House sitting · United Kingdom
House sitting: a pet sitter stays at your home
Your pets keep their bed, their garden and their routine. A house sitter stays overnight at your home for the nights you’re away and follows the routine you agree together.
The service
What house sitting means on Holidog
House sitting is in-home pet sitting: a pet sitter stays overnight in your home while you’re away, so your pets keep their own space and routine. Nights, routine and access to your home are agreed with the sitter before the stay.
In your home
Your pets stay in familiar surroundings — their own bed, garden and smells.
Overnight stays
Overnight pet sitting: the sitter sleeps at your home for the nights you book.
Your pets’ own routine
Meals, walks, litter and bedtime, as you write them down.
What to expect
- A sitter staying overnight at your home for the agreed nights
- Meals and fresh water, following your instructions
- Walks, play or litter, depending on your pets
- Company and supervision, organised around the sitter’s day
- Medication, only if the sitter agrees to take it on
What to agree with your sitter
- Arrival and departure times, and how keys are handed over
- How long the sitter will be at home each day
- Where food, leads, cleaning kit and vet details live
- Alarm, Wi-Fi, heating and the house rules that matter
- Who else has access to your home
- Messages and photos during the stay
- What to do in an emergency
Care that depends on the sitter — medication, time at home, access to your home — is confirmed in messages before you book. Prices and Holidog fees are explained in Prices & fees; to compare options, see house sitting vs boarding vs cat visits.
Which care suits your pets?
Three ways to have your pets looked after while you’re away. Pick one to see how it works.
Holidog · this page
House sitting
A sitter stays overnight in your home, so your pets keep their own space and routine while you’re away.
- Where
- In your home, overnight
- How it works
- Book on Holidog; the sitter stays at yours for the agreed nights
- Can suit
- Several pets, older or anxious animals, or pets who settle best at home
Daily life
- Dog boarding
- No one at your home — your dog sleeps at the sitter’s
- House sitting
- Yes — the sitter sleeps at your home
- Cat visits
- No — short visits, no overnight stay
- Dog boarding
- Dogs
- House sitting
- Dogs, cats and other pets the sitter accepts
- Cat visits
- Cats
- Dog boarding
- Agreed with the sitter; your dog settles into their home
- House sitting
- Your pets’ own routine, in their own home
- Cat visits
- Your cat’s routine, at the times of each visit
Peace of mind
- Dog boarding
- Not needed — you drop your dog off
- House sitting
- Handed to the sitter, as agreed
- Cat visits
- Handed to the sitter, as agreed
- Dog boarding
- Messages and photos through Holidog, as arranged with the sitter.
- House sitting
- Messages and photos through Holidog, as arranged with the sitter.
- Cat visits
- A message or photo after visits, as arranged with the sitter.
- Dog boarding
- Meet & Greet after booking — change sitter if it isn’t the right fit.
- House sitting
- Meet & Greet after booking — change sitter if it isn’t the right fit.
- Cat visits
- Meet & Greet after booking — change sitter if it isn’t the right fit.
Booking & price
- Dog boarding
- Per night, set by the sitter
- House sitting
- Per night, set by the sitter
- Cat visits
- Per visit, set by the sitter
- Dog boarding
- 72-hour cutoff before the start date
- House sitting
- 72-hour cutoff before the start date
- Cat visits
- 72-hour cutoff before the start date
- Dog boarding
- Holivet commercial guarantee included in bookings paid on Holidog, within its terms.
- House sitting
- Holivet commercial guarantee included in bookings paid on Holidog, within its terms.
- Cat visits
- Holivet commercial guarantee included in bookings paid on Holidog, within its terms.
Arrangements are confirmed with the sitter before you book. Cat visits are short visits with no overnight stay. Prices and Holidog fees are explained in Prices & fees. Still deciding? See all pet-sitting options.
Booking
How booking works on Holidog
Four moments, all on Holidog. Nothing is charged until a sitter accepts, and the sitter is paid only after the stay.
