No return ticket - risk?

I hope this is in the right place, as it involves a visa-on-arrival situation at the UK border.

So I have a friend (no, really—I have RoA in the UK and am not subject to immigration control at all).

My friend, a U.S. citizen, is planning to come over here and house sit for a couple of months when we go on an extended trip (no money changing hands or anything like that). She has been in the UK for extended visits before, and sometimes several visits in a year, though never in breach of her visitor’s visa on arrival. She sometimes flies standby as she gets a good deal that way.

I told her we were a bit worried that she might get hassled at the border, based on her frequency/length of visits, and the fact that she does not have a return ticket purchase. Needless to say, she does plan to return: she owns a home in the U.S. and, fond as we are of her, she won’t be needed for house sitting once we are back. But she’s retired, so I’m not sure how strong a case she has to prove her intent, should she get a difficult IO.

She is aware of all the rules, says she’s flown standby before, and is not worried at all. What are the chances of her getting “bounced”? It would not be the end of the world, I guess, but it would be massively inconvenient for everyone. I’m stopping short of pushing her to buy a return ticket because it is her trip.

I would not recommend travelling without a return ticket... it's pretty much the most important thing to have with you.

If they do ask her any questions, one of the first things they ask will be 'can I see your return ticket?'

If she has one, they may be satisfied with just that and stamp her in (or they may ask a few more questions), but if she doesn't then she not only opens herself up to further questioning and scrutiny, but it may also be a reason on its own for them to refuse her entry to the UK.

Is house-sitting considered work, paid or unpaid?

See, this is what I don't understand. She has done this before (house-sitting, I mean, but not for us) as well as flown to and from the UK on a standby ticket. She has always been totally upfront with the IO about her plans and exactly what she was going to do. Given this, I can understand her confidence that what she is doing is fine.

Don't people do those house-swapping things in different countries? Surely that isn't considered work, but accommodation.

In any case, all I can do is raise my concerns as you have here, and it will be up to her to buy a ticket or abandon the whole thing!

Thanks for your thoughts.

Is house-sitting considered work, paid or unpaid?

Does anyone actually know the answer to this? I can honestly say that the possibility unpaid house-sitting might be considered work had not previously occurred to me.

Does anyone actually know the answer to this? I can honestly say that the possibility unpaid house-sitting might be considered work had not previously occurred to me.

Living somewhere rent free isn't work. 

Looking after someone's house for free may be considered work.  I'd be sure to say you've been given the opportunity to live rent free in your friend's vacant house, just to be sure.

Thanks, Shandy.

I would think that a visit staying at a friend's house, visiting with the friends at the beginning and end of your trip but staying in the house during the middle part of your visit while the friends are away, would surely be acceptable.

I am still not clear (though it doesn't apply to me) whether looking after someone's house while they are away is considered work. It seems hard to draw the line of intent here. If I had friends who were letting me stay in their house, whether or not they were there, I would be sure to clean up after myself and help out with the garden or whatever. I wouldn't be a very good guest if I didn't.