The 37 Most Important Questions to Ask Before House Sitting in 202516 min read

So you’ve signed up for a house sitting website, completed your profile, and found the house sit of your dreams thanks to the ultimate house sitting guide. Now all you’ve got to do is talk to the homeowner and convince them you’re the right person for the job. Here are all the questions to ask before house sitting: questions for the first call, when you arrive at the house, during the house sit, and even after the house sit is over.

Asking these questions will make your house sitting experience easier and help you solve a lot of issues before they become problems. These questions will also help you sound more professional and help you start landing house sits right away.

Questions to Ask Before House Sitting – On the Call

Before you accept a house sit, we highly recommend you (as in you should definitely) have a call with the homeowner. That way you can get a feel for the homeowners themselves, the home, and the animals. The homeowner will typically introduce themselves and the pets, and most of the time will give you a brief overview of the house.

Here are some questions you should be asking on that first call to show the homeowner that you can be trusted to take care of their home and pets and you know what you’re talking about.

About the Pets

What are the pets like?

It’s best to get a handle on what sort of animals you’ll be dealing with and their personalities before you arrive. Are they happy? Are they territorial? Lazy? Energetic? Hopefully, the pet owners are honest about their fur babies’ personalities.

If the pet is hyperactive and needs multiple walks a day, is that something you want to do, or are you looking for a more relaxing time? This question will help you figure out if the house sit is right for you.

What kind of routines do the animals have?

It’s important to know what the pet is used to doing every day to make the transition easier and less stressful for the pet and for you as the house sitter. Find out if they are indoor or outdoor animals or both.

Homeowners are usually very upfront with the rules for their pets, but it’s better to ask than let Fluffy run away.

What food do the pets get fed and how often? What about treats?

Find out the pet’s food schedule, what and how much to feed them, and the same for treats.

What if I run out of pet food/litter/medication/other important items for the pet?

If you are doing a longer sit, you may run out of necessary supplies before the end of the sit. You should communicate with the homeowner about how they want to handle paying for those supplies.

In some instances, the homeowner will give you cash to cover anything you run out of, other times you will have to buy them yourself and the homeowner will reimburse you when they return. Keep your receipts! This is something you should iron out before the sit begins.

Do the animals need any medications or special treatments?

Some animals need daily pills, medications, or even shots. Make sure to ask the homeowner for clear instructions on medication dosage and delivery.

If you are comfortable delivering the pet’s medication and accept the sit, it is very helpful for the pet owner to demonstrate their process for getting the pet to take the medicine so you can copy it. They will usually do this once you arrive at the house sit.

We have also been asked to take pets into the vet for their regular visits during longer house sits.

Where is the closest veterinarian and what is their phone number?

Most house sitting platforms will ask the homeowner to provide you with this information, but it’s best to ask this question just in case. You don’t want to have a sick animal on your hands and no idea where to go.

Where do the pets sleep?

This goes along with keeping to the pets’ established routines and training. Some owners like to keep their animals in a different room or have the pet sleep in their kennels and other owners don’t have a preference.

Are there any parts of the house the pets are not allowed to go? Are they allowed on the furniture?

Maybe the dog isn’t allowed upstairs, or the cat’s not allowed on the couch. Try your best to stick to the homeowner’s rules, it’ll save you a lot of headaches.

It takes a lot of time and effort to train pets to stay off of the furniture and the owners would probably like to keep it that way. You don’t want the pet’s good habits to deteriorate while they’re under your watch.

How long can the pets be left alone?

Some animals require constant supervision or are in poor health and the owners want them to be looked after. This is usually the case with young and old dogs. Cats, on the other hand, usually do not need or want constant companionship.

This is an important question because it could severely limit the time you will have to explore.

Cat Questions 🐱

Are the cats allowed outside?

You DO NOT want the cats to run away while under your care, so make sure to keep Fluffy indoors if they aren’t allowed out.