- 1
Find a house sitter and send a request
Search your town or postcode, compare profiles and request your dates. No payment at this stage.
- 2
The sitter accepts, you pay
Sitters have up to 72 hours to reply. Once they accept, you see the final price and pay on Holidog.
- 3
Meet & Greet
Once the booking is confirmed and paid, meet the sitter at your home with your pets — a good moment to walk through keys and routine.
Not the right fit? See below - 4
The stay, then a review
The sitter stays the agreed nights. They are paid after the stay, and you can leave a review.
Meet & Greet
Meet the sitter after booking. Not the right fit? Change sitter.
Once your booking is confirmed and paid, you meet the sitter at your home with your pets. If it doesn’t feel right, choose another sitter — what you’ve already paid moves across automatically.
- 01
Book & pay
Your booking is confirmed and paid.
- 02
Meet your sitter
Propose a date, time and place from Messages. Your dog meets the sitter and you see the home.
- 03
Keep or change sitter
Happy? Nothing else to do. Not the right fit? Choose another sitter.
- 04
Automatic payment transfer
What you’ve already paid moves to the new booking automatically.
- 05
Pay or receive the difference
Depends on the new sitter’s price — see the two cases below.
New sitter costs more · you pay only the difference.
New sitter costs less · the difference is refunded to you.
- 1
Send a request
Choose a house sitter, your dates and House sitting. No payment is made at this stage.
- 2
The sitter reviews it
Sitters have up to 72 hours to respond. Meanwhile you can message about your pets’ habits and needs. No reply within a few hours? Don’t wait the full 72 — consider other sitters.
- 3
The sitter accepts
You’re notified with the final price clearly displayed: the rate and all applicable fees.
- 4
Pay on Holidog
Payment confirms the booking. It is held securely and released to the sitter only after the stay.
- 5
Meet & Greet
Recommended. Once confirmed and paid, meet the sitter at your home with your pets. Not the right fit? Change sitter — your payment moves across.
- 6
The stay
The sitter stays at your home for the agreed nights and follows your pets’ routine. You may receive updates and photos.
- 7
After the stay
The sitter is paid, and you can leave a review on their profile.
Track every stage from your Dashboard → My Requests (Requests on mobile). Source: Help Centre.
House sitters across the UK
Loading sitter profiles…
Choosing
How to choose a house sitter
Three things matter most. Explore the details below when you’re ready to compare profiles.
- 01
Look for stays like yours
Several pets, a garden, an older dog — check the profile and reviews for similar house sits.
- 02
Agree time at home
Ask how long the sitter will be out each day, and confirm it in your Holidog messages.
- 03
Meet at your home
Use the Meet & Greet after booking to show the routine, the keys and the house rules.
Reviews from similar stays
Look for owners with homes and pets like yours, and what they say about communication.
Animals they accept
Each profile lists the pets the sitter looks after — dogs, cats or both.
Their daily rhythm
Many sitters say whether they work from home. Match it against how long your pets can be alone.
Identity verified badge
Shown on some profiles. Read it alongside reviews and your own conversation.
Updates and communication
How often they send messages and photos, and how quickly they reply.
Prices & fees
Prices, fees and cancellations
Each house sitter sets their own rate per pet, shown on their profile. Holidog adds two fees, charged to you and shown before you pay.
Loading prices…
| Holidog fees | Standard booking | Coming soonSame sitter again |
|---|---|---|
| Holidog service fee | 15% | 5% |
| Holivet guarantee fee | 2% | 2% |
| Combined (indicative) | 17% | 7% |
Charged to you on top of the sitter’s rate — separate from the commission taken from the sitter’s earnings. Each fee is calculated and itemised at checkout; the combined figure is indicative, not a single calculation base. The checkout total applies. Repeat-booking fees are not available yet.
If your plans change
Three situations, three outcomes. Tap one to see the details.
