We’ve been house-sitting for over ten years and have completed more than 55+ assignments during that time.
Our house-sitting experiences span the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, Montenegro, Malaysia, France, Spain, Italy, the Caribbean, and Turkey.
One of the most common questions is how to find these house-sitting and yacht-sitting opportunities. We use a few different platforms, but most assignments come through TrustedHousesitters. In our experience, it’s the best website for finding local and international house-sitting opportunities.
Since TrustedHousesitters is one of the most popular platforms today, we gave a detailed overview of our experience to help potential new users understand how it works.

Britt walking the pooches through vineyards while your house sits in France.
Table of Contents
Why Trust Our Trusted Housesitters Review?
With countless TrustedHousesitters reviews available online, you might wonder why ours stands out. I’ve been using the platform since 2014. Throughout this journey, I’ve built my profile from the ground up and created a Facebook group with over 132,000 homeowners and house sitters.
I’ve encountered both the highs and lows of house-sitting. In this review, I’ll share my honest, firsthand experiences to help you make a good decision. But first, let’s start with my pros and cons.
Pros
- I find free places to stay worldwide and dive into different cultures.
- I’ve made some incredible connections with pet owners and their furry friends.
- The site is super easy to use, simplifying my life.
- It’s a budget-friendly way to travel since one good sit can pay for my membership.
- The community is really supportive, and there are tons of helpful resources to make things easier.
Cons
- Starting without reviews can be nerve-wracking, but it’s a chance to create a great reputation.
- Sometimes it’s tough to find trustworthy homeowners, so I’ve learned to ask a lot of questions.
- Some places have fewer housesits, but being flexible opens up new adventures.
- While I love hanging out with pets, it can cut into my free time, so I make sure to chat with homeowners about what they expect.
- In certain areas, housesitting is still catching on, which can limit options but can also lead to unique experiences.
Trustedhousesitters Discount Code
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What is Trustedhousesitters?
TrustedHousesitters is an online platform founded in 2010. It is designed to connect homeowners needing pet or house care with trusted housesitters. The platform bridges two groups: homeowners who need someone to look after their homes and pets while away and sitters looking for affordable travel accommodations.

Britt with Sabah during a house sit in Melbourne
What It Offers for Sitters and Homeowners
For sitters:
- Free accommodation: Sitters can stay in homes worldwide, eliminating the cost of hotels or rentals.
- Pet companionship: For animal lovers, TrustedHousesitters offers the opportunity to care for pets in various homes around the globe, from dogs and cats to more exotic pets.
- Global access: House sitters can choose from a wide range of listings in different countries, enabling them to travel with purpose and affordability.
For homeowners:
- Peace of mind: TrustedHousesitters provides pet owners and homeowners a sense of security, knowing their home and pets are cared for by vetted sitters with reviews.
- Detailed profiles: Homeowners can review sitters’ profiles, experience, and reviews to find the right fit for their home and pet care needs.
- No fee exchange: Homeowners aren’t required to pay for pet or house care directly, making it an economical and practical option.
Platform Features
Here are some of the platform features, but we will discuss these in more depth later in the post.
- Listings: Detailed home and sitter profiles.
- Reviews & Ratings: A feedback system for both homeowners and sitters.
- Membership Plans: Tiered plans offering features like insurance and enhanced verification.
- Mobile App: Manage your sits, profiles, and communication easily on the go.

Membership Plans & Pricing
I’m not going to beat around the bush. Trusted Housesitters is the most expensive platform we have encountered. However, we have found it well worth the money, as most house sits are listed there, and you get covered by insurance.
Also, once you lock yourself into a house sit, your membership fee will be paid for itself. We don’t mind that membership fee because, to date, that small $149 per year has saved us over $100,000 in accommodation costs and all the other bills that come with housing.
It is also interesting to note Trusted Housesitters is one of the only platforms that doesn’t favor the homeowner regarding membership fees. Lots of sites seem to charge the house sitter for a membership fee and a much lower fee for homeowners (or no fee at all).
Pricing Overview
We have divided this section into two parts: one for housesitters and one for homeowners. We discuss the membership plans that allow you to do both. You can get a combined membership to book house sitters and try house sitting yourself.
Membership Plans for House Sitters
Basic
- Unlimited Sits
- Free verifications
House Sitters: $129 USD, £99, $109 AUD
Home Owner: $149 USD, £199, $119 AUD
Both Memberships: $209 USD, £179, $169 AUD
Standard
- Unlimited house-sitting opportunities for sitters
- Free, on-demand video calls with vets
- Notifications for unlimited saved searches
- Coverage with accident and third-party liability
- Member support
House Sitters: $169 USD, £129, $149 AUD
Home Owner: $229 USD, £199, $199 AUD
Both Memberships: $309 USD, £239, $279 AUD
Premium
- Unlimited house-sitting opportunities for sitters
- Free, on-demand video calls with vets
- Notifications for unlimited saved searches
- Coverage with accident and third-party liability
- Member support
- Protection for house sit cancellations
- 2 x Airport lounge passes
- Premium badge on your profile
House Sitters: $259 USD, £199, $229 AUD
Home Owner: $299 USD, £249, $239 AUD
Both Memberships: $339 USD, £329, $339 AUD
Is There a Free Trial?
When I updated this (October 2024), Trustedhousesitters didn’t have a free trial. However, I have found that the $149 fee is 1000% worth the investment, as you can barely get an Airbnb for one night for that price these days!

