How to Deal With House Owners Who Exploit Sitters

Many house owners believe that as a house sitter, you should be grateful. They’ll say that because you aren't paying rent, you should bend over backward, say "yes" to every request, and treat the homeowner's wish list like a command from royalty. We completely disagree.

In fact, that attitude is dangerous. It turns a mutual exchange into exploitation. House sitting is not servitude. It is a partnership where two parties solve each other's problems. If the balance tips too far in one direction, the trust and the fun collapses instantly.

We’ve been on the road for years, and while most homeowners are absolute gems, we have seen the dark side of the "free accommodation" trade. We’re talking about the owners who hide the ugly details until the very last second.

As we touched on in our guide to canceling or rescheduling bookings, sometimes a sit falls apart not because of an emergency, but because of dishonesty. Today, we are tackling a massive issue: dealing with owners who move the goalposts after you’ve already committed.

The "Welcome Guide" Trap

Here is a scenario that boils our blood, and unfortunately, it comes straight from a real situation a fellow sitter faced recently.

Imagine you apply for a sit over Christmas. You read the listing on Trusted House Sitters or a similar platform. The responsibilities look standard: feed the dogs, keep them company, water the plants. You verify the dates, you chat with the owners, and you hit "Confirm." You even drive 2.5 hours to the location and rent a short-term stay nearby just to be ready.

Then, 48 hours before you are set to walk through the door, the "Welcome Guide" arrives in your inbox.

You open the PDF, and there it is in black and white: "Walk the dogs between 5:00 AM and 6:00 AM every morning."

This was never mentioned in the listing. It wasn't in the video call. It wasn't in the chat. And on top of that, the guide casually mentions you need to be with the dogs nearly 24/7.

This is not a "miscommunication." This is deception.

Why This is a Dealbreaker

When homeowners hide strict requirements like 5 AM wake-up calls or 24/7 lockdown until the last minute, they are usually doing it on purpose. They know that if they put "Must wake up before sunrise in freezing temperatures" on their profile, they wouldn't get many applicants.

This behavior ruins the trust the platform is built on. As we discussed when we looked at how to verify house sitter qualifications, safety works both ways. You need to verify them just as much as they verify you.

If an owner needs someone to work specific, uncomfortable hours, they are looking for an employee, not a guest. There is a huge difference between a house sitter and a paid pet sitter. If you want to know the difference, check out the average pay for house sitters, because if you are waking up at 5 AM on command, you should be getting a paycheck, not just a free bed.

How to Handle the "Bait and Switch"

If you find yourself in this position, furious, 2.5 hours away from home, and holding a Welcome Guide that looks like a boot camp schedule, here is your action plan.

1. Do Not Just "Suck It Up"
You are on holiday, too. This is a mutually beneficial exchange. If you accept these new terms without pushing back, you are teaching these hosts that they can exploit people. You need to set a boundary immediately.

2. The "Original Agreement" Conversation
You need to have a firm, polite, but direct conversation with the host. It should sound something like this:

"Hi [Name], I’ve just read through the Welcome Guide. I noticed the requirement for 5 AM walks and 24/7 supervision. These were not mentioned in the original listing or our calls. Since this wasn't part of the agreement we made when I accepted the sit, I won't be able to accommodate the 5 AM schedule. I am happy to stick to the schedule we originally discussed, but I need us to agree on that before I arrive."

3. Be Prepared to Walk Away
This is the hardest part. The hosts might panic. They might say, "But the dogs need it!" If the dogs need it, the hosts should have disclosed it. If they refuse to budge, you have grounds to contact support (especially on major platforms) and cancel based on misleading listing information.

4. Check the Reviews (The Survivorship Bias)
In the story above, the sitter noted that all prior reviews were positive. Why? Because previous sitters were likely too nice or too afraid of a bad retaliatory review to speak up. This is a flaw in the system. Always look for platforms with verified reviews and read between the lines. If a review says, "The dogs are early risers," that is code for "You won't sleep."

Identifying "Employee" Work vs. House Sitting

To avoid this in the future, you need to know where the line is.

If an owner expects you to never leave the property, they are asking for professional kenneling services in their own home. We wrote an entire article answering do house sitters have to stay overnight and be there constantly. The short answer: You live there, you don't serve time there.

The Bottom Line

Transparency is everything. If you are a homeowner reading this: please, be honest. If your dog needs medicine at 4 AM, put it in the listing. The right person might still apply, but they will do it with their eyes open.

If you are a sitter dealing with a dishonest owner right now: trust your gut. If they hid the 5 AM walk, what else are they hiding? A broken heater? A reactive dog?

House sitting is an incredible way to see the world, we’ve used it to live in Italian farmhouses and Swiss chalets. But it only works when both sides respect each other. Don't let the fear of a cancellation force you into a situation where you feel used.

If you want to ensure you're using the safest apps where support might actually help you in these situations, check out our list of the best house sitting platforms in the US.

You bring value to the table. Don't let anyone treat you like cheap labor.

Caro & Konrad 🐾🚐

DM us @housesittersguide if you need backup on a tough sit!

• What should I do if a homeowner adds new responsibilities after I’ve already booked the sit?

  You should address it immediately. If a homeowner adds significant tasks—like 5 AM walks or deep cleaning—via a Welcome Guide or text just before arrival, this is a breach of your verbal agreement. Politely but firmly inform them that you cannot agree to tasks that were not disclosed in the original listing. You are within your rights to refuse these new terms.

• Is it normal for house sitters to be required to stay with the pets 24/7?

  No, it is not standard practice for unpaid house sits. While you are there to care for the home and pets, house sitting is a mutual exchange that allows you to explore the local area. If a pet requires 24/7 constant supervision without you ever leaving the house, that is a job for a paid professional, not a house sitter. This should always be disclosed upfront so you can decide if it suits your travel style.

• Why do homeowners hide difficult requirements until the last minute?

  Unfortunately, some homeowners fear that disclosing strict requirements (like early wake-up calls, medication schedules, or separation anxiety) will scare away applicants. They wait until you are committed—often just days before the sit—hoping you will feel too guilty or "locked in" to cancel. This is dishonest and undermines the trust the community is built on.

• Should I cancel a sit if the owner was dishonest about the requirements?

  Ideally, try to negotiate first by stating you will stick to the original agreement. However, if the owner refuses to budge and insists on unreasonable, undisclosed demands, you are justified in canceling. Your mental well-being and the fairness of the exchange matter. Contact the platform's support team to explain that the listing was misleading.

• How can I spot these "exploitative" owners before I apply?

  It can be tricky, especially if previous sitters left generic positive reviews to avoid conflict. Always ask specific questions during the video call: "What is the exact daily routine?" "How long can the pets be left alone?" and "Are there any sleep interruptions?" If they are vague or evasive, consider that a red flag.