Do they use a litterbox? Where is it? How often does the litter need to be changed?

One of the more unpleasant parts of caring for cats is the litter box. The pet owner should show you where the extra litter is located and if there are any special instructions on how to clean it.

Dog Questions 🐶

How often do they need to be walked? How long or how far? Is there a typical walking route they like?

Some dogs have a strict walking schedule, others are just happy to walk when they can. The pet owner will let you know their current schedule and you should do your best to keep to it. Just make sure you’re up to the task of getting up for 6am walkies if that’s the usual schedule.

Are they friendly with other dogs?

This is an incredibly important question to ask before house sitting! If the dog you are caring for is not good with other dogs, you need to be sure to walk them at odd hours, cross the street away from other dogs, or make other efforts to make sure you and the dog both stay safe.

About the house

What is the area near the home like?

Is it rural, suburban, or a city? Are there any businesses nearby? Is public transport easily available? The homeowners, as locals, will be able to tell you about the area, what there is to do, where to shop, and you can decide if that sounds good to you or not.

Will I need a car to get around?

Some house sits are out in the middle of nowhere, or at least close to the middle of nowhere, and it may be necessary for you to have a car to make it work. If you do need a car, then you should ask…

If a car is necessary, can you use the homeowners’?

This can be a bit tricky due to the local laws, your nationality, the homeowners’ nationality, etc. If they are willing to let you use their vehicle, communicate how you will split costs in terms of maintenance or extra insurance costs.

We’ve done 17 house sits and have been able to use the homeowner’s car four times. If we hadn’t been able to use their cars, we wouldn’t have been able to do the house sit at all.

Note: internationally, most cars are manual drives, so make sure you know how to drive stick.

If you are looking to drive outside of your home country, we recommend getting an International Driver’s Permit. If you have a driver’s license in your home country, getting an IDP should be quite simple.

Are there houseplants that also need to be watered and cared for?

Taking care of the house usually means some gardening as well. Water, pluck, prune, whatever needs to be done to keep the plants healthy. Find out where the plants are in the house and their care routine.

What sort of maintenance is there to be done and how often?

There might also be some pool maintenance or specific tasks that need to be taken care of while you’re house sitting. Make sure you understand what you’re getting yourself into before accepting the sit.

Are your travel dates set in stone or flexible?

This is one of the most important questions to ask before house sitting, especially if you are traveling far to get to the house sit. Some homeowners ask that you arrive a day or two early so they can run you through the house and pet routines. This will also allow you to better plan for your trip to the house sit and your travel plans after the house sit ends.

Do you have a security system or cameras set up?

If the homeowner has a security system set up, find out everything you need to know about how it works, how to enable it, and most importantly, how to disable it. Also, ask if there are any cameras on the property or in the house that you need to be aware of so you don’t accidentally get out of the shower and give the cameras a free show.

About the area

What do you like to do in your neighborhood?

Find out what there is to do nearby. Movie theaters, parks, shopping malls, whatever there is to do in the area, the homeowners will key you into the cool stuff in their neighborhood.

Where is the nearest bus/tram/train station?

If you’re going to be house sitting in a city, find out the best way to get around. Or if you are going to be in a rural area without a car, you’re going to need to know the bus schedule so you can buy food and continue to live.

Where do you do your grocery shopping?

The homeowner should tell you the best local grocery. There may even be multiple shopping spots in the area that they can recommend. Ask about their favorite and then branch out.

Are there any local restaurants you like? 

Ask the homeowners where they like to eat in the neighborhood and if they have any recommendations.

Is there anything else I should know?

You’re being tasked with taking care of the homeowner’s fur babies, so it’s best to know as much as possible before you arrive. There may be an important piece of information they forgot to mention, and this is one of the questions to ask before house sitting that will save you a potential miscommunication.

Questions to ask when you arrive

If everything goes well on the call, you can confirm the house sit with the homeowner and begin making your travel arrangements.

