Home > Blog > Dealing With Exploitative Homeowners
Quick Facts
| Most common problem | Responsibilities disclosed only in the welcome guide, after the sit is confirmed |
| The core issue | House sitting is a mutual exchange, not an employment arrangement |
| Your position | You agreed to specific responsibilities, not whatever is added later |
| First step | A direct conversation referencing the original listing and agreement |
| If negotiation fails | You have grounds to cancel citing misleading listing information |
| Platform support | THS and Nomador both have support teams for dispute situations |
The short answer: A house sitter agrees to a specific set of responsibilities described in a listing. Any significant requirement added after confirmation, particularly one that was deliberately withheld, is a breach of that agreement. You are entitled to hold the homeowner to the original terms, negotiate, or cancel with platform support if necessary.
House sitting works because both parties are honest. Most homeowners are. After 17 sits across 11 countries, the overwhelming majority of our experiences have involved homeowners who communicated clearly, provided accurate listings, and treated the exchange with genuine respect.
But the minority exists. And when it does, you need to know what your position actually is, not just how to feel about it.
The Bait-and-Switch: What It Looks Like
This is a pattern reported by sitters across multiple platforms, and it follows a consistent shape.
A sitter applies for a sit based on a listing. The responsibilities described look reasonable: feed the dogs, keep them company, water the plants. The video call goes well. The sit is confirmed. The sitter makes travel arrangements.
Then, 48 hours before arrival, the welcome guide appears. Inside it are requirements that were never mentioned: a 5am morning walk every day, 24/7 supervision of the animals, restrictions on leaving the property for more than an hour. None of this was in the listing. None of it came up on the video call.
This is not a misunderstanding. An owner who needs a sitter up at 5am knows that requirement will put many applicants off. Withholding it until after confirmation is a deliberate choice.
The pattern is recognisable precisely because it is consistent: disclose just enough in the listing to attract applicants, reveal the full picture once the sitter is committed and feels it is too late to back out.
Why the Reviews Do Not Always Show It
A reasonable response to this is: why wouldn't the reviews flag it? If previous sitters had the same experience, surely someone would have mentioned it.
The blind review system on platforms like TrustedHouseSitters protects sitters from retaliatory reviews, but it does not eliminate the social pressure many sitters feel. Someone who has just completed a sit, regardless of how difficult it was, often leaves a neutral or positive review rather than risk any conflict. This creates a survivorship bias in the review record.
When you read a review that says "the dogs are very energetic in the mornings" or "the sit requires a dedicated approach," treat those as coded language. Reviews that conspicuously avoid specific detail about the routine are worth noting.
This is also why direct questions during the video call matter more than the listing text. Ask specifically: what time do the animals need their first walk? How long can they be left alone? Are there any night-time or early-morning requirements? A homeowner who is evasive or vague in response to direct questions is telling you something.
Where the Line Is: Exchange vs. Employment
Understanding this boundary makes every other question easier to answer.
A house sitter agrees to care for the home and animals in exchange for free accommodation. The responsibilities are specific to what was described and agreed. The sitter can leave the property for reasonable periods. The hours are not dictated by the homeowner beyond what the animals mutual require.
An arrangement requiring set working hours, early morning starts, 24/7 presence, or work beyond what was described is not a house sitting arrangement. It is employment without pay. It is also worth knowing that most major platforms prohibit this in their terms of service. TrustedHouseSitters explicitly states that sits must be a genuine exchange and that using sitters for commercial or labour purposes beyond what the platform is designed for violates their terms. Homeowners who consistently misrepresent sit requirements can have their listings removed and accounts suspended. If a dog requires medication at 4am every night, that is legitimate to disclose. A sitter who is told about it upfront can choose whether it suits them. If it is revealed after confirmation, the nature of the arrangement has changed without the sitter's consent.
The practical test is this: could the requirement reasonably have been mentioned in the listing or on the video call? If yes, and it was not, the homeowner chose not to disclose it. That choice has consequences for how the situation should be handled.
| Reasonable house sitting expectation | Crosses into employment |
|---|---|
| Feeding pets at set times morning and evening | Being required to wake before 6am daily |
| Staying overnight and being home evenings | Never being permitted to leave the property |
| Keeping the home tidy | Deep cleaning, laundry, or housework beyond normal tidying |
| Watering plants and collecting post | Garden maintenance, heavy physical work |
| Notifying the homeowner of issues | Being required to report in at set times throughout the day |
| Following the pet routine as described | Being given a new, more demanding routine on arrival |
How to Handle It
If you arrive at a sit or receive a welcome guide that contains undisclosed requirements, the approach is direct and calm.
