8 things Man vs. Bee taught us not to do while house sitting

To avoid court-side flashbacks of your questionable house sitting gallivants (such as the boom of ‘GUILTY!’ and the jury’s rejoices), we’re going to explore what NOT to do while house sitting.

If that all sounds a little… different to you, all the advice here is inspired by the infamous house sitter, Trevor Bingley, who has recently graced our Netflix screens in Man vs. Bee.

So, watch the show for Rowan Atkinson-fuelled slapstick fun and games and sit back and (try to) relax into this mad but equally valid advice on how not to act during your next house sit…

8 things not to do while housesitting, Man vs. Bee style

• Drive dangerously.
• Destruct priceless artwork.
• Cook the house sitting manual (no matter how delicious it looks).
• Commit arson.
• Drive the pet parents’ 2 million pound car. 
• Turn up unannounced.
• Mis-pronounce the pet parents’ names.
• Decline explanations about the house. 

If you haven’t watched the show yet, you’re probably scratching your head at this list (but hopefully not opening any cupboards while doing so!). For more context, scroll for an explanation on why you should avoid each of these ridiculous situations that Trevor tangled himself into while house sitting.

Drive dangerously

Goes without saying, right? Well apparently not, in the world of Trevor, the house sitter. To avoid Trevor’s abominable fate, drive safely and follow these tips for driving safely with dogs.

Destruct priceless artwork

So that means no lobbing a hammer behind your back or waving your arms around in the first few minutes of house sitting. It’s no joke - silly Trevor managed to chuck a hammer straight through a priceless piece hanging innocently on the wall, after accidentally cracking the head off a precious-looking sculpture just minutes after Cupcake’s pet parents had set off (to which he followed up by trying to glue the head back on…). We can safely say that the destruction of artwork *does not* appear anywhere in this blog about how to become a house sitter.

Cook the house sitting manual

If you didn’t think it could get any more ridiculous, firstly, it’s Rowan Atkinson we’re talking about. Secondly, it just did. After bodging a fix of the sculpture he’d recently beheaded, Trevor got peckish. But instead of heating up the pea and ham soup he found in the cupboard (which he opened by scratching his head, by the way), he turned the wrong gas hob on, and cooked his manual rather than his soup. If it didn’t seem obvious already, follow the house sitting manual and any dog sitting tips you can get your hands on.

Commit arson

There’s dramatic, then there’s Trevor Bingley, but you’ll just have to watch the show for an explanation on this one. And in case you were considering what to do to pass the time while house sitting, shooting a fire hose around the room is off the cards. That’s right, no matter how much you dislike the furniture in your current sit and no matter how much red sauce you spill over the rugs, DO NOT SET THEM ON FIRE.

Drive the pet parents’ 2 million pound car

It was pretty clear in Man vs. Bee that Christian’s (pet pops) E-Type Jaguar was his pride and joy (just look at that sheen!). So, for obvious reasons, don’t be a wolly and get behind their wheels!

Turn up unannounced

Make sure you get to know the pet parents you’ll be house sitting for before you rock up at their house, and give one another enough time to get acquainted before they’re due to jet off. In Man vs. Bee, Trevor begins his house sitting journey with disappointment - the pet parents in the show believe their usual house sitter, Orlando, will be turning up. But instead, they’re clumsily greeted by poor old Trevor. If you want to avoid his shambolic start to house sitting, check out these tips on house sitting for the first time.

Mis-pronounce the pet parents’ names

Yep, maybe one of Trevor’s more minor blunders in comparison to the other outlandish monstrosities, but mispronouncing somebody’s name doesn’t make a good first impression. If you’re wondering, Trevor greeted Nina (pet mumma) as Ms. Burgenbottom, rather than Burgenbatton!

Decline explanations about the house

When it comes to other people’s remote controls, ovens and even showers, we can all agree that trying to work them can feel like our IQ score has just dropped by at least 10. So, to avoid confusing the TV remote from the blind controls while house sitting, take up the pet parents’ offers to explain how everything works before they leave! And of course, ask if they haven’t remembered to show you how things work. It’s especially important if the pet parents you’re sitting for have a high-tech household with complicated methods for turning the tap on, opening the cupboards, and unlocking the doors!

And should a Christmas special of Man vs. Bee appear on our screens any time soon, remember not to take any inspiration from the show on any account! Instead, here’s a list of Auntie Angela’s five top tips for successful Christmas house sitting.

Think you can do a better job than Trevor Bingley?

The right answer is: of course you can! Avoid flame throwing, criminal damage and destructing priceless artwork and instead, give real pet sitting a go. Simply join our community of animal lovers with your annual subscription and exchange nothing but your love for pets and a cool home to stay in.