House Sitting Agreement + House Sitting Instructions

Be the first to review this product

Availability: In stock

Price: $28.90

Special Price $0.00

One of the benefits of keeping a house sitter is deterring crime. Providing a clear understanding of the relationship as well as instructions can make the experience easier. This packet includes both the House Sitting Agreement and the House Sitting Instructions.

Price: $28.90

Special Price $0.00

House Sitting Agreement + House Sitting Instructions

Double-click on the image to enlarge and minimize. Use the buttons below to zoom on the image.

Zoom Out
Zoom In

Details

House Sitting Agreement

+

House Sitting Instructions

 

This eform provides details as to:

    • house sitter compensation
    • pet care information
    • basic rules governing the house sitter's stay
    • homeowner retaining rights to the house
    • house sitter being granted only temporary limited use
    • common phone numbers
    • instructions of duties of the house sitter
    • location of extra keys and security system code(s)
    • what to do in an emergency (with signature authorization on what to do in an immediate emergency)
    • and more

Valid in all 50 States and Washington, D.C.

House sitting is all about peace of mind for the homeowner. Knowing some of your most valuables will be looked after and maintained can provide a stay away from home more enjoyable, relaxing, and less worrisome. From your pets, the grass, your garden, and providing security to your house from crime, a House Sitting Agreement and House Sitting Instructions can give you protection under the laws of your State. Often, homeowners are unsure about what is needed to make their house sitting agreement legal. Why they would need house sitting instructions. Even what is the point of getting a house sitter.

In this packet is an Executive Summary which details background information on the House Sitting Instructions and the House Sitting Agreement. The Checklist provides a way to check what needs to be completed in completing the Sample form. The Walkthrough Instructions provides extensive details as to all of the parts of the Sample form. The Sample form is fully customizable and fillable. Any questions regarding a space or clause of the Sample form may be answered in the Walkthrough Instructions. The packet comes in Adobe PDF, Microsoft Word, and Rich Text formats.

Below are common questions, with some answers.

What is house sitting?

House sitting is defined by one or more persons (house sitter) entrusted to live and stay at the home of a homeowner for a period of time for the benefit of the homeowner. More simply, house sitting is someone looking after a house while the homeowner is away. House sitter is, generally, paid to be there and not charged for the room and board. House sitting is a common practice in the United States.

What is a house sitting agreement? Do I really need it?

A house sitting agreement is used between a homeowner (the owner(s) of the house) and a house sitter (the one who looks after homeowner's house while the homeowner is away) to put their intentions into writing. Duration of the agreement can vary greatly. A house sitting agreement is a writing to put the parties' intentions onto paper.

Whether you really need a house sitting agreement will depend on you and your personal comfort level. Oral agreements can be highly unreliable. Implied agreements are even less reliable, if at all. People are not mind readers. Something obvious to one person may not seem that way to another. The best practice is to get all of the agreements in writing and signed by people who are to be bound by the agreement. As a legal requirement, a house sitting agreement does not need to be in writing and can agree orally. Note, however, certain aspects of a house sitting agreement may be required to be writing e.g., waivers, permissions, hidden dangers of the house. Sometimes where a court decides there is no agreement between the parties, the court may award compensation if one party benefits at the expense of the other. Result may vary.

What is the benefit of using a house sitting agreement?

A homeowner would want to enter into this kind of an arrangement because it is believed that the house sitter's presence is a crime deterrent. This is the primary benefit or reason why most people enter into a house sitting agreement, but this is not the only reason. Maybe the pets need caring after and you prefer not to put them in a kennel. Maybe you will be away for some time and don't want your home to go unutilized. Whatever the reason, the house sitting agreement can likely serve that purpose by putting the homeowner's intentions into writing.

One of the benefits of keeping house sitter is that the house sitter is expected to perform duties needed to keep the house in good repair e.g. taking out the trash/recycling, watering plants, looking after pets, collecting mail, and cutting the grass. Generally, the homeowner pays the house sitter, provides a daily allowance, pays for utilities, and allows the house sitter to stay rent-free. The benefit of the house sitting agreement is to spell out the duties of the house sitter in a legal document. If the house sitter breaks or causes damage to property or pets, then the homeowner may have legal recourse when a house sitting agreement is entered into.

Even where the house sitter knows the homeowner it is a good idea to enter into a house sitting agreement to better provide information to the house sitter and to have a writing of the agreement.

Is this House Sitting Agreement a legal document? Is it legal?

Yes, it can be. This is the contract the homeowner and the house sitter enter into. To make it legal, the homeowner needs to provide the details needed to complete the Sample Agreement that is included in this packet, complete the missing parts with the house sitter, and then both parties need to sign and date the document.

The ultimate legality of the House Sitting Agreement may depend on a court's ruling, but for the majority of situations, this House Sitting Agreement meets the normal standard required by courts in the United States.

Why use this House Sitting Agreement?