Me with the cats we cared for in Athens. How good is the view from the balcony!
Our Experience With Trustedhousesitters
With over 50 houses under our belts, including 25+ through TrustedHousesitters, we have a wealth of experience to share!
Our journey began in 2014 in London. Our friend had been house-sitting for a colleague, and we thought it was a brilliant idea.
After some research, we created a profile on TrustedHousesitters and started applying for house sits.
We submitted over 20 applications, knowing many listings had numerous contenders. Despite having no reviews yet, we received three responses. After several email exchanges and Skype calls with homeowners, we landed two assignments, starting our exciting house-sitting adventure.
Since then, we have cared for homes across multiple countries, each with its unique charm and experience:
- New Zealand: We enjoyed house-sitting in Jay’s hometown, reconnecting with family, attending weddings, and looking after adorable pets.
- Australia: From vibrant cities to serene countryside, we explored diverse landscapes, and each house sit offered us a chance to engage with local wildlife and culture.
- Italy: Our time in Italy allowed us to immerse ourselves in rich culinary traditions, care for various pets, and enjoy gelato and fresh pasta.
- Carribean: We cared for a cat on a catamaran in the stunning island of Grenada.
- France: While house-sitting near Bordeaux, we indulged in wine tastings and visited local markets while caring for seven friendly cats on a picturesque vineyard property.
- Greece: We experienced stunning coastal views while looking after a beautiful home just south of Athens, discovering local cuisine and culture, and eventually enjoying a relaxing getaway on Karpathos Island.
- Montenegro: During our month-long house sit in Herceg Novi, we fell in love with the stunning Adriatic coastline and vibrant local culture, all while caring for two charming cats.
- Malaysia: Our time here was a culinary adventure, with street food and vibrant markets to explore. We also enjoyed the hospitality of locals while looking after various pets.
- Thailand: Chiang Mai became our base for three months, during which time we established our online business, savored the city’s famous street food, and explored its rich culture.
- Ireland: Navigating Dublin’s rental market through house-sitting helped us discover the city’s hidden gems while enjoying the warmth of Irish hospitality.
- Turkey: Our dream of visiting Turkey came true with a last-minute house sit in Istanbul. We reveled in the local cuisine and historic sights, making unforgettable memories.
Below are some photos from our times in those locations

The cat we cared for in Montenegro checking the view

The boat we cared for in the Carribean

Britt and Ugo after a walk in the park in Rome, Italy

Jay walking the dogs on the beach in Dublin, Ireland


Outside where we housesat in Greece
The Trustedhousesitters App
As far as I know, when writing this Trustedhousesitters review, THS is the only house-sitting platform with a smartphone app.
The THS App is now available on both IOS and Android. Again, like the THS desktop version.
It is very professional-looking and easy to use, and you essentially get the same functionality as the website.
We are quite often on the move and do not always have access to our laptops. Some mobile platforms are very difficult to use and frustrate us, which is the last thing we need on the way to a meeting or to finalize the details of a meeting.
Watch this space for a more in-depth review of the Trustedhousesitters App, which is coming soon!