House sitting uses a 72-hour cutoff, counted back from the start of your booking.
- 72 hours or more before the start
- The service amount is refunded in full
- Less than 72 hours before the start
- 50% of the service amount for unconsumed days
Holidog fees (service fee and Holivet guarantee fee) are treated as set out in the cancellation policy in force.
Cancellation policy →If your sitter cancels, Holidog refunds 100% of the amount you paid — Holidog fees included. The refund goes back to your original payment method.
The Meet & Greet takes place after your booking is confirmed and paid. If it doesn’t go well and the sitter isn’t the right fit, you can choose another sitter. This isn’t a cancellation: what you’ve paid is transferred to the new booking automatically.
- New sitter costs more
- You pay only the difference
- New sitter costs less
- The difference is refunded to you
Before the sitter arrives
Preparing your home
Most of a good house sit is settled before you leave. Write the routine down, sort the keys and leave your contacts.
Keys & access
- Hand over keys in person or as agreed
- Alarm code and how to set it
- Neighbours or others with a key
The routine
- Meals, walks, litter and bedtime, written down
- What your pets react to, and how you handle it
- Favourite spots, toys and treats
Health & vet
- Medication with written doses and times
- Your vet’s details and opening hours
- An emergency contact while you’re away
The home
- Wi-Fi, heating and where the stopcock is
- Bins, post and plants, if agreed
- Your return time
What owners say
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Included in every booking
Protected by the Holidog × Holivet Guarantee
Bookings confirmed and paid on Holidog include the Holivet commercial guarantee for the stay dates. It is a limited commercial guarantee, not insurance, and does not cover the Meet & Greet.
- Up to €10,000
- Maximum per booking, all covered costs combined — a cap, not a guaranteed amount. Eligibility conditions and exclusions apply.
- €100
- Deductible per booking, deducted from any approved reimbursement.
- 48 hours
- Deadline to report an incident to Holidog — not a processing or payment time.
Excludes illness, pre-existing conditions and property damage, among others. Applies only within the exact booking dates. See the Holivet terms.
House sitting across the UK
Each link opens the live city page for this service.
House sitting FAQs
The questions owners ask most before booking house sitting.
They stay at your home for the agreed nights and follow your pets’ routine — meals, walks, litter, medication. Simple household tasks such as post or plants can be agreed too.
That’s one of the things you confirm before booking: expected time at home, overnight presence and any daytime absences. Put it in writing in your Holidog messages.
Directly with the sitter, usually in person before or at the start of the stay. Agree alarm codes and who else has access.
Yes — and it’s recommended. The Meet & Greet takes place after your booking is confirmed and paid. Many owners hold it at home, so the sitter meets the pets and sees where everything is. Before booking, you can message the sitter while they review your request.
House sitting suits pets that settle best at home, multi-pet households, or when you want someone present in the property. Boarding suits a dog that is happy in company at the sitter’s home.
Sitters set their nightly rate. In London on 31 October 2026, listings started at £12 a night with an average of £41.
No. The guarantee covers your pet — emergency vet fees in case of accident during the stay — and bodily injury to a third party. Property damage is excluded, so check your own home insurance if that matters to you.
You can choose another sitter. What you’ve already paid is transferred to the new booking; if the new sitter costs more, you pay only the difference, and if they cost less, the difference is refunded. The Holivet commercial guarantee covers the stay itself, not the Meet & Greet.
Yes. House sitting uses a 72-hour cutoff: 72 hours or more before the start, the service amount is refunded in full; less than 72 hours before, 50% of the service amount for unconsumed days. Holidog fees are treated as set out in the cancellation policy. If the sitter cancels, Holidog refunds 100% of the amount you paid, fees included.
No. With house sitting the sitter stays overnight in your home. Cat visits are short visits — feeding, litter and company — with no overnight stay.
Find a sitter to stay at your home
Enter your town or postcode and compare verified house sitters near you. Message them for free to agree the routine before you book.
