House Sitting Abroad Checklist

Create TrustedHousesitters account

Sign up, verify email, and enable direct messages on the platform.

Complete profile with experience and clear bio

List pet types, home skills, languages, and availability.

Upload recent photos and verify ID

Include a headshot, pet-care photos, and finish platform ID checks.

Gather and add references or reviews

Request pet-owner or personal references and link past reviews.

Schedule a pre-sit video call with the homeowner

Cover expectations, daily routines, and any house quirks.

Agree dates, fees, and written terms

Confirm arrival/departure times, compensation, and extra tasks.

Record pet routines and medication plan

Detail feeding times, walk lengths, meds, doses, and behavior cues.

Collect emergency vet contacts and pet health records

Get clinic name, phone, address, insurance and vaccination info.

Request house access instructions and key exchange plan

Confirm locks, alarm codes, key handoff, and backup key location.

Conduct a home walkthrough and take dated photos

Photograph each room, appliances, and any pre-existing damage.

Clarify house rules and utility instructions

Ask about wifi, heating, garbage days, parking, and quiet hours.

Locate nearby emergency services and essential shops

Identify the nearest vet, pharmacy, grocery, and pet store.

Set a daily check-in routine with the homeowner

Agree on frequency, preferred contact method, and emergency triggers.

Secure travel documents and appropriate insurance

Confirm passport/visa rules and buy travel or caregiver insurance as needed.

Perform a final tidy handover and return keys

Clean, restock basics, note any issues, and hand back keys as agreed.

Write an honest post-sit review for the homeowner

Leave a constructive review and update your references on the platform.