It may seem like an ideal situation to hire a house sitter to watch over your home while you're on vacation. After all, it's costly to put your pets in a kennel, and unnerving to leave your home dark for days, perhaps weeks at a time. However, hiring someone to keep watch over your beloved pets, your personal belongings, and ultimately the one place you are supposed to feel safe can also be a bit unnerving.

So how do you know you're making the right decision?

Ask Someone You Trust 

This one goes without saying. If a family member or trusted friend can take care of your home while you're away, you'll definitely have peace of mind knowing your home and your belongings are safe. This person can choose to simply live at your home in a comfortable guest room for the duration you're away, or you can agree upon a schedule by which your sitter can stop by the home to check on things.

If you're unable to find a friend or family member to look after your home, there are services available to hire someone for the task. Beware of Kijiji ads; many times these individuals are perfect strangers that haven't been subject to a criminal record check or security clearance of any kind. It's best to do your research and find a reputable company that offers proof of trust and has great reviews from others that have hired their services.

Determine How Much You'll Pay 

Most house sitting providers will have a rate sheet available for you when you inquire and may offer different levels of service depending on what you need. They may have rates based on a per-visit basis, a flat fee based on the length of time you're away, or even a per-service rate package. At any rate, you have options available depending on how much you spend and what services you need.

What Types of Services Are Offered? 

This really varies depending on who you hire to watch your home. Common types of services included are general checks on property, possessions, mail and flyer gathering, in addition to checks on your furnace, water tank, sump pump, and any other functional parts of your home.

Additional services offered can include pet care, where your sitter will walk and feed your pets, clean up after them, and administer medication if required. Emergency vet visits are also included if necessary.

Your sitter may also take care of lawn mowing and other yard maintenance if required. At the very least, having someone look after your home means they're more likely to catch the unexpected and take care of it urgently, such as a burst water pipe or another type of emergency situation. The peace of mind is worthwhile.

How to Know if You Can Trust Your Sitter 

The best way to know for sure if you can trust your new house sitter is to give him or her a trial run. Give it a try on a shorter term such as a night or a weekend to see how it works out. Have your sitter over to dinner one evening so you can chat and get to know him or her better. You'll hopefully gain some trust in this person and have peace of mind while you're away for a longer period.

Be Sure to Have a Contract 

This is a business transaction, after all, and for the protection of both yourself and your house sitter, you should have a written agreement that both parties have signed. Outline items such as what to do in an emergency, who to contact, and if any expenses are covered by you when you return. Include all of the duties you are expecting your sitter to tackle, how often, and the frequency and timing of any and all visits you expect.

If your sitter is administering medications to your pets, be sure to outline in detail the name of the medication, the time and frequency of administrations, and the name of the pet needing the medication (if you have more than one.) The more clear you are within this contract, the fewer surprises are likely to happen while you’re away.

Ultimately, leaving your home for an extended period of time can be unnerving and a burden, but if you find the right person to take care of your home, you'll come back feeling like you never left.

And hey, if you really can't arrange to leave your home for an extended period of time, treat yourself to a staycation instead. Who says you can't enjoy vacation time without leaving home?