Things We Liked About Trusted Housesitters
Global Access to Housesits: I’ve had the fantastic opportunity to stay in beautiful homes worldwide, immersing myself in different cultures and neighborhoods while enjoying free accommodation.
Building Relationships: One of the most rewarding aspects has been forming lasting connections with homeowners and their pets. I cherish the memories we create together, often leading to future sits and friendships. We had a great house sit in Greece where we regularly chat with the homeowners and are looking forward to catching up again.
User-Friendly Platform: I love how easy it is to navigate TrustedHousesitters. The platform makes searching for and applying to housesitters really easy, saving me time and energy. I also like to set up alerts, so I am notified via email when an assignment comes up in my set parameters. For example, we might want to visit a certain city or country, and I will set up filters for that location during the dates we would like to go.
Great Community and Resources: The supportive community forum and helpful resources, like the welcome guide and vet hotline, have made my journey even better. I appreciate having these tools at my disposal as I navigate my housesitting adventures.
Things We Didn’t Like About Trusted Housesitters
Is The Popularity of A Problem? The popularity of Trusted Housesitters can be both a blessing and a curse. I will start with the negative. The more housesitters on a platform, the harder it is to be a successful applicant.
In the ten years we have been on the platform, we have noticed that applicants for house sits have skyrocketed. This differs from area to area and sit to sit, but overall, there is much more competition.
I don’t know if that is because house sitting’s popularity is on the rise, travelers are more money-savvy, or if it’s simply that Trusted Housesitters are becoming so popular because of their good name in the industry. You just have to adapt and make your profile and applications stand out more to homeowners.
On the flip side, we have also noticed far more house sits popping up in more locations worldwide. The growth of Trusted Housesitters is good in terms of more homeowners joining the platform and, thus, more locations being added to the list of potential house-sitting locations.
Trustworthiness of Hosts: Sometimes, it’s a bit of a gamble with hosts. Not every homeowner may live up to expectations, so I’ve learned always to schedule in-person or video calls so we can talk face-to-face. I also like to do a virtual home tour to know I would be comfortable in the environment. You need to be selective and communicate clearly to find the right fit.
Initial Challenges for New Sitters: Starting as a sitter without reviews can feel a bit intimidating. However, there are many ways you can build up references; they allow you to add links to your Airbnb and LinkedIn profiles. You can also request homeowners to review you who haven’t booked you through the platform.
Limited Options in Certain Regions: While I’ve discovered many unique destinations, I’ve also encountered areas with fewer housesitting opportunities. However, you can always try other methods of finding houses in these areas.
How to Avoid Bad House Sits
Set Up a Video Chat or in-person
As I mentioned above, I always set up an in-person or video chat before committing to a house sit. It’s a great way to feel things out in person and discover what the homeowner expects of you. If you’re a homeowner, you can ask about their experience and the time they have to care for your pets. I also like a quick home tour to ensure I will be comfortable staying there.
Read The Reviews
Some homeowners and housesitters can be nervous about leaving reviews if they haven’t had a positive experience. I like to check how many assignments they have completed compared to the number of reviews they have.
Always Give Yourself Time to Think it Over
So many people rush into house sits or pick house sitters. I always ask for at least 2-3 hours after the interview to talk it over with my partner and see if we both agree it’s a good fit. Some people pick up on different things. The homeowner may have mentioned in passing that the dog is reactive in public or with kids, and if you miss that and agree, it could be tough for you.
My Final Verdict
In my experience, TrustedHousesitters has been an incredible platform for the past 10 years, and I still use it on my travels today! It’s opened up amazing opportunities for me to travel while connecting with pets worldwide.
That said, TrustedHousesitters isn’t perfect. I’ve run into a few bumps along the way and had house sits that didn’t go as planned. Now, I’ve learned to avoid house sits that may come with issues by setting up in-person meetings or video calls before committing. I haven’t had any problems.
Getting started was a bit hard, especially when you don’t have any reviews yet. But building up a few solid reviews only takes a little time (especially as we learned that it’s easier to land sits during the holidays), and soon enough, the application process becomes much more manageable.
We look forward to continuing to use TrustedHousesitters on our travels and will continue sharing all our stories in this section.
Need Help Getting Started With House Sitting
Have we got you excited about house-sitting? We love sharing our 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.
Author: Britt
I am Britt. I have been house-sitting and pet-sitting for the past seven years. I have cared for 25 dogs, 35 cats, one turtle, and one rabbit over 80+ houses in 15 countries.
The opportunity to experience different homes, cultures, and communities has been extraordinary.
I’ve connected with homeowners seeking reliable sitters through house-sitting platforms like Aussie House Sitters and Trusted House Sitters. This unique way of living has allowed me to save money on accommodation, explore new cultures, and meet new people.
Being a member of these platforms has broadened my horizons and opened doors to short- and long-term house-sitting jobs. I’ve found joy in providing excellent pet care and ensuring the home is well-maintained.
I get many questions about how to start as a housesitter, so please reach out if you have any questions! I want everyone to enjoy this incredible lifestyle as well!
You can read more about Jay and me here!
Or connect with me on Facebook or in our house-sitting community on Facebook.

