To think this is a ridiculous price?

[VibesCurator]

First time getting a housesitter for my 2 dogs as a family member who used to watch them moved away. I got quoted £40 total per day by a sitter, AIBU for thinking this is ridiculous?

I'm not boarding them, the sitter would be staying in my house using my gas and electric. I have replied to them as much, but now that I am looking around at more sitters, it seems like an average price. How much does everyone else pay?

Yep, that's the type of thing I say to clients who try to low-ball or complain about my rates (I'm not a dog sitter). Also, she's right, but if you can't afford it, you need to look at another way for your dogs to be taken care of.

Sorry, am I understanding this a person stays in your home, feeds, cares for & walks the dog? And they are only charging you £40, that seems like a bargain…. Given they are with the animal 24/7, thats about £1.66 an hour. Why would you grumble at that?

Don't you think dog sitters should be paid enough to pay their bills or is it only you that deserves a wage ? If you can't pay stay at home.

broke or just cheap, you know this is a job for people dont you, minimum wage is over £12 an hour for someone over 21.

I think you need to consider what you are actually asking of someone! £40 isn’t much for someone’s time and presumably for having to walk the dogs, feed them and clean up after them ect! Not sure I’d do it for £40 a day….. also her response was fine considering what you said to her! If you don’t want to pay it, don’t go away. It’s simple!

That is bloody cheap - my charges £50 a day and goes out and walks dogs for 4. Hours - £40 for 24 hour care?

Blimey I thought house sitters did it for free and the change of scenery , I’ve clearly misunderstood it . - I do borrow my doggy and frequently have doggy’s for a week , in one case 3 weeks and don’t charge -

I think her response was justified considering, by your ‘I told her as much’ comment, looks like you went back and undermined her value of her time and experience.

I think £40/ day is cheap, and I’m not in London, or anywhere in the south of England.

If you want to pay £20, ask a local teenager to do it, who won’t have the insurance and experience of a professional, nor will they have had the relevant background checks to ensure they can be trusted in your home. Pay peanuts and all that…

As a petsitter, I'm so glad to see the voting on this! We look after your dogs - walking, feeding, playing, cuddling, comforting, letting them sleep on our bed if that's what they're used to, and making sure they're safe and well. It can also be giving medication and care. I'm the one who has to take your dog to the vet if it becomes unwell and solve any problems that arise. Not only that, but I'm taking in parcels, watering plants, often mowing the lawn or doing bits of gardening, and keeping the house secure by being in it. With dogs, I usually can't go out any further than the nearest shop and back (and sometimes not even that), and I can't have friends or partner round. I pay for all my own food while I'm there.

Honestly, I charge more than £40 per day and for two dogs I think that's an unbelievable bargain. You can get people to do it for free but you have to have a nice house in an interesting or beautiful area, and accept that they may leave your dogs for 4 - 6 hours (or more) a day so that they can go sightseeing. By contrast, I'm trained in animal first aid, fully insured, and experienced with all kinds of animal care, and I stay with your dogs 24/7 because it's my job, not a holiday. I think I'm worth what I charge and honestly I would charge more if it weren't for groups like 'trusted housesitters' who keep the prices down.

Luckily, my clients appreciate what I do and I don't need to beg for business from people who don't value the service. I turn down sits from people like you, OP, because I don't believe you care enough about your dogs and that leaves me and them in a vulnerable situation when you go away. Good dog owners find a way for them to be cared for properly when they're away, whether it be friends, family, kennels or a sitter.

So they don’t need to be fed, given fresh water, let out into the garden? You want someone to commit to being available for all the care your dogs need for no cost beyond the £20 you’re willing to pay for a one hour walk?

You’re lucky they even bothered to send you a reply (which appears to have offended you by implying you’re broke. Better than calling it as it is and saying you’re tight and unreasonable)

How do you expect them to make a living on less than £40 a day - I actually thought it would be much more ! Maybe should have looked at price before responding

Thats very cheap, I would charge at least £75 a day for just one dog, £125 for 2. £40 a day works out at about £3 an hour!

That’s really cheap. They usually charge by the hour and more for weekends

You are paying for their time, they could be earning that (and more) elsewhere. Honestly £40 seems very reasonable to me.

My friend has a small pug. Someone wanted £300 for a week to look after it in their own home 😳

You’re paying for a 24hr service. They aren’t doing you a favour by looking after your dogs!

So £20 per dog per day, and she’s going to walk them, play with them, feed them, cuddle them and be with them overnight too? £40 per day for that commitment seems cheap.

Are you insured to have them in your home? Usually requires a council boarding licence.
Are the dogs insured by the Owner

these informal agreements are common and ok if things go well but - if a dog escaped and caused a traffic accident or bit someone you'd potentially be facing expensive compensation claims or even criminal records for allowing a dog to be out of control in public

Wow, you are someone that those of us working in the petcare industry would hate to work for ! You have zero understanding of what it entails, they are giving up their home/other half/kids/own pets to look after yours, £40 is cheap !

I think that’s quite good. I wouldn’t give up my whole day for less to be honest.

That’s cheap !

I pay £50 a day for 2 dogs a kennel! £40 is cheap, they are in the comfort of their own home with their own beds etc, I wouldn’t expect to pay any less to be honest. I assume they get a walk per day too, a dog walker around here is £14 per dog, maybe 2 would be say £20ish so I don’t know what you are expecting?

Well then, even that is a lot more than £40 per day. You expect someone to stay in your house and look after your dogs for less than £40 per day??? How much gas and electricity do you think they will use? They have to make a living, paying them in gas doesn’t really pay their bills!!! Book the dogs into a kennel if you don’t want to pay that!

It is a ridiculous price, a ridiculously cheap price. I have paid double that and more (we have cats too) and I have been glad to. If they have the relevant insurance and experience then I would advise you to snap them up.

That’s a perfect reply to be fair