Can You Work Remotely From a Housesit?
Quick answer: Yes.
Longer answer: Yes, but it will only work well if you’re honest, organised, and realistic about what your work actually requires.
Welcome back to our mini housesitting blog series, where we answer the questions we’re asked again and again. After four years of working online while house and pet sitting full-time, we’ve learnt what works, what doesn’t, and what’s non-negotiable.
So: Can you work remotely from a housesit?
We do. Every single week.
Tom is fully employed by a remote company as an accountant. I’m a freelance writer and senior editor who works with clients online. Our income hasn’t stopped because we travel — it travels with us.
But there are a few things you need to think about first.
First: What Does Your Job Actually Require?
Not all “remote” work looks the same.
If you:
work fully online from a laptop
attend video calls
manage projects digitally
freelance or run your own business
Then yes, housesitting can work beautifully.
If you:
work in a physical office
have location-based shifts
need specialist equipment
rely on ultra-fast corporate internet
Then you’ll need to be more strategic.
Some sitters choose housesits close to their workplace. If you live in London and work in London, for example, you can sit within commuting distance and simply remove rent while keeping your job. You don’t have to travel internationally for this lifestyle to make sense or save up money doing it.
The key question is: does the sit support your job or make it harder?
Check Your Contract (If You Have One)
If you’re employed, read your contract.
Some companies have:
restrictions on working abroad
tax residency rules
data protection requirements
fixed working hours in a specific time zone
If your employer isn’t fully remote or flexible with your working location, you may need to stay within one country or check policies before booking long overseas sits.
Freelancers generally have more flexibility, but you still need to consider:
time zone differences with clients
reliable workspace
your own discipline
Freedom still needs structure.
The Wi-Fi Question
This is the big one. Never assume wi-fi will be fast or accessible.
Rural sits can be idyllic, but idyllic doesn’t always mean fast internet. We often ask homeowners to send us a screenshot of an internet speed test before confirming a sit. It’s a completely reasonable request.
It also helps that our profile clearly states we both work online. We mention it again in our application and during the intro call.
And here’s the interesting part: It often works in our favour.
When homeowners know you’ll be working from their house during the day, it reassures them. You’re not out sightseeing for 10 hours. You’re present. Responsible. Around for the pets.
Working remotely can actually strengthen your application.
Have a Backup Plan
Even good Wi-Fi fails, and in some countries, power cuts are common.
We carry a portable internet dongle with us - a GlocalMe Duo Turbo 5G device that we paid roughly £100 for upfront, and then top up only when needed. We almost never use it, but having it gives us enormous peace of mind.
If you rely on internet for income, you need to think about:
portable hotspots
nearby café with Wi-Fi
coworking space in town
mobile data plan
It’s not dramatic — it’s just professional.
Be Honest From the Start
We never hide the fact that we work.
It’s in our profile.
It’s in our application.
It’s discussed on the call with the homeowner.
We explain our working hours, what a typical day looks like, and reassure them that pet care always comes first.
Transparency builds trust.
And if a homeowner prefers someone who is retired and home 24/7 with no work commitments? That’s fine. It simply means it’s not the right match.
What a Working Day Looks Like
It’s not cocktails and conference calls by the pool.
Most days look like:
morning dog walk
coffee
laptops open
meetings, deadlines, work tasks
lunchtime errands/run/gym
afternoon work session
afternoon/evening dog walk
evening routine
It’s ordinary life, just in a different postcode.
After four years of working remotely from housesits, the biggest lesson we’ve learnt is this: Routine matters more than location.
When It Might Not Work
There are situations where working remotely from a housesit can be tricky:
very high-maintenance pets that require constant supervision
extremely remote locations with unreliable connectivity
shared spaces where you can’t create a workspace
long homeowner overlaps that disrupt your working day
That doesn’t mean avoid them, just assess them realistically.
Final Thoughts
Yes, you can work remotely from a housesit.
We have done it consistently for four years.
It’s how we fund this lifestyle.
It’s how we’ve made it sustainable rather than temporary.
But the success of it comes down to three things:
Clarity.
Infrastructure.
Honesty.
If your work supports location flexibility and you treat house and pet sitting professionally — not as a holiday — the two can coexist beautifully.
You’re not escaping work.
You’re simply changing where you live.
Got questions about balancing work and housesitting? Send us a message on Instagram @hitchedhikingandhousesitting 🫶
Thinking about trying it yourself? Check it out. You might be surprised how compatible “real jobs” and borrowed homes can be.