pitfalls of housesitting

tezza · Senior Member

pitfalls of housesitting

Cruising Granny · Guru

Good grief! How can anyone hand a house over in that condition? They could have cleaned it up before you got there. Maybe it was their standard of clean.
I suppose they expect you to clean it up while they're gone.
I would clean it to my standard so I could actually live there.
I house sat in Broome for one of the Drs but I never had a problem. They had a cleaner and a gardener and retic, and a pool guy. All I had to do was clean up after myself, feed and love their dogs and wallow in the pool.
They even encouraged, no urged me to invite people around for Christmas. So we had orphans' Christmases with everyone BYO and pooling food.
I did a little gardening, kept the verandah swept, and kept the rest clean and tidy. Loved it!
Maybe the law would be interested in the "vege garden".

Elle on Wheels · Guru

Yuk - sounds horrible. I wonder if you can get away with cleaning one room to your standard so you can cope with living there for the duration. Sounds like the smell would go through everything. You have my commiserations

tezza · Senior Member

We have cleaned bedroom, kitchen and dining room and shut the doors to the other rooms.

Andrea · Senior Member

Thanks for that warning, Tezza! We could well have picked up that one. We've not had any problems yet, but we're still fairly new to the lifestyle. We'll keep our fingers crossed.

I wonder whether you should advise the local constabulary about the garden? As you are the custodians of the house (for how long?), it wouldn't do if the plants were discovered and you had to answer some pointed questions!

Cheers -

Andrea

chris & terry · Senior Member

We are just about to start our first housesit. In perth over the Christmas break then a little north for a month in Feb. Hope we have better luck. I don't know if I would be staying if in your circumstances.

terry

Vic · Guru

Sheesh, some people are pigs, fancy expecting you to house sit in those circumstances.

No way you could recall them home? Did you deal with them direct or go through a house sitting agency, if an agency I would be complaining and asking them to find someone else and give them a date to do so, or they will have to recall the owners.

That suburb has a very checkered history and is one I would not like to live in, not to say there are not some people who live there who are very nice, but a mostly public housing suburb with a number of social problems.

-- Edited by Vic on Thursday 15th of December 2011 12:55:57 AM

Gerty Dancer · Guru

Geez, Terry, would you be able to stay in your caravan? at least that would be clean! Might be a good idea to report the "herbs" in the garden, you dont want to get the blame.
You are going to cancel the following house sit there arent you?

We've had several house sitters, and made sure we met them and showed them around our house and garden. I always clean like a mad woman before we leave, and have mostly come home to the same clean house. Cant seem to find anybody who will do much in the garden though, one sitter left tomatoes to rot in the veggie patch., we are lucky if the lawn gets mowed.

tezza · Senior Member

Thankfully we are only here ttill tomorrow. NOT coming back. Good tips Gerty but van is in Thornlie, no room here. Guess you need to find more active sitters, we are always looking for things to do just to pass the time but i guess getting the house looked after is the priority.

cannylass · Senior Member

My goodness that's shocking, i have never done house sitting and would be reluctant to let some one in my home while away

Vic · Guru

Glad you have finished there, I sold real estate in Koondoola and adjoining suburbs at one time, a mixture of home owners and public housing but some racial tensions and gang fights between "local" residents and overseas refugees etc.

If I had known you were going to sit there I would have given you some background etc.

tezza · Senior Member

thanks Vic, our next 2 are at Atwell and serpentine, any comments appreciated.

Joe · Senior Member

Before you go make sure you pick the heads and dry them, but not completely, before use.

A selection of the younger leaves will make for a milder end use.

Cookies anyone? :D

Vic · Guru

tezza wrote:
thanks Vic, our next 2 are at Atwell and serpentine, any comments appreciated.

Atwell is an established and relatively newer suburb south of the river and except for visiting an undertaker (resident aquaintance) there has a good reputation as far as I know. Depending on the owners, I don't think that or Serpentine would be a problem.

Serpentine is a beautiful area near Serpentine Falls, also has a caravan park never stayed there but could only be a plus as far as the area goes.

Beth54 · Guru

Gross! I was going to say, get onto the RSPCA to take the animals, and the police about the 'herbs', and leave it to them!

But if you're leaving anyway...I'd still report the 'herbs' though.

Ma · Guru

Joe wrote:
Before you go make sure you pick the heads and dry them, but not completely, before use.

A selection of the younger leaves will make for a milder end use.

Cookies anyone? :D

Now that sure sounds like the voice of experience speaking

Vic · Guru

Joe wrote:
Before you go make sure you pick the heads and dry them, but not completely, before use.

That's what they call Buddha Sticks isn't it Joe confuse

animalcarer · Senior Member

be very very careful about reporting anything, true, just leave when you have to, and tell them, the place could have been cleaner . etc etc.

Joe · Senior Member

Ma wrote:
Joe wrote:
Before you go make sure you pick the heads and dry them, but not completely, before use.

A selection of the younger leaves will make for a milder end use.

Cookies anyone? :D
Now that sure sounds like the voice of experience speaking

Long, long time ago since I . . . . . . . er . . . . . . . read about that sort of stuff. wink

scotia59 · Senior Member

so glad you don't have your van there, I don't think it would be too safe!
Serpentine is lovely, nice quiet area.

Jean

kandagal · Guru

Sorry to hear of your problem Tezza. We have been house sitting for many years & have not had anything like that. All the houses we have minded have been in very clean condition also the pets. Weare house sitting at present near Maroochydore. Re house sit at Serpentine. We were house sitters there for a month earlier this year. Wonder if it's the same people Cheers

Happywanderer · The Master

animalcarer wrote:
be very very careful about reporting anything, true, just leave when you have to, and tell them, the place could have been cleaner . etc etc.

Have to agree with you on that one. I was told the other day about a plant growing inside a square of tomatoes in the back yard of one of my neighbours. Was going to report till next door said better not to. Next thing you will be involved in all sorts of stuff, court etc that you would rather not.

So it can stay where it is, nothing to do with me. I know nuttin!!!!

Vic · Guru

Not only that Marj, we have had a few drug killings over here of late, they are people you don't want to cross, anonymous tip off on Crime Stoppers is best, they allow you to be anonymous.

But even then you would have to be careful the grass growers don't put two and two together.

Beth54 · Guru

Happywanderer wrote:

So it can stay where it is, nothing to do with me. I know nuttin!!!!

Just like the penguins! Have you seen the movie?

-- Edited by Beth54 on Friday 16th of December 2011 04:00:50 PM

Happywanderer · The Master

I've only seen Happy Feet 1 Beth.

Cruising Granny · Guru

If they're only small-scale growers for personal use they may get a bit miffed about losing their supply.
If they're growing for bigger purposes, they may retaliate for losing their income source.
The size of the crop and maturity of the plants will give you a clue about this, and then Crime Stoppers is the way to go if you are concerned.