Meet the Londoner who chose house sitting over paying extortionate rent, saving £1,350 a month

When Ruby Frances first moved to London in July this year, she opted to avoid paying extortionate rents and chose to house sit instead.

The 24-year-old from Wellington, New Zealand saved £2,700 in her first two months in London by house-sitting for strangers and looking after their cats.

The web development graduate realised she couldn’t afford to live alone in the capital but wanted to move so she could start hunting for a job.

After seeing a video on TikTok about house sitting, she joined Facebook groups and was recommended a website called Trusted House Sitters - where she set up a profile to find places to stay.

Since her move this summer, Ruby has house sat in five different homes since coming to the UK.

She looked after the owner’s cats, plants and did general house chores while they were away.

“It’s so great I literally got to stay in amazing houses for free and look after their cats,” she said.

“I didn’t realise this was possible until I saw a TikTok about it.

“I wouldn’t have been able to afford to live in London and look for a job if I wasn’t house sitting.

“I had to make sure I was in the house enough to look after the cats and I couldn’t really have anyone over.

“But it gave me so much freedom and I got to know London by moving to different places.”

Ruby flew to London at the end of July 2022, and stayed in her first house sit in North London for five days.

“It was a proper big house so to rent something like that would have been at least £500 for the five nights and I got it for free,” she said.

“The cat slept with me every night it was so cute.”

Ruby then moved to her next house for three weeks- and had everything she needed provided for her in the home.

“It was a four story house so it was massive,” she said.

“I woke up in the morning and fed the cat and watered the plants.

“I can be out in London exploring during the day. I just have to make sure I’m there overnight.

“Most places don’t like you having guests over and it’s meant I’ve had to turn down offers of holidays because I need to be at the house but it wouldn’t be possible for me to live in London without doing this.”

Ruby has recently secured herself a permanent job and home but says she’s thinking of using house sitting again when going on travels.

"I’m renting somewhere now as I have a job," she said.

"But I’d love to use housesitting again when I travel.

"When I was doing it someone online said ‘I’m squatting - girl boss edition.’

"I was just living out of a suitcase and going from house to house exploring London."