Contact the homeowner promptly. The conversation should reference the original agreement specifically: "I've read through the welcome guide and noticed the requirement for 5am walks and 24/7 supervision. These were not in the listing or our video call. What we agreed on was the routine you described originally. I am happy to follow that, but I am not able to take on responsibilities that were not part of our agreement."
This framing does several things. It is not aggressive. It is specific. It puts the homeowner in the position of having to either acknowledge the discrepancy or defend it. Most homeowners at this point will either negotiate or back down.
If the homeowner insists the undisclosed requirements are non-negotiable, you have a clear choice. You can accept the new terms if they are workable. You can continue to negotiate. Or you can contact the platform's support team, explain that the listing was materially misleading, and cancel on those grounds. On TrustedHouseSitters and Nomador, the support teams exist specifically for these situations. Cancellations due to misleading listings are handled differently to standard cancellations and are less likely to affect your standing as a sitter.
Message Templates: The Exact Words to Use
Having the right framing prepared before you need it makes the conversation significantly easier. These templates are designed to be direct without being combative. Adjust the specifics to your situation.
When the welcome guide contains undisclosed requirements:
"Hi [Name], I have just been through the welcome guide and noticed a few things that were not mentioned in the listing or our video call, specifically [the 5am walks / the 24/7 supervision requirement / the cleaning list]. I want to make sure we are on the same page before I arrive. What we agreed on when I confirmed the sit was [the routine as described in the listing]. I am happy to do everything we discussed, but I am not able to take on responsibilities that were not part of that original agreement. Can we confirm the actual scope of the sit before I travel?"
When a homeowner asks for "one more favour" during the sit:
"Happy to help where I can. Just to check: is this something that was in the original listing or welcome guide? I want to make sure I am managing your expectations accurately. If it is something additional, I am happy to consider it, but I want to be upfront that anything significantly beyond what we originally agreed would need to be discussed rather than assumed."
When you need to formally decline a new requirement:
"I have given this some thought and I am not able to take this on. It was not part of the agreement we made when I confirmed the sit. I do not want there to be any misunderstanding about what I committed to, so I want to be clear: I will continue to do everything we originally agreed, but I cannot extend that to [the specific request]. If the sit as originally described no longer works for you, I am willing to discuss that, but I wanted to give you the chance to confirm we can continue on the original terms."
When you are walking away:
"After reflecting on the requirements in the welcome guide, I do not think I am the right fit for this sit. The responsibilities described there are significantly different from what was in the listing and what we discussed on our call, and I do not think it is fair to either of us for me to proceed on that basis. I am going to contact [platform] support to let them know the situation. I hope you are able to find someone whose availability and routine matches what you need."
Prevention: Questions That Surface Problems Before Arrival
The most effective protection against this situation is the video call. Our video call guide covers the full preparation. For exploitation prevention specifically, these questions matter most.
Ask for the exact daily routine by time. Not "what does the morning look like" but "what time is the first walk, what time is breakfast, how long does it take?" A homeowner who is honest about a demanding schedule will tell you. One who is concealing it will be vague.
Ask how long the animals can be left alone. This tells you whether you will have any genuine freedom during the sit. If the answer is "they can't really be left" that is information you need before confirming, not after.
Ask whether there is anything in the welcome guide not covered in the listing. This gives the homeowner an easy opportunity to disclose whatever they have been holding back.
Ask what a difficult day looks like. Most homeowners describe the easy version of their sit when listing. Asking about difficult days surfaces the realistic picture.
Protecting Yourself Before and During a Sit
Before confirming, send a brief written summary of your understanding of the sit responsibilities and ask the homeowner to confirm it is accurate. A short message is enough. "Just to confirm: the daily routine involves morning and evening walks, feeding twice daily, and the cat can be left during the day without issue" creates a clear written record of what was agreed.
During a sit, if a homeowner begins adding requests that go beyond the original agreement, address them at the time rather than absorbing them and hoping it does not escalate. The longer undisclosed expectations go unaddressed, the harder they become to push back on.
If the situation deteriorates to the point where you feel the sit is untenable, document everything: the original listing, your messages, the welcome guide, and any subsequent requests. This documentation supports any platform support request or dispute.
