Questions People Forget to Ask
In helping thousands of housesitters and homeowners over the last 10 years, here are the three usual omissions which can lead to misunderstandings. Always remember these questions to ask before house sitting:
- Who else has access to the property?
- Under what circumstances can pets be left alone?
- What would count as a reason to contact you immediately?
Share your experiences in the comments below—we’d love to hear your top tips!
🙋 Frequently Asked Questions to Ask Before House Sitting
Not at all! In fact, it is the exact opposite. Homeowners love a proactive, detail-oriented sitter. Asking thorough questions demonstrates your competence, professionalism, and genuine care for their property and pets. It reassures them that their home will be in safe hands.
While a 24-hour handover is the gold standard, it isn’t always possible due to flight schedules or work commitments. If they can’t manage an overnight stay, request a minimum of 4 to 6 hours before they leave. Alternatively, ask if you can do a thorough walkthrough via a video call a few days prior to iron out the details and to run through a handover document together – HouseSit Match offer homeowners the use of a document called the ‘Easy Sit Guidelines’ with a thorough list of questions and prompts for a housesitter briefing.
Frame the question purely around privacy and transparency. You can say: “For my own privacy and to make sure I don’t accidentally set off any alarms, could you let me know if you have any security cameras or smart devices installed indoors or outdoors, and specifically where they are located?” Legally and ethically, homeowners should disclose this information. We have a ‘Housesitting Camera Policy‘ guideline that we ask all members to adhere to at HouseSit Match.
If it’s a house-only sit, your number one priority is emergency protocols. You must ask: “Where is the main water shut-off valve, and who is your trusted local emergency contact/handyman if a pipe bursts or the power goes out?” Knowing how to stop a problem instantly saves properties from disaster and costly repairs.
* What are the general indoor and outdoor plant care requirements? How often do indoor plants need watering? Is there an outdoor pot plant collection, a vegetable patch, or an automated irrigation system you need to monitor?
* What are the lawn care expectations? Does the lawn need mowing during your stay? If so, ask the homeowner to physically show you how to operate their garden maintenance equipment (like a lawn mower, strimmer, or leaf blower) before they leave. Every machine has its own starting sequence, fuel requirements (petrol vs. electric), and safety quirks. This is useful information to have before they leave.
* Is there a pool or jacuzzi to look after? Luxury amenities require consistent maintenance. Ask if you need to test the chemical/pH levels, skim the leaves daily, empty the skimmer baskets, or manage the thermal covers. If it’s too complex, clarify if a professional pool service will be visiting instead.
A Thought from HouseSit Match
The best house sits rarely happen by chance. They begin with honest conversations, clear expectations and a shared commitment to caring for pets and homes with respect.
BIO
Written by Lamia Walker, founder of HouseSit Match, with more than 10 years’ experience helping homeowners and house sitters arrange successful house sits worldwide.
Lamia Walker – Founder Housesit Match
Further Reading
At HouseSit Match we like to share useful blogs and practical first time house sitter advice about housesitting and pet sitting. We hope you find this small selection of our blogs useful, including this one on the questions to ask before house sitting.
Top 10 Housesitting Protocols for First Time Homeowners
Housesitters keep pets safe at home and save money
What a housesitter does – Top 10 responsibilities
Top dogsitting tips for beginners
