Home Travel How to Start House Sitting in the UK (Free Lodging)

How to Start House Sitting in the UK (Free Lodging)

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How to Start House Sitting in the UK (Free Lodging)

This text provides you with all the data you want to change into a home sitter in the UK. There are a ton of UK listings simply ready for purposes, and inside this put up, I’ll define right here precisely the place to discover them and the way to safe them!

I’ve years of expertise home sitting in the UK and past. I’m initially from England and constructed up my home sitting profile in the UK earlier than embarking on a digital nomad life-style. I exploit home sitting web sites virtually solely for lodging. It saves a fortune and expands my touring expertise on the entire.

For me, the UK will all the time be my house base, and home sitting has allowed me to discover extra of my very own stunning nation. There are such a lot of improbable locations to go to, and the UK is a spot with a excessive demand for home sitters. I’ve stayed in areas that will not have ever entered my radar had it not been for home sitting alternatives.

From the Highlands of Scotland to the seashores of Cornwall, let’s get you on the street to changing into a home sitter in the UK.

How to Change into a House Sitter in the UK

There are some wonderful web sites accessible for home and pet sitting in the UK. All of them include completely different options, worth tags, and membership choices. Discovering the proper one for you is a crucial first step and I’ve outlined all the information you want right here;

1. Trusted Housesitters

A woman caring about dogs. They are all ready on leash to go for walk.

Trusted Housesitters has been my go-to website since changing into a home sitter virtually 5 years in the past. The net and app-based platform is by far the hottest home sitting website accessible. With a fast scan of the app, I can see virtually 7,000 listings at the moment accepting purposes for home sitters – virtually 2,000 of those are in the UK.

Based mostly on these numbers alone Trusted Housesitters ought to be a prime consideration when considering changing into a home sitter in the UK. The app and web site are straightforward to use with some nice options that make the entire course of easy and safe. One thing I like about this website is that when you can’t see the proper sit for you right away, it can save you your standards and obtain alerts when an identical choice turns into accessible.

Being the prime web site on the market means Trusted Housesitters can be the most costly. However priced at $260/12 months it’s the identical as a few nights in a modest resort. I like to recommend the premium membership which incorporates, amongst different advantages, cancellation insurance coverage and enhanced customer support. Nevertheless, the fundamental membership at $129/12 months could also be a extra reasonably priced start line.

Avoid wasting cash once you join through the use of GOATS20 for 20% off any membership choice, or be part of now by clicking right here.

2. Thoughts My House

house sitting

Having multiple home sitting website in your arsenal is a superb thought. And whereas Trusted Housesitters ought to be the go-to, Thoughts My House is a superb contender for that second spot. They’ve a pleasant and simple platform, loads of listings, and a low yearly membership worth of simply $29.

Thoughts My House has been round since 2005, making it certainly one of the oldest home sitting web sites on the market. With expertise comes loads of useful options like the stats web page which exhibits precisely the place in the world hosts are on the lookout for sitters. The corporate house owners personally oversee the wonderful customer support division.

Householders put up their listings at no cost which suggests there are all the time many posts accessible. Over 40 individuals in the UK had been on the lookout for sitters at the time of writing this text. I like Thoughts My House rather a lot, and with such a low annual price it’s an ideal web site to contemplate.

3. Nomador

A close-up of a hand of a woman holding a key with the kitchain of a wooden ho use giving to a couple.

An necessary level to keep in mind is that hosts typically solely checklist their properties on one web site. Subsequently, the excellent home sit for chances are you’ll be posted elsewhere. Nomador is one other highly regarded home sitting website with a robust lean in direction of Europe. They’ve tons of of lively customers in the UK.

The web site may be very straightforward to use with many options akin to these of Trusted Housesitters. Looking out with exact standards is straightforward to do and saving your searches is once more a pleasant characteristic to have. Though Nomador lacks an app, the variety of listings makes them a highly regarded choice for locating UK home sits.

Nomador has Three membership choices with quite a lot of completely different advantages the greater up you go. Their top-tier membership is simply $190/12 months. If you need to get the full Nomador expertise with out the annual outlay, additionally they provide a 3-month ‘Discovery’ choice. At $85 it is a smart way to get began with out a important monetary price.

