# Using a house sitter agency to care for animals.



## merlin4 (13 July 2018)

Could the recent ruling on paying care workers who sleep  in overnight the minimum wage for all hours on the premises, have a similar effect on pay for agency house sitters?   

Any thoughts welcome!


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## twiggy2 (13 July 2018)

What is the recent ruling?
I have missed it with moving- not sure it will apply here anyway.


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## Clodagh (13 July 2018)

twiggy2 said:



			What is the recent ruling?
I have missed it with moving- not sure it will apply here anyway.
		
Click to expand...

And how are you up there?


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## Tiddlypom (14 July 2018)

The issue about the care workers who sleep in is that they have to be prepared to be up at any/all times of the night to deal with their charges. They may be able to sleep through undisturbed, but can't count on it.

It would be difficult to argue the same about a house sit, unless there were individual circumstances that dictated the sitter needed to be up a lot in the night. An in foal mare needing checks, maybe?

What is the current daily rate for an agency house sit compared to (24 x *£minimum wage*)? Just curious, really.

Yes, Twiggy2, how are you settling in? Didn't realise that you'd already moved .


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## merlin4 (14 July 2018)

Three main points were considered: 
1- the extent of constraints to stop a person doing as they please.
2- the nature and extent of their responsibilities.
3- the extent to which the employer benefits from their being there. 

Some agencies have a 4 hour window to allow people to leave the premises.  This would be a constraint as little or no other work / activity could be sought by a house sitter.  

It will be interesting to see how other industries such as house sitting agency type stuff becomes involved.


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## twiggy2 (14 July 2018)

Clodagh said:



			And how are you up there?
		
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Loving it.
I have been on sheep work 3 days this week and strimming for another day, in fact only just got in from a day with &#128017;. 
Loving being back to a purely physical work load and no politics.
People are lovely and weather has been very kind.
My legs are almost one big black bruise but it makes me smile everytime I see them.


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## Equi (14 July 2018)

When was this and where can i read it?


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## honetpot (14 July 2018)

Is should apply as they have to stay in the house overnight as part of the contract, it doesn't matter if they are awake or not. How ever many hours they have be paid the minim wage for all of them.
https://www.gov.uk/minimum-wage-different-types-work


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## Clodagh (15 July 2018)

twiggy2 said:



			Loving it.
I have been on sheep work 3 days this week and strimming for another day, in fact only just got in from a day with &#55357;&#56337;. 
Loving being back to a purely physical work load and no politics.
People are lovely and weather has been very kind.
My legs are almost one big black bruise but it makes me smile everytime I see them.
		
Click to expand...

Glad it is going well.


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## MotherOfChickens (15 July 2018)

twiggy2 said:



			Loving it.
I have been on sheep work 3 days this week and strimming for another day, in fact only just got in from a day with &#55357;&#56337;. 
Loving being back to a purely physical work load and no politics.
People are lovely and weather has been very kind.
My legs are almost one big black bruise but it makes me smile everytime I see them.
		
Click to expand...

glad to hear it


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## {97702} (20 July 2018)

My understanding of whether stand by/sleep in time is counted as working time is whether you could leave the premises to get yourself fish and chips whilst 'on duty' (I kid you not!)  When house sitting, you would be able to do this, so any time when you are at the premises but not actively involved in pet management would not count as working hours.  Thus they would not contribute towards the WTD, and your entitlement to the MNW.

And quite right too quite frankly!


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