Anyone used Trusted Housesitters?

[Puffinshop]

I'm thinking about whether this would be a good cat sitting solution. We're booked to go away for 10 days over Easter and I think our cat would be happiest in his own home. I have had people in the past who pop in to feed him but he's quite a human friendly cat and I think he'd like the company over such a long period.

Also it seems to work out cheaper over the entire year if you go away a few times.

We live in a quiet area about 20 minutes walk from downtown of a European city (not UK) that's very popular with tourists and also very expensive, so I think we'd be a popular option for a cheap(er) holiday.

Does your house have to be spotless to hotel standard? I mean it's fairly clean and tidy and obviously we'd leave it freshly cleaned but it would never be like a hotel.

Is it OK if you lock up the rooms they wouldn't need, like kids' bedrooms, storage room, garage etc?

Do sitters have to leave things in the same state they found them or do you have to clean up after them when you get home?

We've signed up but haven't had anyone to stay yet. We've got people lined up for Feb half term and Easter.

There don't seem to be strict guidelines on how clean things should be. We are aiming for clean for us but won't be hotel clean and we don't have a cleaner.

People can leave reviews of each other so people who stay will be able to leave a review of your house. It's clear from reviews and the forums that levels vary.

If you fancy a referral code ours is https://www.trustedhousesitters.com/refer/RAF865392/?utmmedium=refer-a-friend&utmmcampaign=refer-a-friend&utmsource=apppnative_share&fm=2

Your home should be clean and tidy for sitters, doesn’t have to be hotel standard. I’ve been lucky with my sitters. They leave the place immaculate. I’ve only had two sitters previously that didn’t clean but now I don’t accept anyone new or if they don’t have reviews. In your listing or welcome guide you can specify you’d like your home back in the same condition you left it. I’ve never locked doors but again this is something you can mention in your posting.

They have a forum and you can ask these questions in the sitter section.
https://forum.trustedhousesitters.com

I'd only lock doors so I didn't have to make my children tidy their rooms to an immaculate standard, etc. We're not hiding any terrible secrets in there in but equally there's nothing in there that a house guest would need. If they have all the ground floor plus laundry room, bedroom and bathroom that should be fine, shouldn't it?

Unless people would want to stay with their children... is it common that people do this as a family or is it more individuals and couples?