Using Platform Support: TrustedHouseSitters and Nomador
Knowing how each platform's reporting system works is practical preparation, not a last resort.
TrustedHouseSitters
THS support is accessible through the Help Centre at support.trustedhousesitters.com. For sit disputes, the most effective route is to contact support directly through the platform's messaging system rather than email, as this creates a timestamped record within the platform itself.
When contacting THS support about a misleading listing, provide: a screenshot or copy of the original listing text, a copy of the welcome guide showing the undisclosed requirements, and a brief summary of when you first became aware of the discrepancy. THS treats cancellations due to materially misleading listings differently to standard sitter cancellations. Under THS terms of service, listings must accurately represent the responsibilities involved. A listing that systematically understates requirements to attract sitters violates those terms, and support teams can act on this beyond simply facilitating your cancellation. Documenting that the listing misrepresented the sit is the key to ensuring the cancellation does not negatively affect your standing.
THS also has a dedicated member experience team for escalations that go beyond standard support queries. If the initial support contact does not resolve the issue, ask specifically to escalate to the member experience team.
Nomador
Nomador support is reached through the contact form in the platform's Help section. Nomador's dispute process similarly requires documentation of the original listing against the actual requirements discovered on arrival or in the welcome guide.
For Nomador sits, it is worth noting that their cancellation protection plan, which covers up to €250 on Standard and €500 on Premium for cancelled sits, applies only to specific triggering conditions. A sit cancelled due to a misleading listing would need to be reported to Nomador support separately from the financial claim, and the two processes run in parallel rather than as one.
What to document before contacting either platform:
The original listing text or a screenshot. Any messages between you and the homeowner that reference responsibilities. The welcome guide in full. A clear written description of which requirements were new and when you became aware of them. Any messages where you raised the discrepancy with the homeowner and their response.
This documentation does two things: it gives the support team what they need to assess the situation, and it creates a record that protects you if the homeowner leaves a retaliatory review.
Conclusion
The vast majority of house sitting arrangements are honest exchanges between people who communicate clearly. When that honesty is absent, the situation is uncomfortable but manageable, provided you know where you stand and act on it directly rather than hoping things improve.
You agreed to specific responsibilities. Hold to them. A homeowner who withheld significant requirements to secure your commitment does not have a stronger position simply because you are already there. You have options, and the platform's support infrastructure exists specifically for these situations.
For more on what house sitting actually involves as a standard arrangement, our guide to what house sitters usually do sets the baseline. For the legal framework around the arrangement, our house sitting legal issues guide covers what protections you have.
DM us @housesittersguide on Instagram if you are dealing with a difficult sit. We answer everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do if a homeowner adds requirements after the sit is confirmed?
Address it immediately and in writing. Contact the homeowner, reference the original listing, and state clearly which requirements were not part of the agreement you made. Most homeowners will negotiate when the discrepancy is pointed out directly. If they insist on the undisclosed requirements and refuse to revert to the original arrangement, contact the platform's support team and document that the listing was materially misleading.
Is a house sitter required to be present 24/7?
No. 24/7 supervision is not a standard house sitting expectation, and should be disclosed explicitly in any listing that requires it. House sitting involves living in the home and providing continuous presence in the sense of sleeping there and being responsible for the animals. It does not mean you cannot leave the property during the day. If an animal cannot be left alone at all, that is a professional care requirement that belongs in the listing before a sitter commits.
How can I spot a problematic listing before applying?
Ask specific questions during the video call rather than relying on listing text alone. Useful questions include: what is the exact daily routine including times, how long can the animals be left alone, and is there anything in the welcome guide not covered in the listing? Evasive or vague answers to direct questions are a reliable signal. Also read reviews for language that avoids specific detail about routines or demands. That absence is often deliberate.
Can I cancel if the homeowner was dishonest about the requirements?
Yes, and on major platforms this type of cancellation is treated differently to a standard one. Contact TrustedHouseSitters or Nomador support with documentation of the original listing and the undisclosed requirements. Cancellations resulting from materially misleading listings are generally handled sympathetically and are less likely to affect your sitter standing than cancellations for other reasons.
Why do homeowners hide requirements until after confirmation?
Because they know the requirements would reduce or eliminate their applicant pool if disclosed upfront. An owner who needs a sitter awake at 5am every morning knows that requirement is demanding. Disclosing it after commitment, when the sitter feels too invested to back out, is a deliberate strategy to secure agreement they might not get otherwise. It is a breach of the trust the exchange model runs on.
