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Press Release - Homesitters give people peace of mind their home is secure and pets well looked after when they jet off on holiday
Posted on 1 May, 2017
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Recent research from insurance specialist Policy Expert[i] found that almost half of UK adults (45%) now arrange a house sitter to help prevent burglaries, avoid damage from things like a burst pipe and to look after pets, when they go away.
While people often use friends, relatives and neighbours, many are increasingly turning to professionals. However, it’s crucial that people are careful who they invite into their home and always use a reputable company to find a home and pet sitter. Many online agencies don’t vet people and so the onus will be on the home owner to make the necessary background checks.
One company who have been providing home and pet sitting services for over 35 years is Homesitters Ltd, who employs an extensive network of meticulously vetted professional homesitters throughout the UK.
The company is also fully endorsed by many leading insurers, which is important as home insurance companies should be informed if someone else is staying in the home to avoid issues if a claim needs to be made.
Alan Irvine, Chairman of Homesitters says, “Employing a professional homesitter gives people peace of mind that their home is safe and secure whilst they are away and less vulnerable to being burgled. Also, if something happens, such as a burst pipe there is someone on hand to deal with it straightaway.
“Homesitters take care of any pets, and are experienced in looking after lots of different types of animals, from dogs and cats to the more unusual llamas and potbellied pigs. Family and friends can’t always be relied on to be available when needed due to their own personal commitments, whereas we have a whole network of homesitters available around the country with the added reassurance of a 24 hour/7 day a week support service.”
One couple who benefitted from Homesitters’ 24/7 back-up service is Vivien and Tony Dance from Scotland, who have been using Homesitters Ltd for the past couple of years to look after their cat Bonnie.
One New Year’s Eve their planned sitter couldn’t reach them due to flooding, which was affecting large parts of the country. The Dances were due to catch the sleeper train to London to visit friends, but thought they’d have to cancel when the poor weather prevented the homesitter they’d booked from getting to their house. However, they decided to speak to Homesitters first to see if there was any chance they could find a last-minute replacement.
Homesitters contacted Roger Noon, an experienced home and pet sitter who was available to travel to Scotland from his home in Lancashire, meaning the Dances made their trip to London for the New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Vivien said, “Homesitters took away all our stress and worry. We were so impressed they had a contingency plan that enabled us to continue our plans. Roger kept in touch while we were away to reassure us all was well. When we returned a few days later it was as if we hadn’t been away. The house was fine and Bonnie was perfectly happy.”
For people that travel a lot for business and have pets using a homesitter can be a lifeline. This is the case for Oxfordshire based Gwen Lawler and her husband who work in the entertainment industry and run a production company from their home.
Their work involves frequent business trips and they have been using Homesitters Ltd since 2008 to look after their pet dog and cat, Bilbo and Baggins, when they go away. They chose Homesitters because they found their rigorous interview processes for homesitters very reassuring, plus they always get to meet new homesitters at their home prior to the assignment starting.
Gwen commented, “As we work from home our pets are used to us being there all day, so companionship is very important for them when we’re away. I wouldn’t put them in a kennel and cattery as it would be too much of a disruption – Bilbo prefers the company of humans to other dogs.
“I believe using Homesitters is money well spent to give our pets stability, and it’s also reassuring to know that the house is occupied as there have been several burglaries in the local area recently,” adds Gwen.
For more information on Homesitters Ltd visit: www.homesitters.co.uk
Ends
About Homesitters Ltd
Homesitters Ltd was established in 1980 and is now one of the UK’s leading nationwide live-in home and pet sitting companies, available throughout the year. It has looked after 90,000+ bookings and has an extensive network of employees throughout England, Scotland and Wales.
All homesitters are meticulously vetted and are conscientious, sensible and responsible homeowners. Many have been pet owners and have experience looking after all different types of animals. It’s tantamount to the outstanding reputation and professionalism of the company that 70% of new clients re-book with Homesitters within two years and many have been clients since the 1980s.
[i] https://www.policyexpert.co.uk/insurance-blog/travel/the-rise-of-the-house-sitter/
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