It is common for the house sitter to pay for the utilities (electricity, gas, phone, etc.) that they use during their stay. This usually applies for long term housesits. The housesitter should always be responsible for their own phone calls. In countries such as Canada where heating bills can be
very high, this needs to be negotiated between the sitter and homeowner. If the sitter is caring for pets and the heating is therefore also for the comfort of the pets a fair arrangement should be made. Other recurring bills such as phone rental, rates, local council rates, or property taxes usually remain the responsibility of the owner. If your arrangement will be 12 months or more in duration, you might consider allocating all or a portion of the recurring bills to the
housesitter.
We urge you to incorporate your utility/tax payment conditions in your written contract. Refer to our “Putting It In Writing” housesitting guide for examples. | 
