Ask your house sitter these 5 important questions

If you're leaving town for a while, hiring a house sitter is a great way to make sure that your home is taken care of while you're away. We'll give you 5 important things to consider when using a house sitter.

If you have pets, be sure to talk with your house sitter about the specific care that they require. It's important to physically show the house sitter where food and supplies are kept as well as leaving detailed written instructions. You should also instruct them about how to take care of the pets if they become sick and where to purchase extra food and supplies.

If there are any emergencies while you're away, make sure that your house sitter knows what to do to handle them. Always leave an emergency contact number so that you can be reached right away. You might also want to leave a friend or neighbour's number so that the sitter can reach out for help if something goes wrong.

If your house sitter is staying over at your house while you're away, be sure to discuss where they should sleep and which rooms are off limits. Make sure to leave the sitter some fresh sheets and towels and show them how they can take care of laundry while you're away.

It's a good idea to hide your valuables and important documents while you're away, unless you know the house sitter personally. Even then, it's a good idea to protect your valuables from accidents to prevent difficult questions of liability if something unexpected happens.

Be very clear about your guest policy. Even if you don't mind guests coming over, you still need to specify the amount of company you're comfortable with and what time they should be out by.

Ask these important questions and you'll be well on your way to having a happy, trustworthy house sitter and enjoying your travels with added peace of mind.