4. Workaway

A young couple views a property guided by the home owner. they standing in the hallway of the house and chatting about the house contract that they are holding.

An alternative choice for locating home sitting jobs in the UK is Workaway, certainly one of my favourite touring websites. I’ve met so many great individuals utilizing this website throughout my years on the street. It’s primarily for locating volunteer placements in trade for lodging and meals, however home sitting is a key search focus.

I’ve all the time discovered Workaway to have a pleasant and community-orientated vibe. Hosts with lively profiles are all the time fast to reply whether or not it’s a sure or no to your software. I’ve made some nice lifelong associates utilizing Workaway.

Workway has a low worth of simply $50 a 12 months or $30pp when a pair joins, so it’s one other reasonably priced choice. The additional advantage of an app makes monitoring and making use of for the proper listings a simple and easy course of. With tons of of listings at the moment accessible, it shouldn’t be ignored as a home sitting useful resource.

5. Housesitters UK

A young attractive girl in rubber gloves and headphones listens to music and mops the wooden floor in the room.

An excellent website for locating UK home sits is Housesitters UK. It’s the largest home and pet sitting platform that offers solely with the UK. Hundreds of individuals have put their belief in Housesitters UK, giving them a 5-star Feefo customer support ranking.

Very like Thoughts My House, householders checklist their properties at no cost which all the time ensures an ideal collection of accessible properties to apply for. House sitters can be part of for the low annual price of simply $37 which makes it an extremely reasonably priced service.

With over 700 lively listings at the moment accepting purposes, Housesitters UK is a critical contender as the UK’s go-to home sitting choice.

Private Expertise Housesitting in the UK

I used to be born and raised in the UK and regardless of leaving just a few years in the past it’ll all the time be house. It’s the place I constructed my profile as a home sitter while planning my long-term journey journey, and it’s someplace I proceed to discover as a part of my new digital nomad life-style.

My first Three home sits had been all based mostly round my house in Cambridgeshire, while I nonetheless lived in the county. The shut proximity of them to my house and workplace meant I used to be ready to perform the sits, and nonetheless go to work as regular while having fun with the feeling of being away. All the whereas, I used to be banking optimistic evaluations for my profile. I extremely suggest contemplating just a few native listings to get your evaluations up earlier than you start making use of for London penthouses.

My experiences of home sitting in the UK have all been tremendous optimistic. Tub was an ideal location to pet sit. I took care of a shocking house and a largely outside Maine Coon cat referred to as Leia. The house was located a brief stroll from the metropolis middle and had gorgeous metropolis views from the backyard terrace. It was a pleasure to spend a month there.

Though I’ve visited London many instances, home sitting there gave me a recent perspective of the UK’s capital. Taking care of Four small canines meant exploring parks and recreation areas that I’d by no means have in any other case come throughout. With the important sights just some tube stops away, it was good to really feel each at house and on trip at the identical time.

Finest Areas to House Sit in the UK

The UK encompasses England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Eire, so there are such a lot of great locations to discover. I lived there for over 30 years and though the UK is tiny in contrast to locations like the US, I barely scratched the floor. House sitting has actually opened up alternatives for me to discover additional afield. Listed below are just a few of my favourite UK locations to discover home sits.

1. London

Big Ben, London, UK. A view of the popular London landmark, the clock tower Big Ben. British flag flying.

Properly the place else to begin however the nation’s capital, London? One in all the world’s biggest cities and a spot everybody ought to go to at a while throughout their lives. I used to be fortunate sufficient to stay an hour away for many of my life and have loved numerous journeys there.

It’s additionally the UK’s largest metropolis with round 9 million inhabitants. This implies there’s all the time rather a lot happening and many alternative areas to contemplate. A few of my favourite areas are Camden, Covent Backyard, and Leicester Sq.. These are all widespread vacationer spots and make for excellent for day journeys, evenings out, and for ticking off a variety of London’s iconic landmarks.

Any home sit in the broader London space will undoubtedly have wonderful connectivity through the London Underground. The Tube is dependable, low-cost, and is a really environment friendly method of traversing the metropolis. London is inside straightforward attain of each the south and east coasts of England, so it’s an excellent base for exploring additional afield.

Location: London is situated in the south of England, UK. It’s round 50 (80 km) miles from the southern coast and 40 miles (64 km) to the east coast. It’s certainly one of England’s most linked cities with a number of worldwide airports, prepare stations, and bus terminals.

