We hear a lot about cold drafty house sits in the UK but we have just completed 3 months of pet sitting, and it has been unseasonably hot this summer. Not a single home had a simple electric fan that would have made sitting in sweltering snugs and kitchens, as well as sleeping in stifling bedrooms so much more tolerable. Many UK homes have enormous south facing windows and minimal shade coverings. Many windows don’t open easily to vent the home and attached homes are very difficult to cool off in hot weaather. Simple but effective fans can be purchased for 25 GBP or less but for some reason we never were offered a bit of relief as temperatures regurlarly soared to 35C. We tried to buy a fan that we would have left behind but you couldn’t find one at any shops and online order told us the only fan available was a 5 hour drive away to the north! Please HO’s - be kinder to your hard working, dedicated sitters. Buy a fan! They don’t cost very much to run and offer so much relief!
Yes, that was the first question I asked both my London hosts last summer, do you have a fan? I know those “keep warm” English houses are not designed for the heat. Fortunately both homes had them as sleeping would have been difficult without. Climate change is here, we all need to adapt. I see 48°c in Uzbekistan recently, which is uncommon apparently.
I just did a sit in London this spring, where the temps suddenly projected to jump into the 90s (F). I contacted the hosts to ask if they might have a table fan, and they very kindly ordered one from Amazon & had it delivered next day.
In all my years visiting London I have to say that this used to be practically a non-existent occurrence — but is becoming increasingly normal. 
Yes! My last sit was in one of those older lovely cottages built for coziness, but NOT for cross-venelation…the homeowners bought two new fans for me and had these ice sheet thingies and ice neck bands. I used them all and was appreciative. There was also a hosepipe ban which meant I had to water the plants with a watering can. A pain, but they had also left a very generous grocery store gift card. Caring and aware homeowners are out there! It is also such a worry for the pets. I was with two little dogs and we all three lazed in the coolest part of the house with the fan on! I do worry about some of my future sits as the heat wave continues! I like Cathie’s suggestion of asking about a fan.