My husband and I went on a trip and decided to hire a house sitter for peace of mind while we were away. We reached out to someone who we thought was a pretty good friend to do the job. While we were away, we had a lovely time and felt at ease with the arrangement. After we returned, things were fine until I discovered that photos of our home were posted on social media, and not by the person we hired to house sit. Our house sitter had invited strangers (to us) into our home for a party and they took photos throughout our home. They were judgmental and mean-spirited posts making fun of our personal space and beliefs and I am absolutely nonplussed. We have a nice home and our friend needed the money, but I don’t know what to do. I feel embarrassed and angry. What should I do? I know I have to bring it up but I don’t know what recourse I have.
— Sincerely,
Livid
Dear Livid:
I would be livid as well. This must feel like a true invasion of your privacy and like a betrayal by your friend. Not only were unapproved guests in your home, they took the opportunity for a photo-op and a chance to get their digs in. If you had a written contract that prohibited others from coming to the house and also from posting to social media, then you could probably look into what it would take to get your money back. At the very least, you need to confront your “friend” and let them know that you know what happened and how it made you feel. This may prompt them to make amends by taking accountability for their poor choices. I would also let them know that you cannot hire them again to house sit for you. Any future house sitting needs, I would encourage a written agreement outlining expectations around guests, photos, and social media. There is an element of this, beyond the embarrassment and violation that you have experienced, that also veers into a safety concern. A true friend wouldn’t have put you into this situation and I think this is one of those instances that you’ll need to consider whether or not you can continue the friendship. This is a disturbing way to discover it, but hopefully you’ll avoid any similar instances in the future.