2. Cambridge

A historic university in London surrounded by green grass and trees.

Even nearer to house for me, Cambridge was all the time on my doorstep. It’s one other of the nice UK cities to contemplate for home sitting alternatives. It was in the county of Cambridgeshire the place I racked up my first Four home sits, so I can verify there are ample alternatives accessible round the space.

Cambridge is an exquisite metropolis filled with tradition and gorgeous structure, and presents a beautiful restaurant and bar scene. It’s house to the third oldest college in steady operation in the world. The celebrated College of Cambridge is an iconic establishment famend round the world. Its affect and affect may be seen and felt all through the metropolis.

There are additionally many nice cities and cities inside straightforward attain of Cambridge; it’s one other well-located and well-connected UK location. A home sit even remotely shut by would enable for just a few nice day journeys into Cambridge. Make certain to try my earlier article detailing the excellent 2-day itinerary for Cambridge.

Location: Cambridge is situated towards the southeastern facet of England, UK, and is properly linked to most of the UK by Cambridge Practice Station. Stansted Worldwide Airport is underneath an hour away and Central London may be reached in round 45 minutes to 1 hour through prepare.

3. Tub

A walkway on the right side of a canal with water gates and trees surrounding it.

I beloved my time home sitting in Tub. I’d solely ever visited for the day so after I noticed a list for a 2-month keep, I jumped at the alternative. The entire metropolis is a Unesco World Heritage Website and is certainly one of the most stunning and historic cities in the UK.

Named for the well-known 2,000-year-old Roman Baths on which it was initially constructed, Tub is a middle of historic significance, and cultural significance, and a hub for international tourism. Tub Abbey, the Pulteney Bridge, and The Circus are just some of the architectural feats that I bought to get pleasure from on daily basis whereas staying in Tub.

With two giant universities based mostly in the metropolis, you too can make sure of a vigorous and vibrant social scene. I’ve written extensively on my keep in this metropolis so make sure to try my earlier articles together with the 15 Finest Pubs in Tub. It’s a improbable place to safe a home sit.

Location: Tub is situated on the southwest facet of England, UK. Cardiff, the capital metropolis of Wales is 45 miles (72 km) away. London is 115 miles (185 km) and common direct trains take round 90 minutes to get to the capital.

4. Edinburgh

When viewed from above, the large clock tower and other historic buildings in the sunset may be seen.

A metropolis that has been on my radar for a few years is Edinburgh. Sadly, I’m but to make the journey north however have solely ever heard nice issues about Scotland’s capital metropolis. It’s a spot that’s steeped in historical past and tradition, recognized for its gorgeous structure, vibrant festivals, and wealthy heritage.

Edinburgh is house to quite a few historic landmarks, together with Edinburgh Fortress, and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official Scottish residence of King Charles III. The Royal Mile is a historic avenue that runs via the coronary heart of the Outdated City connecting Edinburgh Fortress to the Palace of Holyroodhouse and is lined with improbable retailers and pubs.

Edinburgh is maybe most well-known for its festivals, with the Edinburgh Pageant Fringe being the world’s largest arts competition. The town comes alive with performers, artists, and guests from round the globe throughout the competition season. I do know that a variety of locals go away throughout competition season, maybe the perfect time to safe some free home sitting lodging?

Location: Edinburgh is situated in Scotland which is the most northern nation inside the UK. It’s properly linked with a lot of the UK through Waverly Practice Station and Edinburgh Worldwide Airport. London is over 400 miles (643 km) south and takes round eight hours to drive or 5 hours through prepare.

5. Cornwall

"Abandon Tin Mines overlooking the sea at Botallack, Penwith on the north coast of Cornwall. UK."

The county of Cornwall encompasses England’s most southwestern area. It’s one other space that continues to be certainly one of my saved searches on Trusted Housesitters. I’m simply patiently ready for the proper sit at the proper time to come alongside!

Cornwall, notably Newquay, Truro, and St Austell, attracts vacationers with its breathtaking coastlines, sandy seashores, and delicate UK local weather. The world-famous Cornish Pasty is a pleasant native deal with.

