HOW TO HIRE · PETS · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a house sitter in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A house sitting with pets in Ireland costs €30–€80 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 — routine Maintenance — house sitting can also include light cleaning and maintenance tasks.
- How does number of pets change the price?A larger group needs more hands on the day. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does their needs change the price?It sets how much preparation the job needs. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does duration of the sitting change the price?An extra hour on the day is usually charged at the same rate. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Health Monitoring — sitters often monitor the health and well-being of your pets, looking for any signs of illness or distress — 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 LICENCE OR REGISTER APPLIES TO DOG WALKERS, PET SITTERS OR GROOMERS IN IRELAND. Anyone may trade as one. The protection is insurance and what is written down — and the insurance that matters is not the obvious one.
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
CARE, CUSTODY AND CONTROL cover, not just public liability — public liability pays if your dog bites a stranger; care, custody and control is what pays if your dog is injured, lost or killed while in their charge, and plenty of walkers carry only the first; How many dogs are walked at once, and whether yours is walked with strangers' dogs; Whether they are insured to drive your dog in their vehicle, and how it is secured; What happens if your dog is hurt or runs — the plan, and which vet; Keys: who holds one, how it is returned, what happens if it is lost, in writing; Two references from current clients, called not read.
Ask for each of these before you agree a price, and get the answers in the same message as the quote.
Insurance
Expect care, custody and control cover as well as public liability. From a company, ask for the insurer, the limit and the VAT number, and ask who actually attends: the team that turns up may be employed, subcontracted or both, and only one of those is supervised by the firm you are paying.
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 23%, the standard rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.
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 — routine Maintenance — house sitting can also include light cleaning and maintenance tasks.
A good answer: A larger group needs more hands on the day. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: It sets how much preparation the job needs. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: An extra hour on the day is usually charged at the same rate. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Health Monitoring — sitters often monitor the health and well-being of your pets, looking for any signs of illness or distress — 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 care, custody and control cover as well as public liability — pet Care Services — house sitting with pets typically includes feeding, walking, and playing with your pets.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the house sitter starts, and an itemised invoice after — dog Sitting — involves taking care of dogs, including walking, feeding, and providing companionship.
Getting the quote right
- Number of pets — a larger group needs more hands on the day.
- Their needs — it sets how much preparation the job needs.
- Duration of the sitting — an extra hour on the day is usually charged at the same rate.
- Complexity of care required — the more the brief departs from the usual, the more it costs.
- In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
- What is NOT included, named
- Who actually attends, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
- The VAT number, and whether it checks out on the Revenue register
Walk away if
- They will not talk about it: number of pets — a larger group needs more hands on the day
- They will not talk about it: their needs — it sets how much preparation the job needs
- They will not talk about it: duration of the sitting — an extra hour on the day is usually charged at the same rate
- 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–€80 per day
The figures are for the job, per day, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Dog sitting and Cat sitting each carry their own band. House Sitting with Pets 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 firstNumber of pets — a larger group needs more hands on the day — 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 doneTheir needs — it sets how much preparation the job needs — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfDuration of the sitting — an extra hour on the day is usually charged at the same rate — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherComplexity of care required — the more the brief departs from the usual, the more it costs — 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, distance the sitter must travel to your home — a provider already working nearby can quote more keenly.
- Pet Care Services
- House sitting with pets typically includes feeding, walking, and playing with your pets.
- Health Monitoring
- Sitters often monitor the health and well-being of your pets, looking for any signs of illness or distress.
- Routine Maintenance
- House sitting can also include light cleaning and maintenance tasks.
- Dog Sitting
- Involves taking care of dogs, including walking, feeding, and providing companionship.
- 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.
- Scope
- Exactly what is and is not being done, written down before anyone starts. Two quotes for a house sitter are only comparable when they are quoting the same scope.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a house sitter: questions people ask
The cost can vary based on the number of pets, their needs, and the duration of the sitting. Additional services, like administering medication or providing special care, can also increase the price.
House sitting jobs can range from a few hours to several days or weeks, depending on the owner's needs. It's important to discuss the expected duration with the sitter beforehand.
While many house sitters can care for general pets, specific needs may require a qualified specialist, especially for exotic or medical needs. Always check the sitter's experience and qualifications.
Same-day availability can depend on the sitter's schedule and demand. It's advisable to contact potential sitters as early as possible to secure their services.
Yes, many sitters offer package deals for multiple jobs, such as house sitting combined with dog walking or pet grooming. Discuss your needs directly with the sitter to arrange this.
House sitters usually do not perform major maintenance or repairs, such as plumbing or electrical work. Their primary focus is on pet care and home security.
MORE GUIDES