House Sitting References Guide For Beginners

References are very important for housesitters. They are one of the most important things for homeowners to consider when considering you for a house-sit or boat-sit job.

Unfortunately, this can make things quite difficult when starting out.

We have looked after almost 60 homes worldwide, so we have 60+ references from real homeowners. This makes landing dream house sitting assignments much, much easier than when we first started out with limited references.

But don’t stress, we all have to start somewhere, and trust us, we have been there. But unlike us, you don’t have to figure out exactly how to build some references as a house sitter – when you don’t have any, we will show you how!

Along our journey to becoming professional housesitters, we have picked up a few tips and tricks regarding references and reviews, which will make the start of your journey much, much easier than ours was!

In this post, you will learn:

1. Why references are important
2. What can you use as a reference (even if you think you have none)?
3. Who you can ask for references.
4. All about government/police reference checks.
5. How to display and pass on your references.

Why Are House Sitting References Important?

First, let’s discuss why references are important. The main reason is that homeowners do not know you, and they want to know more about you from the perspective of someone you have worked with or for in the past or know personally.

When we surveyed our community of over 70,000 housesitters and homeowners, we found that 51% of homeowners will hire a housesitter with references, whereas 38% said, “I like to give beginners a chance,” and 11% said, “They don’t mind if you do or don’t have references.”

This gives the homeowner a fair, non-biased view of you. Plus, if you’re looking for house sitting in exchange for rent, then getting your references is super important! Sure, you can spend all day telling the homeowner about yourself, but they need proof to back up what you say, right?

What You Can Use For House Sitting References

The number one problem we had when we started house-sitting was not having any references, or so we thought.

References are a little bit easier to accumulate than you may think. Although they might not all be previous house-sitting references, you can gather enough references from other sources to show the homeowner you are reliable and trustworthy.

Family / Friends You Have Looked After Homes or Pets For

At some stage, we have all looked after a family member, friend, or neighbor’s house or pet. This is house-sitting! (I bet you are thinking right now, ‘well then I have house sat before.)

That wasn’t too hard. Contact these people and ask them to write a review for your services. The more, the merrier!

Airbnb Reviews

If you have ever used Airbnb (or similar), there is a good chance your host reviewed you. This is good news! The homeowner will appreciate Airbnb reviews because they are from someone who doesn’t know you. 

This will give the homeowner more insight into you than a family or friend—who is usually never going to say a bad word about you!

Teachers/ Bosses/ Credible Family Friends or Public Figures

We have all gone to school or have a family or friend with a credible job. Have one of them write a character reference for you. The longer you have known this person the better. It will give the homeowner a good overview of you from someone trustworthy. 

Think of any family friends who might be doctors, lawyers, police officers, or community leaders. 

Your Workplace and Co-Workers

This is a great place to get a reference, especially if you have worked for or with someone long enough. This will have some weight behind it. If a homeowner can see your peers or boss of 10 years gives you a good review and character reference, you must be in a good position to look after their home, right?

Your Social Media Presence

When I say social media profile, I am not talking about your Instagram full of selfies or you at the beach sipping mimosas. 

I am talking about any credible online presence you have. Are there any Facebook pages or groups you manage relevant to house sitting or show that you are reliable and trustworthy? 

Do not pass on your social media profiles if they have any photos or posts of you being irresponsible, partying, showing strong cultural or political views, or anything else that might immediately turn the homeowner off you.

Personal Website

Do you have your website? Obviously, it is better if it is about house sitting, animals, or relevant to what you are applying for.

Make your own website and put your references, skills, and links to relevant sites. If you pass this on to the homeowner, they will appreciate the extra effort you have put into showcasing your skills.

We have obtained some of our best houses from homeowners who found our website and contacted us!

Charity Work or Community Group Work

Are you involved in any local community groups or charity organisations? Have a reference written by the head honcho of that group. This is a great way to show the homeowner you are trustworthy, compassionate, and responsible.

Animal Experience

Have you done any volunteer work with animals? Or do you work with animals? 9 times out of 10 your house sitting assignment will involve animals and there is no better way to show a homeowner that you are the right person for the job than to have a reference with you taking care of animals!

Knowing that you have experience with animals is the puurfect peace of mind for most homeowners.

If you have no experience with animals, it’s worth heading to your local SPCA or vet and asking if any courses or training days are coming up that you can attend —and then get a certificate or reference for.

Handyman Experience

This is the same for any handy work you may have done. Remember, you will be looking after someone’s home and they want to know that you are responsible and know what to do if something happens while they are away.

We recommend heading into your local hardware store and asking if they know of any courses or training you can take to upskill yourself in the basics of home care. Then, you can always ask them for a reference or certificate as proof for the homeowner.

Government or Police Reference Checks For House Sitting

This gets its category because regardless of whether you have any of the above or not, a government or police check is something we can all obtain. It is also something that we recommend everyone who is looking to start becoming a house sitter obtains.

How you obtain one, the cost, and how long it takes differ from country to country, so I can’t give specifics here. However, I have collected all the information I can find for around 20 countries about how you can obtain your government/police reference check.

If your country is not listed, I’m sorry. I tried my best. Please feel free to pass on any relevant information so I can update this document!

How to Collate and Show Your References

So, it would be best if you had a few references in your hot little hands by now.

What do you do with them?

First, I advise scanning them and converting them into PDFs on your computer. Then, put them all into a folder and keep adding to it as you gain more references.

Make sure you know where to find them so that you have everything you need when you apply for a house sit.

An even better idea is to upload everything to an online drive. That way, you can pass on the link to a homeowner, and they have access to everything. This gives the homeowner the ultimate access to your reference base.

A tip we have picked up along our house-sitting journey is that when you initially apply for a house-sitting position, attach a couple of references or a link to your online reference drive. This will allow them to check you out before even needing to reply—this can put you miles ahead of your competition!

Need Help Getting Started With House Sitting?

Well, that’s about it for references, I hope that this has helped you and changed your mind from think ‘I have no house sitting references’.

We love sharing our house-sitting experiences and teaching others how to become house-sitters and start their journeys. 

So, if you need help starting your house-sitting journey, see my resources here, and don’t hesitate to contact me and ask me any questions.