Using a House or Pet Sitter When Away on Vacation

It’s that time of year when the weather’s great and you got time off of work. You’ve piled the luggage and kids into the car, and you’re headed out on the road, or maybe you’re on the plane. Regardless of how you’re getting to your summer destination, there’s one thing that needs some attention while you’re away: Your house.

Using a House sitter or Pet sitter for Summer Vacation?
Using a House sitter or Pet sitter for Summer Vacation?

When you’re away on vacation – whether it’s for a few days or a few weeks – you’ll probably want someone checking up on things. Perhaps you’ll even hire a house sitter. House sitters are a great way to get peace of mind when you’re out of town. They water your plants, keep your pets company, and most importantly, they keep your home occupied – which deters burglars and their tendencies to target empty houses.

But what if your house sitter gets locked out? With you thousands of miles away, he or she will need a locksmith to get back in. This is where the situation gets a little tricky. Although a locksmith has means to open a lock and get that door open, locksmiths can’t just “break-in” when told, especially when someone says he’s house sitting.

Locksmiths have to think about liability – not just for ourselves, but for the homeowner as well.
But we also don’t want to leave your home empty – because your pets need food and water! More importantly, however, a solution to this problem is to have the information of the person who is house sitting readily available. Information, such as a Driver’s License and ID will do.

Photocopy their information onto a blank piece of paper side by side. Then, write down the name and address of whomever is going to be house sitting for you. You should also write down that he or she has been given permission and access to your home should your keys be stolen, lost or accidentally locked inside. Another important thing to include on a piece of paper are the dates you will be away.

With careful planning, your vacation should be smooth sailing.

Happy summer!

Here at Pop-A-Lock Jacksonville, we are committed to all of your residential locksmith needs. Give us a call at 904-246-4590 for reliable, honest residential locksmith services in Jacksonville.