Local house sitting service
Build a small, trusted team of sitters and match them to clients' homes and pets.
- A$1k-5k
- Part-time
- From home
Estimates for a small start in Australia, not guarantees.
What it is
You run a local service that vets and schedules a small group of sitters, handles bookings, and covers more stays than one person could. You may still do some sits yourself.
Your first three steps
- Run a few sits yourself to learn the work, then write a simple service agreement and pricing sheet
- Recruit two or three sitters, check their references and police checks, and agree pay and expectations
- Set up a simple website and booking enquiry form, and partner with local vets, groomers and real estate agents
Who pays
Homeowners who want a reliable, insured service, including holidaymakers, older residents, and owners of pets with special needs.
How it makes money
Clients pay you a nightly rate per stay and you pay sitters their share, keeping the difference to cover costs and your time.
Skills that help
- Organising and scheduling
- Screening and managing people
- Customer service
- Building local trust
Watch out for
- Check whether your sitters count as employees or contractors, and look at your state's workers compensation rules before hiring
- Public liability insurance that covers your sitters and their work
- Pet care and home security risks, so keep clear records and handover notes
- Check ABN, GST threshold and any council rules if you run admin from home
Deep research report · Australia
Everything you need to start: local house sitting service
Researched with live web search for Australia: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a house sitting service?
Startup costs are typically around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on your insurance, booking and scheduling tools, and how you find and screen sitters. These are estimates, so get quotes for your own setup.
How much can a house sitting service earn?
Monthly revenue is typically around $1,500 to $7,000, depending on how many sitters you have, how many stays you book and the hours you put in. This is revenue before paying sitters and other costs.
What rules should I check before hiring house sitters?
Check whether your sitters count as employees or contractors, and look at your state's workers compensation rules before hiring. Also check public liability insurance that covers your sitters, ABN and GST registration, and any council rules for running admin from home.
Other ways to run this business
Similar home services ideas
Home-based garden design service
Draw garden layouts and planting plans for homeowners from your home office, with site visits as needed.
- A$1k-5k
- Side hustle
- From home
Garden lighting design service
Plan outdoor lighting for gardens and building exteriors, then hand the install to a licensed electrician or landscaper.
- A$1k-5k
- Side hustle
- From home
Pond cleaning and repair service
Look after existing ponds with regular cleans, pump and filter servicing, and leak repairs for local homeowners.
- A$1k-5k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Benchtop supply service (no workshop)
Measure up, quote and order kitchen and bathroom benchtops from local suppliers for homeowners and builders.
- A$1k-5k
- Side hustle
- From home
Mobile curtain and blind consultant
Visit clients with fabric samples, measure up and fit made-to-measure curtains and blinds.
- A$1k-5k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Home workshop washer and dryer repair
Repair smaller or bench-side faults from your garage, and refurbish machines to resell.
- A$1k-5k
- Side hustle
- From home