Loading House sitting References
References Add Credibility and Trust to your Profile

Steps to upload References

  • Login
  • Select the References Button at the top of your dashboard.
  • Select a document from your computer in one of:- .doc, .pdf, .txt, .bmp, .gif, .jpg, .png format
  • References must be less than 250K file size.
  • Give your document a title and description.
  • Then a link to your references will appear on your profile. Only logged in homeowners you have exchanged messages with, will be able to view your references.

Please include the word Police in your heading/ title of your reference. Select the Reference button at the top of your dashboard and, edit your Title to include the Word Police within the title.

Also please select the Police Clearance keyword. Select Profile / Edit Keywords - then under Security, select Police Checked

The references cannot be viewed by the public. They can only be viewed by logged on Homeowners you have applied, or communicated with. This also protects the privacy of the referees. You should have their permission to upload the reference.

The most acceptable form that can be read by all homeowners is PDF. It you use a latter version of Microsoft Word it may not be accessible by homeowners. They may not have the latest version, or don't have Word at all.

You can scan as a PDF document, OR Save As PDF from your word processor.

The login and click References to upload to your reference library.

If you matched through Housecarers.com you can leave a positive review for them. Please login then select the reviews button at the top of your dashboard.

When writing a house sitting reference for a house sitter, it is important to include information about how they treated your pets. Did they follow your instructions? Were your pets happy and healthy when you returned? Did the house sitter go above and beyond in taking care of your pets? This information will help other homeowners in their selection process.

In addition to information about the house sitter's pet care, it is also important to include information about their general behavior while in your home. Did they respect your property and belongings? Did they leave the house in the same condition as when they arrived? Were you comfortable with having them in your home? again, this information will be helpful for other homeowners considering the house sitter.

When done - forward to your housesitter and they can upload it to their personal private reference library - it can only be viewed by logged on homeowners. References are only worthwhile if the references can be verified by the homeonwer so included some contact details on the reference.

We don't allow sitters or homeowners to post disparaging remarks about other members due to libel and legal issues.

It works both ways. There are on rare occasions very unreasonable homeowners and sitters who don't fulfill their side of the agreement, are negligent or are misleading.

We ask that complaints be sent to us that are factual objective and unemotional. We hear both sides and take appropriate action from there - including banning a homeowner or housesitter from the site.

We take all complaints seriously and members are required to take their agreed responsibilities seriously. We recommend both sides sign the supplied House sitting Agreement - so everything is clear and misunderstandings are avoided. The Housesitting Agreement can be downloaded by selecting the Help/ support menu at following login.

You can get that information here:
Police Clearance Information

Housecarers pioneered house sitting. We launched the World's first House sitting membership site way-back in October 2000. We have distilled 23 Years of customer feedback into refining and improving our secure matching process.

Register as a Home Owner or House Sitter to participate


USD$25.00   is required to activate your Premium Homeowner membership. 

  • Receive a verified supporter badge on your profile.
  • Add or Edit Your own Private notes to any House Sitters profile for reference.
  • On request we will access and load to your ad, Professional photos of scenic attractions in your vicinity to attract quality applicants.
  • On request, to attract more quality applications we will promote your confidential Housesitter required ad on our network of related social media sites. We forward applications to you for your consideration.
  • Participate in the Referral Rewards program.
  • Receive a bonus of 6 months of Membership when you take up House sitter paid membership.

    • Try Housesitting with free accommodation for a breakaway across your country, locally, or worldwide! Refer yourself and add six months to your premium HO membership AND receive six bonus months of Housesitter paid membership, Totalling 18 months.

  • Help keep More Pets in their familiar environment with their routines intact.
  • You will be contributing to the running and promotion of the Housecarers Community. We started the first worldwide Housesitting Membership established in October 2000. Your contribution will help us continue this work to help more people. We see ourselves as a community rather than a corporate site. We will never lose the personal touch. You are helping grow and improve this valuable worldwide community resource that is helping Homeowners Leave the responsibilities of homeownership for a well-earned break.
  • More benefits and features will be added with your funding and contribution to the Housecarers community.

Much of the revenue from Premium memberships are used to run, maintain, and promote the service. Membership Fee Revenue helps us match sitters with homeowners each year worldwide.

Search for House Sitter Results are ordered as follows

  • One third of search results are in random order so everyone has the same chance of appearing near the top
  • One third of search results are in join date order, rewarding long time supporters of the community
  • One third of search results are in Referral Point order, with the Referal Rewards Program. The more referral points the higher you appear in search results.

Search results are Cached for 1 hour by the system, to avoid performance response problems. This means search results will change every hour. Please bear in mind that you should include your desired locations on your profile, to appear in specific searches. Homeowners will normally perform Specific location Searches matching where they live. If they do not find sitters they may then perform a more general search for sitters who are flexible about locations.

Why references are important.

When looking for a house sitter, references are a valuable way to learn about a potential candidate's experience and qualifications. While personal recommendations from friends or family can be helpful, references from past housesits can give you a more complete picture of what it would be like to work with a particular house sitter.

Housecarers provides a 2-way verified housesit review system. We prompt and encourage Housesitters and Homeowners to leave reviews when the housesit completes.

References can be loaded from other house sits outside of Housecarers.

What other documents can I load to prove I am trustworthy?

You may be just starting as a house sitter. How else can I prove I am worthy of selection?

You may be wondering what other documents you can use to prove your trustworthiness. In addition to housesitter references, pet owners may also want to see that you have a clean criminal record.

A criminal background check can be obtained from your local police department or through an online service such as CriminalWatchDog.com. Here is an additional resource list for obtaining police clearances from various country government departments: https://www.housecarers.com/police_cleared_housesitters.cfm

You can upload these documents to your profile on Housecarers.com to give peace of mind to potential clients.

In addition to providing references from past landlords or employers, there are a few other documents that can help prove you are a trustworthy house sitter. If you have any certificates or training related to pet care, first aid, or CPR, be sure to include those. You might also include character references from friends or community members who can attest to your responsibility and reliability. You may have awards or commendations for community or volunteer work you can upload.

If you have any of these additional documents, be sure to link them to your profile and mention them in your application to potential homeowners. They can go a long way in proving that you are a responsible and trustworthy house sitter, making it more likely that they will choose you to house sit for them.