You’ve made the journey to the house sit, you’ve (hopefully) met the homeowners, and now you’re at the house sit, ready to see your new home and furry friends. But the question game is just beginning! Now there are even more important questions to ask to make the house sit transition and the house sit itself a lot easier for you and the homeowner.

You should exchange contact information with the homeowner if you haven’t already. WhatsApp, email, phone numbers, whatever you want to use to keep in touch while they’re away. The homeowner might want updates about the house or the pets and it’s best to keep an open line of communication open at all times.

For the house

Where is the fusebox?

You should definitely get eyes on the fusebox with the help of the homeowner before they leave because you don’t want to be fumbling in the dark if the power goes out. You probably won’t ever need to use it, but better safe than sorry.

Where is the water main?

For the same reason as the fusebox, you’ll want to be abe to turn off the water in case something goes very wrong.  

What’s the WiFi password and where is the modem?

Electricity, water, and internet: the three things everyone needs to stay alive. You’ll want to know where the modem is in case you ever need to reset the internet connection.

What is the laundry situation? Do you have a washer and/or dryer? 

It depends on the type of sit and where you are in the world, but you’ll more than likely have access to a washing machine. It might not be the type of washing machine you’re used to, but it will clean your clothes. Dryers, on the other hand, are not nearly as common. If there is no dryer, make sure to ask the homeowner what methods they use.

What sort of electrical appliances do you have/are we allowed to use?

One of the biggest benefits of staying in someone’s home when you house sit is all of the cool kitchen gadgets! Make sure to ask about which home appliances are available for you to use.

Is there a garden to maintain? What sort of work needs to be done on it?

Being a house sitter means you’re sitting the entire house, not just the animals, so you’ll have to take care of the plants as well. Have the homeowner walk you through their typical watering schedule for every plant. You don’t want to have to Google “why is this plant brown” or have to buy replacement plants!

Are there any groundskeepers/house cleaners/other maintenance workers that may come by during the sit? What sort of payment system do you have with them?

Do the neighbors or anyone have a spare key for the house?

Of course, this would never happen because you’re a responsible adult who has been entrusted with the care of a relative stranger’s home and pets, so you would never lose the house keys. You? Never! However, in the completely unlikely case something crazy happens, it’s best to have a neighborly backup, just in case.

Can we have friends over?

You might have friends in the area or make friends. However you find them, ask the homeowner if you are allowed to invite other people to their home before you do it. It’s unlikely that something bad will happen, but it’s always better to keep an open line of communication with the homeowner at all times. Good reviews are worth their weight in gold.

Where is the pets’ food, litter, toys, leash, etc.?

Find out where the pets’ accouterment is stored so you don’t have to search the house for kitty litter or an extra tennis ball.

Where are the cleaning supplies, broom, vacuum, etc.?

No one wants to live in filth, so get a jump on the dirt by finding the cleaning supplies and keeping the house nice and tidy during your stay.

One of the best things you can do as a house sitter, and as a good guest in general, is to leave the house cleaner than when you arrived. That means spending the last day or two giving the house a deep clean and putting everything back the way it was when you arrived.

Do you have any packages arriving during our stay? What do you want done with them?

Sometimes you order a new pair of pants online and forget about it! It happens to the best of us. Check in with the homeowner about it and make sure you know what to do in case an unexplained package arrives.

During the sit

There aren’t too many questions you need to ask the homeowner during the actual house sit. You can check in with them and ask about their trip, and send them pictures of the house and the pets to assure them everything is going well. Keep an open line of communication open with the homeowner and you’ll save yourself a lot of headaches.

After the sit

Can you give us a review?

Reviews are incredibly important in the house sitting game. The more positive reviews you have, the easier it is to get the next house sit, and the next, and the next, and the… you get it. If the homeowners forget to leave you a review, send a nice message to remind them.

And there you have it! 37 questions to ask before house sitting that take you from the beginning to the end of your house sit! If you have any more questions about house sitting, check out our video:

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