close

Log in to your Account

Email Address:

Password:

Forgotten your password?

close

I'd like to

find a sitter be a sitter

Show me how to get excellent feedback

20th January 2015

When you do an excellent job, you receive excellent feedback. Here are some keys to help you achieve this:

 

During your sit

Communication is essential. Homeowners really appreciate receiving a text/email shortly after they’ve left to let them know you’ve settled in and their pets are happy. During the house sit, stay in contact with the homeowner. Sending a quick email once per week is usually enough to give them peace of mind that everything is going well.

Most homeowners are fine with you having visitors. But it’s always best to ask them so everything is above board.

 

Before you leave

A homeowner will judge your performance based on your communication during the sit and the condition of their home and pets on their return.

Make sure you clean their home and check every room you’ve been in. For short housesits, if you won’t be using some rooms then shut the doors so you don’t have to clean them when you leave.

Don’t forget their pets! Clean and top up their feeding bowls, check lawn area for poop or change litter trays. It never hurts to give pets a quick groom so they look their best when their owners’ return!

It’s always best to consume your own food and bathroom products on a sit but if you have used anything, make sure you replace it with the same product. In our experience, it’s far safer to use your own products and avoid the stress (and expense) of replacing homeowners’ products. One sitter found this out the hard way when an ordinary looking bottle of wine turned out to be a $1500 vintage.

It is good practice to leave a thank you note and chocolates for the homeowner to return to. These finishing touches are often what homeowners mention in the feedback they write for you. Here’s a letter template that may help:
 

Dear Sue,

Thank you for entrusting me with your home and pets. I became very attached to Rusty and Moochi and will be sad to leave them! I really enjoyed… (talk about the location, house features etc).

Rusty and Moochi were last fed at 8am and I’ve made the bed with clean linen. You’ll also see I’ve separated your junk mail from letters and left this on the table… (talk about anything else you’ve done that you think they need to know).

The Housesitting Company will contact you asking for feedback about my performance. Your feedback will be seen by other homeowners and will help me to book future house sits.

When you or your friends next need a house sitter, please contact The Housesitting Company to request me. Thank you again for the opportunity and I would be more than happy to sit for you again.

Warm regards,

Joe Bloggs
 

PS: I hope you enjoy the chocolates as much as I enjoyed staying here.