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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this house sitter was bloody cheeky?

818 replies

Littlefluffyclouds81 · 18/06/2016 23:38

My DM recently got a house sitter for 10 days whilst we all went on holiday. She had used her once before and all seemed fine. She seemed very professional - took detailed information about all the animals, signed contracts, she is fully insured etc.

She was supposed to sleep at my DM's house each night, although my DM was aware that she would need to pop back here and there to exercise her own dogs (she lives with her parents).

She was paid over £600, and for that she had to look after 2 dogs and feed a cat. There are also 2 horses at my mum's, my mum's horse who is a big cob, and my daughter's pony. She wasn't expected to do anything with the horses.

While we were away the house sitter emailed to ask if it would be ok if her partner's kids came to meet the horses. My DM said that was fine. When we got back, my mum had a good chat with her and the house sitter said that the kids had come over and groomed my mum's horse, but not my daughter's pony because she was grumpy (she is grumpy).

I was the first to go into the tack room, and noticed that the bridles weren't in the right place. I didn't really think anything of it. But today my DM said that there is grease on the bottom of her saddle, from where the saddle pad hasn't been put on properly and it has rubbed the horse, which she wouldn't do. Also her bridle had been done up all wrong. The stirrups on both saddles were at different lengths to how they'd been left by Us. She suspected that the house sitter had taken the kids riding on our horses. This was confirmed when she went for a ride around the village today and a neighbour (who has booked the same house sitter) said that the house sitter had emailed a picture with the kid sat on her horse!

Not only is riding someone's horses without their permission incredibly rude, it is also a really stupid thing to do. She knew nothing about our horses, they could have had any kind of quirks, and putting 2 kids on them (when she doesn't appear to know much about horses herself) was just bloody dangerous.

Not only that, but my DM said there's no way that the bed was slept in for 10 nights, so she suspects that the house sitter had left the dogs overnight which she wasn't supposed to do.

WWYD? I absolutely think that something should be said to the house sitter, but my DM is veering towards leaving it, and just locking the tack room if she uses her again! She was paid a lot of money, and in my opinion, took the piss.

OP posts:
Original poster
Littlefluffyclouds81 · 19/06/2016 16:23

I've left a truthful review on her Facebook page and she has replied accusing me of slander! My mum is going to comment to back me up.

OP posts:
londonrach · 19/06/2016 16:26

Link this thread to your review maybe although that would out you so up to you. Maybe pm a link instead as housesitter might learn that she is in the wrong here!

SapphireStrange · 19/06/2016 16:28

Well, as long as all you said was that she took your horses out without permission you're home and dry on that one.

She's being really daft.

NightWanderer · 19/06/2016 16:34

If you have left you car keys on the kitchen table, that could have been your tacit permission to use the car.

Shock No, really it wouldn't.

GloriaGaynor · 19/06/2016 16:35

Another recommendation for TrustedHouseSitters.com

They are all CRB checked, they have ratings from previous employers and you can get people with specialist knowledge of animals. Most of them don't charge unless you want something unusual. It's important to meet them first.

JessieMcJessie · 19/06/2016 16:40

peach

  1. why does it have to be a MALE in your example who would want to look at a sports car? Are women not allowed to like sports cars?
  1. yes, of course it would wrong to driveit out of the garage unless you have express permission to do so, as well as vaid insurance.
  1. you are generally talking out of your arse.
trafalgargal · 19/06/2016 16:41

We have a hairdresser who comes to the house to cut my OHs hair. If I gave her permission to cut his hair.....it doesn't mean that by default I'm giving her permission to have sex with him. (Is that better than the sports car analogy ?)

SapphireStrange · 19/06/2016 16:41

Jessie, I've asked about point 1 already. Am awaiting the answer with interest.

Point 3: Grin

jennielou75 · 19/06/2016 16:53

Is this butterfly in disguise having another go?

kawliga · 19/06/2016 16:55

OP you should cancel the cheque.

