Read about other people’s TrustedHousesitters horror stories on r/trustedhousesitters.

I know of two other TrustedHousesitters members (person 1, person 2) who’ve been refused entry to the US within the last few months.

Hi. I’m Madolline.
And I’m seeing the world One cat at a time

Disclaimer

I write and produce all content on One cat at a time, and all views expressed are my own.

My blog posts are designed for information only and I would recommend doing additional research before signing up to a house sitting website. You may also want to consider the risks involved with using TrustedHousesitters internationally.

How the house sitting thing works

Sits are found through house sitting websites where owners can view my profile and rating before deciding if I’m a good fit for them. I can respond to a person’s ad or they may choose to reach out to me without posting.

I’m not affiliated with any of the house sitting websites I use and I pay for each membership I have. Sometimes I may have enough rewards points/dollars to renew my membership without incurring a cost, but my membership is never ‘gifted’.

It’s not paid

HOWEVER, AS I HAVE RECENTLY LEARNED, BOTH US & UK GOVERNMENTS CONSIDER UNPAID HOUSE AND PET SITTING A FORM OF WORK/EMPLOYMENT. FOREIGNERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HOUSE AND PET SIT ON A TOURIST-TYPE VISA (including ESTA) DESPITE WHAT TRUSTEDHOUSESITTERS SAYS. PLEASE CONSULT AN IMMIGRATION LAWYER BEFORE AGREEING TO AN INTERNATIONAL HOUSE AND PET SIT.

I’m not paid to house and cat sit, and accepting cash goes against the terms and conditions stipulated on the house sitting websites I use. I’m not employed by any of these companies and I don’t receive money for spruiking the benefits of using them. I’ve never signed a contract prior to undertaking a house and cat sit, or with any of the websites I use, and none of the people I’ve sat for have my bank details. I pay for all my travel costs (e.g. flights, bus and train fares) to and from the owner’s location, but I’m happy to accept a ride from the airport if it’s offered.