My first house and pet sitting gig was in a beach house at Gerroa, NSW

When I first wrote this post I had only done house and pet sitting twice as the pandemic got in the way of my plans. By now, as I update this post, my repertoire of house sitting gigs has increased ten fold. So in this post I can confidently answer your questions about what house sitting is and how to become a house sitter in Australia for free accommodation. Plus, provide lots of tips and tricks on how you can do this while living, working and playing in Australia. So let’s get your house and pet sitting adventures in Australia started to get you free accommodation as you travel Australia.

What is House and Pet Sitting?

House sitting is where you live in someone else’s home and look after it while they are away. As well as looking after the house you may need to look after pets, plants and do small jobs like take the garage bin out on bin night. And if you are wondering how long house and pet sitting gigs are for, well, you could find yourself house sitting for a weekend, a week, a month or longer. For the homeowner, they get peace of mind that their home, pets and plants are being well cared for. And you get free accommodation and use of the house or certain areas of it. That’s a win-win I say!

PS: Sometimes you may be paid to house and pet sit. I highly suggest if you are being paid to get the terms and the amount down in writing so there are no disagreements at the end of the house sit.

Why Become a House Sitter

As with everything there are pros and cons to house sitting and pet sitting. And if you are wondering why become a house sitter, well check out all the pros to discover why.

Pros of House Sitting in Australia

There are a number of benefits to why you should become a house sitter.

• Save loads of money on accommodation costs. Yep, the biggest pro of house sitting is the money you will save on accommodation costs. When you travel, accommodation is one of the biggest costs and so getting free accommodation house sitting, will definitely help you save money, particularly if you are traveling Australia on a budget.
• House sitting enables you to stay in areas you may not normally have stayed in. You will be able to immerse yourself in the local area and discover places you may not have discovered otherwise.
• You can also travel from one house sit to the next, at your own pace, to the next house sit.
• Having access to a kitchen will also help you save on food costs as you will be able to cook for yourself. This will help you live a healthier lifestyle as sometimes when travelling we can over indulge in out out for meals, and if you eat too many hamburgers, it can lead to health problems.
• Another reason to experience house sitting is to see whether you like the area or not, just in case you are considering a more permanent move.

Cons of House Sitting in Australia

• Sometimes, the accommodation may be a long distance from local services. If you don’t have access to a car then you will be reliant on public transport to get around – if there is any!
• And sometimes, a house sit may not be what you expected for different reasons – the place could be dirty or the animal doesn’t like you.

How to Become a House Sitter and Pet Sitter in Australia

If you are wondering how do you become a house sitter in Australia, well, I have found these three ways.

1. Word of Mouth

The first way to find a house sitting job is through word of mouth of friends, family and acquaintances. This is how I got my first house sitting gig through a friend. It gave me the taste for it.

2. Facebook Groups

The second way is through local Facebook groups. There are many of them now where you can find house and pet sitting gigs while travelling Australia. If you search ‘house and pet sitting’ you will discover a number of house and pet sitting groups pop up.

3. Join a Housesitting Website

The third way, and I think the easiest way to start house sitting is to sign up with a house sitting agency on their website. Websites such as Trusted Housesitters have house sitting opportunities all around Australia. Basically you sign up for a minimal fee, then create a profile account. This is more like an advertisement of yourself and/or your partner. The aim of it is for home owners to see your profile and think yes, I would like that person or persons to house sit my home. And you would also refer people to your profile when you are applying for house sitting gigs. So once you register, pay a yearly membership fee you will be able to contact homeowners and organise a house and pet sit.

I think it more advantageous finding house and pet sits through a specialist house and pet sitting website. This is because your membership includes insurance to cover property damage, theft, and public liability protection. It gives peace of mind if little accidents occur. You would need to purchase insurance yourself if you are doing housesitting privately. This isn’t impossible, but it’s one less thing you have to worry about. There are a number of house and pet sitting agencies around the world, one I have joined and use is Trusted Housesitters. This is by far the best house sitting website on the net for finding house and pet sitting gigs in Australia.

When you join you will set up a profile account so home owners can find you and you can apply for house sitting jobs.

How To Contact a Potential Home Owner

Once you have registered with a housesitting agency you will have access to a list of home owners seeking a house and pet sitter. If you see a house sit of interest I suggest you apply for it as early as possible because they can go quickly. Also, some house sits can get a couple of hundred applications. This is why you need a profile account telling home owners about yourself and your experience. When contacting the home owner you should include in your message as much information about yourself as possible. Who you are and why you should be the one to sit for them. Hopefully they will get back to you within a few days to discuss the house sitting gig further. You should try to arrange a call to discuss and finalise the details with the home owner.

Things to Know about the House Sit

If you are successful in being the one chosen to house sit expect to receive a welcome guide. This should include everything you need for a successful house and pet sit. Or maybe you discussed those details during the initial call. You should receive the address and security information to enter the property so you don’t set any alarms off when you enter. Also, emergency contact details. Any instructions for the house maintenance including water plants. And a list of possible jobs and what days to do them such as putting the rubbish bins out on a particular night.

If there are pets to look after you will want to know how to care for them. The owner should leave food or money for you to buy food for the pets. You will want to know the pets routine such as their walking routine. Other things that I like to find out are how to use the TV remotes and what is the Wi-Fi password.

Can you make money while house sitting?

You don’t get paid to house and pet sit, you get a free place to stay. So with your accommodation costs covered, it is up to you how you spend your time. Well, to a certain degree. As long as you complete all the tasks you need to do the rest of your time is yours. So if you want to make some money by getting some work or working remotely that is totally up to you.

Is house sitting safe?

I think house sitting is safe. It is just like staying in an AirBnB or short term holiday rental. While I cannot make any guarantees about the character of the homeowner I do suggest you find places to house sit through the house sitting websites like Trusted Housesitters. Because the owner, just like you, has to pay to join the website, be vetted, and offer their home. And these agencies ensure the owners are reputable, just like you. However, I must admit I did find the first couple of nights in my house sit a little scary as I wasn’t use to the noises of the night. But once I got use to the noises and ensured the house was locked up I felt at ease.

A typical House and Pet Sitting day

Daily walks with the dog.

A typical day house and pet sitting will vary from day to day and house sit to house sit. To give you an example of a typical day, I will tell you about a typical day on my first house and pet sit. I woke up at a convenient time, well actually being licked on the face by a hungry dog. Fed the dog. Made a coffee. Made breakfast. Take dog for a walk along the beach. Home and do some work or sightseeing. Late afternoon take dog for another walk. It’s not bin night so I don’t need to put the bins out. Check the letter box to see if any post. Dinner. Share couch with my fury friend while watching TV. Bed.

Are You Ready to Start House and Pet Sitting?

So there you have it, my take on house and pet sitting in Australia. House sitting is a great way to save costs on accommodation as you travel around Australia. This is because we always need somewhere to stay each night and paying for accommodation is one of the biggest expenses a traveller has. So getting free accommodation in return for minimal effort of just being there and looking after pets is great. As many of the house sits are not in the centre of major towns – though it could be – you will be able to immerse yourself in the local area and what it has to offer.

Another way to get free accommodation as you travel Australia is to get a job that includes accommodation as part of the package.

READ MORE: 10 Types of Accommodation in Australia