But seriously, this is nothing to do with being 'horsey' or not, it's basic good manners, honesty and trustworthiness not to do what the sitter did.

DesolateWaist · 19/06/2016 16:55

And that is why the horse owner has a legal responsibility to make very clear the dangers and responsibilities to the house sitter (who isn't experienced with horses). To not do that is negligent.

Well by that token I hope she also told her to not stick her hand in the blender, shove a knife in a toaster or dry her hair in the bath.

wheresthetea · 19/06/2016 16:58

"If you have left you car keys on the kitchen table, that could have been your tacit permission to use the car."

Are you serious? When you're a guest at your friend's house do you see the keys to their car lying around and think 'Ooh lovely, I'll take it for a spin'?

peachpudding · 19/06/2016 17:10

Seems posters have no interest in what I am actually saying. I am not saying the house sitter was correct in what she did. I am making a point about the legal responsibility of the house owner.

The house sitter was essentially a paid employee with a contract. She was looking after the animals as well as the house and had permission to show her the family the horses. Had anything bad happened the employer would have been legally liable. The employee had been told not to feed the horses but she was not told she could not use the horses in the manner in which they are normally used and she had not been warned of any dangers they posed.

Even if the employee was guilty of doing something they shouldn't, the employer would still be responsible for the neglect.

jennielou75 · 19/06/2016 17:12

Yep style is very similar.....butterflypeachpudding anyone or am I being ignorant!!

SapphireStrange · 19/06/2016 17:13

show her family the horses

The operative word being SHOW. Not lead. Not sit on. SHOW.

People are not uninterested in what you're saying, peach; we're just saying that what you're saying is rubbish.

sparechange · 19/06/2016 17:17

Peach, you are embarrassing yourself.

The housesitter was a self employed contractor. There is nothing that suggests they have employee status.

There is absolutely no legal responsibility on the householder to spell out what the sitter must not do. Th contract would establish what they should do, and nothing more.

I would guess that zero MNers have been given an exhaustive list of things they cannot do at work. Why on earth you think OP should be the first person on earth to is baffling.

Mummyme1987 · 19/06/2016 17:17

I wouldn't worry about libel op. You need very deep pockets to start a court case for libel or slander! Very deep.

kawliga · 19/06/2016 17:24

A contract is simply a binding agreement to do something for a fee. Doesn't make the sitter an employee. Also laughing at warning about the dangers. You'd have to list everything in your house and how it can cause injury.

I knew a sitter who let out the house she was sitting to three homeless men. I guess there was nothing in her contract that said 'do not let out our house to homeless men while we are away'. So technically, she did nothing wrong - to this day she doesn't see what she did wrong. Owners only knew about it when neighbours emailed them to say 'hope you're having a great time on your holiday, look forward to seeing the pics, and by the way who are the three strange men living in your house?'

PuppyMonkey · 19/06/2016 17:37

I also know nothing about horses but am now extremely interested in how to become a professional house-sitter at £600 a week. I'd be very competent at just sitting and looking at the horses in any case. Grin

mypropertea · 19/06/2016 17:48

If she was experienced then she would know she needs insurance and permission to work other people's animals.

TSSDNCOP · 19/06/2016 17:56

Slander is spoken, libel is written. And she'd have to prove what you've written is inaccurate, which it isn't presumably.

TSSDNCOP · 19/06/2016 18:03

Peach are you totally Beetroot bonofido Grin

With thanks to the late great VW.

Crispbutty · 19/06/2016 18:08

anyone want to lay bets on this appearing in the DM tomorrow??

chickettychick · 19/06/2016 18:15

What a cheeky sod! What if one of the horses was just a companion and unable to be ridden due to health or temperament? If someone had done this to me with my old pony they would be in hospital.

What an incredibly stupid thing to do. And to use all of your hats?? Idiot idiot idiot

londonrach · 19/06/2016 18:17

Vvv high crisp, sadly. Dm you are not allowed to use any of my comments!