Being such a well-liked vacationer spot, for abroad guests and UK residents alike, lodging may be very costly in Cornwall. That is very true throughout the late spring and summer season seasons. However, very like with Edinburgh throughout Fringe, a variety of locals seize this chance to get out of city, and lots of home sitting alternatives await.

Location: Cornwall is a county situated in the southwestern area of England, UK. The coastal city of Newquay is round 5 hours from London through each automobile and prepare. There are a number of every day flights connecting it to London which take round an hour.

Is the UK Protected?

The UK is taken into account a secure place to go to. The nation has a well-established authorized system, a robust police presence, and customarily low ranges of violent crime. Vacationer locations and main cities usually have sturdy safety measures in place to guarantee the security of holiday makers.

Nevertheless, like every vacation spot, the security of particular areas inside the UK can range. Whereas the main cities are typically secure, guests ought to train warning in sure neighborhoods, significantly throughout the night. Petty crimes, akin to pickpocketing and bag snatching, can happen in crowded vacationer areas. It’s advisable for vacationers to keep vigilant and apply commonsense precautions.

Total, with correct consciousness and mindfulness, the United Kingdom is mostly thought of a secure and welcoming vacation spot for vacationers from round the world.

Execs and Cons of Being a House Sitter in the UK

Pros and Cons. Two binders on desk in the office

There are just a few execs and cons potential home sitters ought to concentrate on earlier than embarking on an project in the UK. I’ve outlined my prime ones for you right here;

Execs of House Sitting in the UK

  • Cultural Richness: The UK presents entry to many numerous and wealthy cultural scenes. Historic landmarks, museums, theaters, and fabulous structure are to be discovered all throughout the nation.
  • Healthcare System: The Nationwide Well being Service (NHS) gives UK residents with free complete healthcare providers. If you’re a resident of the EU, you might also be entitled to free emergency healthcare while in the UK.
  • Price Financial savings: House sitting permits you to discover lodging with out the large expense of accommodations or condominium leases.
  • Public Transportation: Environment friendly and well-connected public transportation techniques, together with buses, trains, and the London Underground, make commuting and touring inside the nation handy.
  • Multicultural Society: The UK’s multicultural society is predominantly a welcoming setting for people from completely different backgrounds and cultures.
  • Social Scene: Most UK cities provide a vibrant social scene with loads of pubs, eating places, and cultural occasions, offering loads of alternatives for leisure and socializing.
  • World Connectivity: As a hub for worldwide journey and enterprise, being in the UK will present easy accessibility to international locations and a world of onward alternatives. Finances airways usually have low-cost offers for European locations.
  • Visa: In contrast to a lot of the world which restricts guests to a 30-90 day go to, the UK welcomes most guests for a most of 6 months on a vacationer visa. This permits for extra exploring and opens up alternatives for longer home sits.
  • Nice Meals – Any rumors you’ve heard about British meals are unsuitable! Conventional fish and chips, Sunday roast dinners, and Scottish haggis are style sensations that should be tried.

Cons of House Sitting in the UK

  • Price of Residing: Some areas in the UK, significantly main cities like London, have a considerably greater price of residing in contrast to different locations I’ve visited. Guests will want to finances properly for gas, transportation, and every day bills.
  • Climate Variability: The UK is thought for its unpredictable climate, with frequent rain and overcast skies, which could not be interesting to people preferring extra secure climates. As a lifelong resident, I can verify the rumors are true – the climate isn’t nice.
  • Price of Healthcare: Regardless of the advantages of a free NHS for residents and a few guests, many guests won’t qualify at no cost healthcare. Make certain to have ample insurance coverage in place to cowl any medical incidences or threat of being hit with an enormous invoice.
  • No Entry to Hosts Automobile – In contrast to many different international locations the place the automobile is insured for anybody to drive, the UK insures particular person drivers. This may imply that many hosts are unlikely to go away a automobile for home sitters to use. It’s potential to add individuals to insurance coverage insurance policies however this may be an costly and arduous process the hosts could not want to endure.
  • Crowded City Areas: City facilities, particularly in London, may be very densely populated, main to heavy visitors congestion, crowded public transportation, and really busy public areas.
  • Price of Transport: Though the UK has a well-connected and environment friendly transportation system, trains can usually be very costly. Strikes are additionally fairly frequent and may happen with minimal discover to a prepare you will have booked.
  • Automobile Costs: Many main cities now have fees for issues like tolls, low-emission zones, and congestion fees. London now even has an ultra-low emission zone. Not having a automobile, particularly in London may very well be a optimistic as attempting to keep away from a fantastic can typically be trickier than it appears to be like.

