House-sitting?
 

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[Closed] House-sitting?

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Anyone ever done house-sitting before?

I'm thinking of renting out my flat in Edinburgh city centre for the summer and finding somewhere quieter (and cheaper) to stay while I write my thesis.

Is there some form of magical place I could live in for a couple of months with my cats for free/pennies/chores while they are away on a round the world cruise or something.

Is that what house-sitting is?


 
Posted : 30/01/2018 2:47 pm
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Get the Hermes guy to look after it for you 🙂


 
Posted : 30/01/2018 2:50 pm
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Or post yourself someewher and live in his van😀


 
Posted : 30/01/2018 2:51 pm
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I know a few horsey types that used to have rather nice summers staying in very big houses with swimming pools etc.

Your cats would probably be the sticking point, normally you're looking after their animals as part of the deal.


 
Posted : 30/01/2018 2:52 pm
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Mcmoonter must have a spare shed.


 
Posted : 30/01/2018 2:52 pm
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Spare mansion more like 😉


 
Posted : 30/01/2018 2:53 pm
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If you're renting out your flat in Edinburgh city centre, won't the income more that cover a small rural flat / cottage to rent (where ever you choose...).

It fairly easy to be accepted with animals if your signing a 6 month contract (well - I'm two dog / one cat / one person and find old farm / rural cottages are generally happy accommodate pets)


 
Posted : 30/01/2018 3:29 pm
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I've done it for a guy at my dive club who went off to teach diving in Bornea for 6 months. Also lent our house to friends while we went to Australia and they had work done. Worked out well for both of us both times. Not sure how you would go about finding a house or lending a house outside your circle of friends, though. My dad used to rent his house out when he went travelling. That was more formal and was much more of a pain when they returned.


 
Posted : 30/01/2018 4:19 pm
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Just to add (can't edit!), if you are looking for something informal then through friends/family will be the most likely. Start asking around and posting up on facebook. Both time I've done its been mutually beneficial.


 
Posted : 30/01/2018 4:22 pm
 DezB
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I did, but I did it via a dog walking/sitting website. It was weird, I must say. he woman hadn't cleared the dogshit out of her massive garden for months. I went round and filled 4 carrier bags. Left them for her to dispose of. She hasn't asked me back 😆


 
Posted : 30/01/2018 4:26 pm
 DezB
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Tried to edit to make "he woman" "the woman" but keep getting the bloody

404 in your coffee maker

I ain't posting no more


 
Posted : 30/01/2018 4:28 pm
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I ain’t posting no more
You were talking s*** anyway.


 
Posted : 30/01/2018 4:44 pm
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I can probably offload my cats to someone else

Hmm, yes. Informal would probably be best... So, who's got a spare cottage/mansion with swimming pool going for free/couple of hundred a month?


 
Posted : 30/01/2018 5:52 pm
 hugo
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Yes, we  house sat last summer for 7 weeks in two locations in France.  I live internationally and it's more of a thing for people already living abroad.

The upside for the person giving up their gaff is generally pet related, so dog walking/cat sitting, or maybe just a general sense of security.

We went through trustedhousesitters.com

Beware however that the target market for potential sitters is generally not single guys under 35 and there are plenty of people looking, so if that's you then you'd have to sell yourself.  Also, if you're not picky on location or school holiday type timings then that would help you. Once you've done a successful house sit however you get a positive "review" and this helps massively going forwards.  You do have to pay about 100 euros to join the site, and this does weed out most of the timewasters, but you don't get it back if you don't find somewhere.

Good luck!


 
Posted : 30/01/2018 6:08 pm
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Just trying to get this right... you want someone to let you use their house for free whilst you charge someone else to live in yours?

Righto.


 
Posted : 30/01/2018 6:14 pm
 DezB
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<p style="padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: unset; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; line-height: 1.5rem; margin: 1rem 0px !important;">I ain’t posting no more</p>

</div>
<p style="padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: unset; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; line-height: 1.5rem; margin: 1rem 0px !important;">You were talking s*** anyway.</p>
prick

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Posted : 30/01/2018 7:08 pm
 ji
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You want to go somewhere quiet to write? Read this and then decide:

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/may/27/bleaker-house-nell-stevens-review


 
Posted : 30/01/2018 7:56 pm
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Hmm. Interesting. I don't think I'd like to do creative writing in a place like that - would need things going on around me for inspiration.

However, this is academic writing for an MSc thesis, a little different. I also need to make lots of absinthe.


 
Posted : 31/01/2018 3:20 am
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It's quite a big thing here in Oz. My inlaws spends 6 months of the year in Cornwall, and the other 6 months over here with us, going from house / pet sitting to another. Free accomodation! There's agencies that help but a lot of is is word of mouth and recommendations. They're currently in a beautiful house with the estuary one side and sea the other. Works for them. Huge amount of trust on all parts but it's something Aussies do a lot.


 
Posted : 31/01/2018 5:40 am
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Yes a friend of mine went to aus to visit family and did back to back house sits, pet sitting.  I used to do a house sit in lomdon looking after pets buti knew the owner.


 
Posted : 31/01/2018 7:09 am

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