HOW TO HIRE · PETS

How to hire a house sitter in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

A live-in sitter needs no licence. Here is what to check and agree in writing.

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THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a house sitter in five steps

  1. Meet in personAt your home, with the pets.
  2. Check referencesFrom other homeowners, by phone.
  3. Write the agreementPets' care, house rules, visitors, car use, bills, emergencies.
  4. Sort keys, alarm and contactsAnd a neighbour who knows the sitter.
  5. Agree updatesDaily messages and photos.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

No register applies

A house sitter visiting your home needs no licence in any UK nation. The animal licensing schemes cover businesses that house other people's animals; Defra's guidance for England names sitters and walkers working in the owner's home as outside them.

Ask for references from regular clients and meet before the first booking. gov.uk →

Keys, alarm and access

A house sitter will hold your keys and alarm code. Ask how they keep them, whether the keys are tagged without your address, and whether their insurance pays to change the locks if keys are lost.

Put key and alarm arrangements in the booking message.

Animal welfare law

The welfare law follows the animal, not the owner. In England and Wales the Animal Welfare Act 2006 treats anyone in charge of an animal, even for a day, as responsible for its needs; Scotland's Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 and Northern Ireland's Welfare of Animals Act 2011 impose the same kind of duty on a house sitter.

Ask for their emergency plan and which vet they would call for your pets. legislation.gov.uk →

Insurance

There is no compulsory insurance for a house sitter. A professional will carry public liability and cover for the animals they look after, and can tell you the insurer's name and what happens if your pets is injured.

Ask for a copy of the insurance schedule.

VAT

A house sit with pets is standard-rated, so 20% VAT applies to the daily rate for minding the home and the animals. A business whose taxable turnover passes the £90,000 registration threshold must charge it and show it as a separate line on the invoice.

Ask for the VAT number, and whether the day rate for the sit already includes the 20%. gov.uk →

“Have you house-sat with pets like mine?”

A good answer: Specific experience and references.

“How long will the house sitter leave the pets alone each day?”

A good answer: A clear answer; dogs need company and walks.

“Are you insured as a house sitter?”

A good answer: Yes — public liability, animal care and keys.

“What are your house rules on visitors?”

A good answer: None without your agreement.

“What will you do in an emergency?”

A good answer: Call your vet, then you.

“Who covers if you are ill?”

A good answer: A named backup.

“Will you water plants, take in post and put bins out?”

A good answer: Listed in the agreement.

Getting the quote right

  • Who actually attends and sleeps in your home — the sitter you met, or another the business sends, employed or subcontracted
  • Daily rate and dates
  • Pets and tasks included
  • House tasks included
  • Food, travel and cancellation terms
  • The VAT number, and VAT on the house sit shown as its own line

Walk away if

  • No references
  • No written agreement
  • Long absences from the house
  • No insurance
LOW
£37
TYPICAL
£44
HIGH
£80

What a house sitter costs: £37–£80 per day

House sitting with pets is priced per day, by the animals, the size of house and garden and the dates, with any travel or food costs agreed. 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.

  1. MeetThe sitter meets you and the pets.
  2. AgreementHouse rules and care written down.
  3. HandoverKeys, alarm, contacts, routines.
  4. The stayPet care, house tasks and daily updates.
  5. HandbackHouse and pets handed back; keys returned.

Live-in sitter
A sitter who stays in your home.
House rules
What the sitter may and may not do.
Daily rate
The price per day.
Key cover
Insurance for lost keys.
Emergency contact
A local person who can step in.
Care sheet
Instructions for each pet.

AFTER

When the job is done

Walk round the houseEverything as agreed.
Check the petsEating, energy and mood.
Get keys and codes backAnd change codes if needed.
Review it honestlyYour review helps the next customer choose. Under four stars, Locufy offers the sitter the chance to put it right first — then the review is published.

STEP 1Tell the house sitter, in writingSay what went wrong — with the pets or the house — and what you want. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 the service must be provided with reasonable care and skill.
STEP 2Make-it-right, then reviewA rating below four stars for this house sitter opens the make-it-right step: you choose whether the sitter hears about it first, we chase it, and the review follows.
STEP 3Trading Standards, through the helplineThere is no licensing body for a house sitter. If the sitter will not put things right, the consumer helpline for your nation can refer it to Trading Standards — Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133 in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 800 9060, and Consumerline on 0300 123 6262 in Northern Ireland.
STEP 4The court, as a last stepFor a house sitter dispute that will not settle, the small claims route covers up to £10,000 in England and Wales, up to £5,000 in Scotland and up to £5,000 in Northern Ireland; the court fee depends on the amount claimed.

Hiring a house sitter: questions people ask

No. No licence applies to house sitting with pets in any UK nation, because the animals stay in their own home.

None is compulsory; public liability, animal care and key cover are normal.

The house sitter, while in charge; welfare law in each nation makes them responsible for the animals' needs.

Most people pay between £37 and £80 per day; £44 is the typical figure. The house sitting with pets price guide shows what changes it, and a search above lists house sitters nearby.

Check your policy; some have conditions when someone else is living in the house.

Tell the sitter in writing. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 the service must be provided with reasonable care and skill.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in pets

How to hire: Pet SittingHow to hire: Cat SittingHow to hire: Dog WalkingHow to hire: Dog BoardingHow to hire: Small Animal CareHow to hire: Bird CareHow to hire: Reptile CareHow to hire: Puppy VisitsAll 701 hiring guides →

House sitters near you

House sitters in LondonHouse sitters in ManchesterHouse sitters in BirminghamHouse sitters in GlasgowHouse sitters in BelfastAll house sitters on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. gov.uk (Defra) — dog day care licensing guidance
  2. Animal Welfare Act 2006, section 3 — responsibility for animals
  3. Animal Welfare Act 2006, section 9 — duty to ensure welfare
  4. Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, section 24
  5. Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 2011, section 9
  6. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 — reasonable care and skill
  7. gov.uk — make a court claim for money: court fees
  8. mygov.scot — make a court claim for money
  9. nidirect — small claims process
  10. VAT rates — VAT rates for goods and services: standard rate 20% on most goods and services
  11. GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register