November 30th 2024.
As I woke up in a cozy bed in a spacious bedroom on the second floor of a London house, I couldn't help but feel a sense of inner peace that I hadn't experienced in a long time. The room had large windows that overlooked a beautiful garden, and I could hear the sweet melodies of birds chirping outside. To add to the idyllic setting, a friendly labradoodle bounded up the stairs to greet me with wagging tail and kisses. This was the perfect start to my day, and I couldn't help but attribute it to the serene atmosphere of the house.
But the most incredible part of it all? I didn't have to worry about rent, mortgage, or any bills. Yes, you read that right. I was living in a three-floor detached house with a huge garden and a spacious kitchen, in the heart of London, without paying a single penny. Now, before you start questioning my sanity, let me explain. You see, this house wasn't actually mine. It belonged to a complete stranger. But hey, no need to call the authorities just yet. I wasn't squatting or breaking and entering. In fact, I have been living here rent-free for the past nine months, all thanks to a brilliant app.
My husband and I moved to Paris in 2020, but we had to travel to London once a month for work. Staying in expensive hotels and Airbnbs quickly became tiresome, and that's when we discovered 'Trusted House Sitters'. At first, I was a bit skeptical about the idea of staying in a stranger's home. But then I realized that renting an Airbnb is not all that different, so I decided to give it a try.
The app was easy to download, and while there was no rigorous application process, there was a small fee of £99 to join. This was mainly to support the app and deter people who might not use the service appropriately. Considering it was an annual fee, I didn't mind paying it at all. I filled out a profile with some information and photos, and then began my search for our first house-sit. The app worked just like Airbnb or Booking.com – you select your desired location, available dates, and browse through the options until you find a suitable match.
As the app relies on reviews, I was warned that it might be challenging to secure our first sit. We had to send requests to the homeowners, convincing them that we would be great house and pet-sitters. It's essential to keep in mind that some owners have specific preferences or requirements. For instance, some prefer couples over solo travelers, while others look for sitters who speak the local language or have experience with farm animals. It all depends on what kind of experience you are seeking.
Luckily, I managed to find a pet-sit in a remote part of France, and since I had a car, my chances of getting it were pretty high. After a chat with the owners, we made our way to the beautiful Bordeaux region, where we spent a week taking care of two adorable terriers in a stunning countryside villa. The villa had a huge pool and a pizza oven in the garden, which we put to good use. We had so much fun that we started incorporating house-sitting into our travels.
Gradually, our reviews started piling up, and before we knew it, three years had passed since we joined the app. In that time, we've spent weeks in Barcelona, Amsterdam, and even a gorgeous villa in Tuscany – all while taking care of some lovely pets. This year, we decided to move back to London permanently, and that's when I unlocked the app's full potential.
We quickly realized that the rental market in London had become a nightmare after the pandemic. We were hoping to find a place similar to our two-bedroom flat in East London that we had left behind for our Parisian adventure, but it seemed like a pipe dream. After months of searching and compromising, we were frustrated and exhausted. That's when we decided to continue pet-sitting for a while. It was the perfect solution for us at that moment in our lives.
We used this time to figure out if moving back to London was the right decision for us, and if so, which part of the city felt like home. Not having to worry about bills also gave us the freedom to save money and have more flexibility in our work. Suddenly, I felt a sense of relief and liberation. We have stayed in flats all over London, including the luxurious house I mentioned earlier. And when I woke up in that plush king-sized bed, I couldn't help but feel grateful that all those other flats we saw had fallen through. Otherwise, I would have never experienced this level of comfort and luxury.
Now, don't get me wrong, not every house has been as incredible as that one. We have had our fair share of challenges, like dealing with pets with separation anxiety and constantly receiving messages from owners. But overall, the positive experiences have outweighed the negative ones. For us, house-sitting has been a fantastic way to explore and get to know different areas of London that we wouldn't have otherwise.
Of course, we know that this lifestyle is not sustainable in the long run. Not having a fixed address can be stressful, and securing one sit after the other can be a bit of a challenge. But for now, it has been an incredible experience, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who can afford to be a bit nomadic. If you have a flexible schedule and work from home, this app can allow you to live in different places while saving for a deposit or a big trip. For us, it has been a great way to test out life in London again, and I plan to continue using it for both trips and longer stays.
At the end of the day, we all want a place to call home, but for now, I'm content with borrowing someone else's. How can I complain when I get to live in beautiful homes, free of charge? It's a small price to pay for the adventure and the memories we've made. And who knows, maybe one day we'll find a place that we can truly call our own. But until then, we'll continue to embrace this unique and exciting way of living. After all, it's not every day that you wake up in a plush bed in a London house, surrounded by birds singing and a friendly dog greeting you.
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