TrustedHousesitters Members In The News - Telling Their Stories

[Angela_L]

No one shares the TrustedHousesitters message better than our members and today the UK Telegraph published stories from Katie Hogan & John & Samatha … Forum member @Samox24 - thank you both for telling your stories so well and for being great TrustedHousesitters Ambassadors

Since last August Ms Hogan has been house-sitting continuously, with a few weeks back at home with her parents for holidays, and is booked up until October.

• “I started last August when my new job allowed me to work from home. I had just returned from Australia, where house-sitting is really popular, and temporarily moved back in with my parents – but I wanted to be independent.”*

The length of sits can range from a few days to months and not all jobs require animals to be looked after; some simply need sitters to water the garden and dust the home.

Ms Hogan said sitting had spared her the hassle of competing in the “Wild West” of the rental market. Average asking rents surged by 11pc in the first three months of this year compared with the same quarter in 2021 to reach £995 a month, according to property website Zoopla.

Bidding wars between tenants are rife and properties to let disappear within days of listing.

“House-sitting is without a doubt better than renting, as long as you don’t mind living out of a suitcase to a certain extent. I keep looking at the rental market, but what’s the point when I can live somewhere much nicer than I’d ever be able to afford for free?” said Ms Hogan.

Demand for house-sitters has boomed in the wake of the pandemic, with an explosion in pet ownership throughout lockdown leaving thousands more households in need of animal care while on holiday.

TrustedHousesitters, a website that matches pet owners with sitters, has recorded a fourfold increase in global listings.

'I'm saving for my first home by looking after other people's'

Mr Oxenham said: “We had planned to travel and house-sit in 2024, but Covid hit the aviation industry so badly I decided to retire early. Sitting allows us to travel the world and integrate ourselves in new communities for weeks or months. When I was flying, the turnaround in a new country was so quick – 24 hours or so – so you just didn’t get to see the world in the same way.”

Last year the couple looked after a rescue greyhound in Switzerland and three beagles in Italy. This year they have plans to head to America. They save thousands of pounds in accommodation costs in Britain and abroad.

Mr Oxenham said: “Earlier this year there was one property in Barbados which needed sitters for three months, only really to sweep the garden and be present in the house. To rent a place like that would cost £15,000 a week.”

The couple own their own home in Oxfordshire, which they are in the process of renovating. Once finished they will list it on Airbnb to generate an income while they travel.

Ms Frewin said: “We’re lifelong friends with lots of the ­homeowners. They want someone to really care for their pets like they are part of the ­family, not just feed and walk them.”

[Angela_L]

Apologies everyone I believe this article is behind a paywall … it was also in print
Saturday’s Telegraph UK

[Itchyfeet]

I read this article with interest yesterday.
It is great to see house sitting in the press again but I wonder whether it is misleading. It states that THS “matches pet owners with sitters”
This may indicate that THS will actually find a sitter for each owner?

[Angela_L]

@meow @Itchyfeet it’s always great to see our members in the press telling their amazing stories and inspiring other pet lovers to join our community.

Thank you both for your observations.

The stat is the journalist’s interpretation of post pandemic growth information we provided.

“Match” … again the journalists interpretation. Visitors to the website will have the proposition clarified how THS “Works” this interpretation has been used by other publications without causing confusion as there are numerous opportunities for clarification once a potential member connects.

Thank you and have a wonderful Sunday

[blackcatsrule]

There seems to be a heavy emphasis on saving money on accommodation in this article. Yes, we all do appreciate saving money, but I hope readers and prospective THS members realise that if there are pets in the home, they come first!

[Angela_L]

Hi @blackcatsrule we absolutely agree that keeping pets happy at home is the centre of the who, why and how of TrustedHousesitters.

The cost of living is a huge topic for everyone today and this article was published in the Money Section of the Telegraph hence the financial focus, had it been in the travel section it would have focussed on accommodation, pets and lifestyle the focus would have been on pets, however all the way through any article pets are positioned where they should be, as the priority. Saving money is an added benefit, just one of many benefits members experience while pet and housesitting

Also visitors to the website, where they will get their information are left in no doubt that pets come first …

Thank you.

[Brigitte]

For members speaking French, here is an article about petsitting I wrote in a french Canadian magazine a couple of months ago. https://www.viragemagazine.com/voyager-tout-en-gardant-des-animaux-eh-oui/

[Angela_L]

@Brigitte thank you for sharing and for the non French speakers you can go to the article and select the option to translate into English … Happy reading

and member

[Brigitte]

@blackcatsrule You are right. I am sure that no THS would make a décision of what to do of their day without putting the pets first.
But let’s be honest.
If the need was only to take care of animals, I would volunteer at my local shelter. The combination of travelling and taking care of furry friends is what it making it work. I was twice on an assignment where I stayed home the whole Time. But my daughter and her husband who lived near by were allowed to visit. This was priceless.
So, THS is the perfect formula.

[Samox24]

@blackcatsrule It was an honour to be featured in The Telegraph article with regards to TrustedHousesitters over the weekend. As @Angela_L has already pointed out the article was in the Money section of The Telegraph, saying that yes, you can save money by house & pet sitting, however this is not the reason we joined THS.
We love animals but we also love to travel and this is a perfect way of combining the two without having a pet of our own. We have completed a number of sits in various properties around the UK and Europe to date ranging from a small stable conversion to a 40 room English Country House but it has not been the properties that have attracted us, it is the pets, the dates and the locations of the sits.
As our reviews show it is always the pets and animals that come first. Yes you will sit properties here and abroad which many will consider exceptional in fantastic locations but that is one of the many bonuses of being a member on THS but wherever the location the pets will always come first. We always explore the area both before and after the sit but during the sit the pets and animals have our complete attention and we ensure their pets have a wonderful holiday too whilst their owners are away.
Once visitors and prospective members peruse the TrustedHousesitters website as @Angela_L mentioned, they will be left in no doubt that pets come first.

[Amparo]

Fantabulous!
Very well done all around. Congratulations @Samox24 on your feature story but also on your personal success and your creative way of meeting the needs of pets and homeowners while accomplishing your own goals.
Definitely a click click match for all.