HOW TO HIRE · PERSONAL & LIFESTYLE · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a house sitter in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A house sitter in Ireland costs €30–€90 per day, typically around €50. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.
- Search and compare — no account needed
- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a house sitter in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers house sitter work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — pet Care Services — many house sitters offer pet care services, which can include walking dogs, administering medication, and providing companionship.
- How does duration of the stay change the price?The time agreed is what the quote is built on. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does number of pets change the price?The headcount decides how many people have to be there. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does any special requirements like administering medication change the price?Anything bespoke takes longer to plan before it is made. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Basic Care Duties — house sitters typically provide essential care for your home, including feeding pets, watering plants, and collecting mail — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a house sitter job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
No register applies
NO REGISTER APPLIES to chefs, stylists, organisers, errand runners or concierges. You are buying somebody's time, taste and access to your home, so the checks are about trust and what is written down rather than about law.
Look for the trader badge and the ID-checked badge on the Locufy profile — both are checked by us, not claimed by the provider.
What to check instead
Whether they are a trader — a business name and an invoice, not a favour with money attached; Public liability insurance, and who the insurer is; For anyone in your home unaccompanied, references you actually telephone; For food, whether they hold food-safety training and where the food is prepared; Exactly what the hours cover and what counts as extra; Keys and access in writing: who holds what, and how it comes back.
Ask for each of these before you agree a price, and get the answers in the same message as the quote.
Insurance
Expect public liability; for food work, ask about product liability too. You are booking an individual for a set number of hours, so ask whether the ID has been checked and what the rating is from people who booked the same way — there is no company behind them to carry either.
Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.
Trader or private seller
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.
Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.
VAT
VAT at 13.5%, the reduced rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. An individual working under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge VAT at all, and does not have a VAT number to give you.
Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →
A good answer: No register covers house sitter work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — pet Care Services — many house sitters offer pet care services, which can include walking dogs, administering medication, and providing companionship.
A good answer: The time agreed is what the quote is built on. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: The headcount decides how many people have to be there. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Anything bespoke takes longer to plan before it is made. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Basic Care Duties — house sitters typically provide essential care for your home, including feeding pets, watering plants, and collecting mail — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a house sitter job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
A good answer: Expect public liability; for food work, ask about product liability too — long-term House Sitting — ideal for homeowners who are away for extended periods, providing continuous care and maintenance.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the house sitter starts, and an itemised invoice after — emergency House Sitting — A service for urgent situations where a homeowner needs someone to look after their property on short notice.
Booking by the hour
- The rate per hour, and whether it changes in the evening or at a weekend
- The minimum booking, and what happens if the job finishes early
- What they bring and what you supply
- Whether the ID has been checked, and the rating from people who booked the same way
- Insurance, where the work can damage something or somebody
- The hours and the list of what is to be done, agreed before the first one
Walk away if
- They will not talk about it: duration of the stay — the time agreed is what the quote is built on
- They will not talk about it: number of pets — the headcount decides how many people have to be there
- They will not talk about it: any special requirements like administering medication — anything bespoke takes longer to plan before it is made
- A price for the house sitter before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
- Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
- No written quote, or one that moves once the house sitter has begun
What a house sitter costs: €30–€90 per day
The figures are for the job, per day, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Pet care house sitting and Plant care house sitting each carry their own band. House Sitter price guide →
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE
House sitters near you, with the badges that matter shown
ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you.
- Look firstDuration of the stay — the time agreed is what the quote is built on — that is what the house sitter is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneNumber of pets — the headcount decides how many people have to be there — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfAny special requirements like administering medication — anything bespoke takes longer to plan before it is made — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherSize of the property — a bigger job is harder to fit into a gap in the diary — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the house sitter is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, specific responsibilities involved — the level of service you pick is the price you pay.
- Basic Care Duties
- House sitters typically provide essential care for your home, including feeding pets, watering plants, and collecting mail.
- Pet Care Services
- Many house sitters offer pet care services, which can include walking dogs, administering medication, and providing companionship.
- Pet Care House Sitting
- This involves taking care of pets, including feeding, walking, and providing companionship while the owners are away.
- Emergency House Sitting
- A service for urgent situations where a homeowner needs someone to look after their property on short notice.
- Long-term House Sitting
- Ideal for homeowners who are away for extended periods, providing continuous care and maintenance.
- Call-out
- A fixed charge for turning up, separate from the work itself. On a short house sitter job it is often most of the bill, so ask whether the first hour is inside it.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a house sitter: questions people ask
The cost of house sitting can vary based on factors such as the duration of the stay, the number of pets, and any special requirements like administering medication. Additionally, the location and the sitter's experience can also play a significant role in pricing.
House sitters can typically stay for varying durations, from a few hours for a single visit to several weeks for extended care. The length of stay often depends on the homeowner's needs and the sitter's availability.
Generally, house sitters do not need specialised qualifications unless specific tasks are required, such as handling complex pet care or maintenance issues. Most sitters are capable of managing basic care and security needs.
Many house sitters offer emergency or same-day availability, but this can depend on their current commitments. It's advisable to check with potential sitters about their availability for last-minute bookings.
House sitters usually do not handle extensive maintenance or repairs, such as electrical or plumbing work. Their primary role is to care for your home and pets, so any specialised tasks should be managed by qualified professionals.
NO REGISTER APPLIES to chefs, stylists, organisers, errand runners or concierges. You are buying somebody's time, taste and access to your home, so the checks are about trust and what is written down rather than about law.
MORE GUIDES