I'm playing with the idea of going away for a couple of months this winter.
I'm in Vancouver BC and we get snow sometimes, sometimes quite a bit, sometimes it freezes up quite badly and when it does there's usually something that will happen. In the 16 years I've owned the house I've had a burst pipe, huge snow that collapsed the garage roof, bottle ice on the sidewalks, snow shovelling that needs taking care of.
I have some international students living in my house, they are mostly really good, they pay the rent on time and don't damage the place. But, for the most part they really wouldn't be able to do anything if something came up like... snow clearing, a lock malfunctions, an electrical breaker flips.. all the things that can and do happen in an older house.
I feel my responsibilities towards them, but I'm also really bored sitting at home now that it's dark and raining.
Does anyone out there deal with this kind of thing in their own lives? I guess having a short term rental brings up similar challenges as does being a landlord in general.
I have a friend that I could ask, but to be real he's a handy guy but I guarantee if it's a good ski day or something like that he'd prioritise that over helping out.
I think I'd rather just pay someone who's reputable, but I don't know who I'd approach for that on call and only for a couple of months kind of service.