House Sitting Creep Show
 

The owners of the home across the street are out of town. They hired a housesitter to check on the property.

Today the homeowner's brother-in-law knocked on my door and told me they had just fired the housesitter. The BIL came over to check on the property, and opened the door with his key. The housesitter came out of the bedroom wrapped in a towel.

The housesitter had moved into the home, making a pallet in the closet for his bed. He had cooked, eaten, showered and slept in their home.

I encourage them the call the police, but I don't think they did. They left me their name and number in case I see anything.

Licensed, bonded and insured, or your BFF. There are creeps out there.

House sitter
 

Spooky, perhaps. But isn't a house-sitter someone who stays in your house when you're away? Or did you mean property manager?

I'm confused.

I thought a "house-sitter" is one who stayed at the house...they were watching?


House Sitter | Definition of House Sitter by Merriam-Webster

Help me out...what is the issue? :confused:

The BIL referred to him as a house sitter. He was not hired to live there. He was hired to flush the toilets, water the plants, etc. ~ and leave.

ETA: House watch is probably a better term. The owners were reportedly upset that he lived in their home.

Why doesn’t the BIL do it himself?

I think the difference is in semantics. House-sitters general stay at the home. Home Watch services are the ones that come weekly, more or less, to check on the home.

If this was a home watch person, I could see where the issue would be.

OK, that makes a little more sense.

I can't help but wonder though, given the BIL's vernacular, if the person was told he was NOT going to be an actual "house-sitter?"

Then the next obvious question would be, since it sounds like he is here...why didn't they just use the BIL?

I also have to say, if I was hired as a house-sitter (or even just a 'house-watcher'), having someone use a key to come in while I was there...would be the "creepy" part. :ohdear:

I have no way of knowing why they made the decisions they did.

A pallet in a closet sounds like someone hiding the fact they are staying in the house. It’s happened before. It will probably happen again.

Reality is that if a true house watcher, one of the first questions asked is if anyone else has access to the house. If so, the house watcher’s insurance is void and any risk is then on the homeowner.

Having a friend or relative watch a home is not a good idea. If something goes wrong, someone will probably be paying out of pocket for damages and it won’t be the insurance company if the house watcher was even remotely negligent.

Interesting.

So you are advising that if you hire someone to watch/look in on your house...they should be insured & bonded?

Have you seen, or heard of, an issue happening with a friend/neighbor watching a house?

I've done this for neighbors in the past...but this now gives me pause.

I agree. Could you please elaborate? we have a house watch but give a neighbor a key in case of emergency.

Further, should the house watcher provide proof of insurance?

Be careful about some of the stuff you read here since some of the posters could be “talking their book”.

My sister owns a home here and hires a home watch person Because she knows I have a life and does not impose on me. Thank you sister.

Makes sense, but do you check up on the people your sister hires...by letting yourself in her house?

I always let my neighbors know that I am having a House Watch person stopping in to check on house. That way they know who is around.