How to Start House Sitting in the UK: FAQs

Listed below are some solutions to the mostly requested questions on home sitting in the UK:

Do I want insurance coverage for home sitting in the UK?

Sure, it’s advisable to have a good insurance coverage coverage while home sitting in the UK. Whereas some home and pet sitting platforms provide a component of protection for host cancellations, it’s important to guarantee issues like healthcare are coated. Medical bills, even for minor occasions, can incur important prices for many non-UK and EU residents.

Having insurance coverage wherever you might be from will present monetary safety and peace of thoughts throughout your time home sitting in the UK.

How do I change into a pet sitter in the UK?

Turning into a pet sitter in the UK includes becoming a member of a good home or pet sitting platform. A number of platforms, akin to Trusted Housesitters and Housesitters UK, provide a spread of listings for sitters throughout the UK. Every platform has various options and membership costs to accommodate completely different budgets.

Do I receives a commission to home sit in the UK?

Usually, you received’t be paid to be a home sitter in the UK. The association generally includes exchanging your own home sitting providers for the likelihood to keep in a welcoming house, providing a snug base for exploration and an enhanced general expertise.

Are there any home sitting jobs in the UK with out pets?

Sure, you will discover alternatives for home sitting in the UK with out pets. Numerous web sites characteristic listings the place the important duty is just overseeing a property. Nevertheless, it’s important to be aware that in most instances, home sitting preparations usually embrace the care of a number of pets as a part of the general settlement.

How lengthy am I ready to keep in the UK as a home sitter?

How lengthy you may keep in the UK as a home sitter is solely depending on the place you’re from. While most guests might be ready to entry a 6-month vacationer visa with out a price or want for an software, some guests will want to apply and pay a cost.

Should you’re considering of home sitting in the UK long run, make sure to test all visa data totally earlier than making use of for or accepting a home sit. It’s important you keep inside the time-frame and laws of the visa you’re getting into the UK underneath.

What’s it like to home sit in the UK?

House sitting in the UK presents a mix of cultural immersion, scenic magnificence, and social delights. From the attract and allure of cities like London and Manchester to the breathtaking landscapes of Scotland and Wales, every area gives a particular expertise.

Taking over a home sitting placement in the UK will enable you to genuinely stay in a spot somewhat than simply visiting. Regardless of the place I’ve taken a placement I’ve all the time discovered this creates a deeper reference to the native life-style and tradition.

Do you want {qualifications} to be a pet sitter in the UK?

You don’t want a qualification to change into a home sitter in the UK. Nevertheless, most web sites will ask you to create a completely verified profile that lists as a lot expertise and details about your self as potential.

It’s advisable to embrace as a lot data as you may to guarantee a potential host feels snug deciding on you as the proper candidate to take care of their house.

Can I home sit in the UK at no cost?

Sure, you may home sit in the UK at no cost, as most postings sometimes don’t contain an trade of cash. Nevertheless, that is contingent on customers having signed up and paid a modest membership price on a home sitting web site. Whereas some websites provide a free profile choice, accessing and making use of for home sits normally all the time requires changing into a full-paying member.

Membership costs begin as little as $29/12 months (Thoughts My House), and even Trusted Housesitters, with over 7,000 lively listings, presents an all-inclusive yearly membership that’s cheaper than a snug weekend metropolis break.

In Conclusion

Having lived in the UK for many of my life, it’s been a pleasure to write about it for you right here. It’s jogged my memory of the many great parts the UK has to provide that after had been available on my doorstep. I by no means took them without any consideration but it surely’s maybe solely as soon as leaving the UK that I’ve begun to recognize all the points of house that I miss.

It’s an ideal location to discover a home sitting posting. Not solely as a result of actually 1000’s of individuals are at the moment accepting purposes, however due to the true breadth of tradition and pleasure I personally have skilled while home sitting in completely different cities round the UK.

House sitting was a game-changer for my life and desires of touring extensively. I want you luck in changing into a home sitter your self and touchdown some superb UK home sits in the close to future.

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