This packet includes a Sample House Sitting Agreement, which is meant to provide the legal framework for the homeowner and house sitter's agreement. This House Sitting Agreement makes the process of coming to an agreement easier by providing common information and other information that you may not have thought of or realize might be important to include in a contract or house sitting agreement. It is also intended to be a legal document and can serve that purpose once the parties agree, sign, and date the Agreement.

What are house sitting instructions? Do I really need it?

House sitting instructions are a set of instructions provided to the house sitter and kept in an easy to access location. The instructions provide details as to the duties of the house sitter, emergency contact information, and provide permissions in case of extreme emergencies to prevent damage or loss of persons, pets, and/or property. House sitting instructions help the house sitter find their duties to perform more easily than having to read through a detailed house sitting agreement. In an emergency, this may make all the difference.

Whether you really need house sitting instructions will depend on your needs and level of comfort. Legally, they are not required, but can serve as some evidence of an agreement between parties as well as some evidence as to the duties of the house sitter.

Providing a set of house sitting instructions can help to greatly reduce confusion by providing quick-access in the case of an emergency, which, in turn, could prevent damage to persons, pets, and/or property in the event of an emergency. Having house sitting instructions can also help lay-out the duties of the house sitter. The more clarity the homeowner can provide, the less likely the house sitter can claim they did not know or were not told to perform certain duties.

What's the benefit of using house sitting instructions?

The benefit of using house sitting instructions is that they make the duties of the house sitter more easily understandable and accessible for the house sitter. One of the benefits of keeping a house sitter is that they are believed to help in deterring crime while the homeowner is away from the house. The house sitter generally stays rent-free, paid for their time, and the house sitter performs certain tasks to keep the house in working order. Keeping the house sitter informed about the duties of the house sitter can make the role of the house sitter more complete.

Providing quick and easy to understand instructions means that the house sitter is more likely to complete the duties assigned. Another benefit to the house sitting instructions is a reduction in confusion by providing quick-access in the case of an emergency, which, in turn, could prevent damage to persons, pets, and/or property in the event of an emergency.

Is this House Sitting Instructions a legal document? Is it legal?

For the most part, this House Sitting Instructions is not a legal document; however, it can be used as some evidence of the existence of a contract existing between parties. Simply, the House Sitting Instructions is not a contract or other legal document on its own.>

Permissions in this House Sitting Instructions may be legally binding if signed by the homeowner and relied on by the house sitter. The permissions may be rejected or omitted as they are not required.

Why use this House Sitting Instructions?

This packet includes a Sample House Sitting Instructions which is meant to be given to the house sitter(s) to inform the house sitter about how to contact the homeowners, emergency contact information, the duties to be performed while house sitting, and other related information. The House Sitting Instructions can be put in an easy accessible location, such as on the fridge or near the telephone. This House Sitting Instructions makes the job of the homeowner easier by providing common information and other information that you may not have thought of or realize might be important in an emergency.

Avoid writing your own forms from scratch or using old free forms that can be incomplete and written by non-attorneys. Express your rights. Gain peace of mind without spending a fortune.

House Sitting Agreement Table of Contents:

1. Executive Summary

2. Checklist

3. Walkthrough Instructions

4. Sample Form

The Walkthrough Instructions and Sample Form include the following Sections:

    • Introduction
    • Recitals
    • Conditions Precedent
    • Security Deposit
    • House Sitting Instructions
    • Consideration
    • Expenses
    • Access and the Use of the Premises
    • Care of the Premises
    • Care of the Pets
    • Duties of the House Sitter
    • Insurance
    • Staying in Contact
    • No Assumption of Liability
    • Representations and Warranties
    • Good Faith in Dealings
    • Choice of Law
    • Changes
    • Independent Waivers
    • Reliance
    • Merger
    • Supremacy
    • Counterparts
    • Termination
    • Binding
    • Acceptance
    • Signatures Page
    • Schedules (Walkthrough Notes, Security Deposit Form, House Sitter Expense Reimbursement Claim Sheet, and Duties of the House Sitter)

Total number of pages in the House Sitting Agreement packet: 24.

House Sitting Instructions Table of Contents:

1. Executive Summary

2. Checklist

3. Walkthrough Instructions

4. Sample Form

The Walkthrough Instructions and Sample Form include the following Sections:

    • Introduction
    • How to Contact Us
    • Emergency Information
    • House Sitter Duties While House Sitting
    • Permissions (with signatures)

Total number of pages in the House Sitting Instructions packet: 11.

Formats include Adobe PDF, Microsoft Word, and Rich Text. No physical copy is included. Copies can be edited and printed.

Purchasers of this material are granted a license to use the contents for their own use. By purchasing this material, you will be purchasing a limited license to use all forms for your own use. The license is not transferable to third parties. The license limits you to personal use only and all other copyright laws must be adhered to, but no claim is made to any government forms that maybe reproduced herein.

Product Tags

Use spaces to separate tags. Use single quotes (') for phrases.