Jenny

I return to UK 2 February 2025. Happy to look after your pet/s and home if you require a reliable housesitter for 2 nights from 2 Feb in the London area radius 40 miles. I’m booked 4 February to 7 March 2025. During this period I’d be happy to pre meet homeowners for housesit considerations which commence from or after 7 March 2025. I will update my Profile regarding my continuing 2025 availability whilst I seek buying a new UK property. I lived in the UK for over 30 years to 2016. I return annually for 3 to 5 months, from January or Feb when I catch up with my daughter and friends. During my annual returns to the UK I include Housesitting periods in areas of personal interest and have alerts for preferred locations. These alerts allow me to apply for your UK housesit from Australia.

Flexible and co-operative, some housesit locations require detailed planning and back up especially around train strikes. Thus far, my planning ahead has resulted in not letting a home owner down nor have I cancelled a pre agreed housesit.

Homeowners planning 2/3 months absence often process their air fares months in advance; I am happy to agree a housesit in advance of several months. This has been a regular pattern.

-Non smoker and orderly, I arrive in your area by at least the day before your housesit commences when I stay Airbnb or Travelodge. I live in an orderly manner preferring to be alert to my surroundings and responsibilities. Recent and past references are pre-provided from both the UK and Australia. My housesitting priorities are to ensure you return to your clean home, cared for pets and garden. I take pride and therefore satisfaction honouring my housesitting commitment as I step into your home. It’s also been satisfying retaining contact with various homeowners who re-request my attendance.

-I can cover long term, up to 4 weeks or longer. I do not ever expect compensation to include local travel compensation. At the time of updating my profile, late October 2024, I can cover a 2 month or longer housesit commencing January or February 2025. I also consider shorter durations.

UK background:
I lived in Surrey, (when I owned a Cocker Spaniel), Christchurch and Bournemouth, for over 30 years until 2016; I now return annually from Australia. I am very familiar with London, Dorset, Hants and more recently since 2019 have familiar ease with other locations such as areas of Liverpool, Southport, Manchester, Bradford, Saltaire, York, down to Hull Old Town. Past visits have been made to Edinburgh and onwards. Beautiful and interesting semi-remote areas, where I have cared for pets and homes include Wiltshire’s Stratford-sub-Castle and Kent’s Pratts Bottom. Both served with 5/6 daily buses - or a £10 cab to a rail station which I happily pay.

Housesitting History:
- I have cared for a variety of dog breeds and cats (some requiring medication and/or they must remain indoors). I am also listed on Aussie Housesitters where my housesits are occasional and a preferred short duration.
- My first housesit was October 2014 when I cared for 4 cats over two months Adelaide, Australia. I was living in the UK at the time. The date coincided with a Aus relation’s birthday. The housesit was repeated in October 2015 when I returned to Aus from UK. In 2016, after 30+ years in the UK, I returned to Australia.
- Dog / cat feeding, on/off lead walks, keeping in line with a pet’s needs where safe and controllable to do so. I’m mindful of a pet’s possible impaired hearing or sight, a dog’s unpredictable reaction towards ‘new’ people, other dogs and the problems often associated with excess snacks/treats.
- My key housesits: cat and dog care, feeding birds/cage cleaning routines, home security watch, managing chickens, mucking out / horse care are summarised. Wash your linen, remake beds.

Housesitting Locations:
- Most of England: London, Essex, Dorset, Hants, Humber, Manchester, Yorkshire, areas of Scotland, Merseyside, The Wirral. Long term to 4 weeks or longer is possible. I occupy my time researching the economic markets, whilst working on my various related data bases. I also research the UK property market. I love areas reminiscent of industrial engineering history. Architectural interests also.

- Recent Housesitting commitments:
January to April 2024 in the UK are summarised below.
January to March 2023 in the UK included ‘off track’ locations where public transport planning around remote bus services to train strikes needed to be planned with careful back up and hotel overnight stays for readiness. Such as Pratts Bottom in Kent (cat care) and Stratford-sub-Castle where I cared, walked from early morning and weened a stomach sensitive Golden Retriever off most of her snacks. A sense of remoteness to the latter housesit which in fact resulted in being extremely rewarding with this beautiful young dog.

Key Summary:
-I have not cancelled a housesit where I have previously met or video spoken with the owners.
-A summary of my house sitting experience is detailed below.
-I enjoy the responsibilities expected of me, caring for your home and pets. I am not nomadic (I have a home base in UK & in Australia) nor am I what is described as ‘party lover’.
-A number of my UK housesits have been prearranged prior to my departure from Australia.
-I have a sense of pride regarding my conduct and your expectations during my Housesits. Over my ten years of housesitting I have only once encountered a pet where a homeowner had extensively underestimated the characteristics of their medium sized dog to include the dog’s desire to attack and jump with its full weight onto a strangers chest during a firmly controlled on lead walk.
-I know possessions hold a personal story and are valued. In the past I have needed to put in the time investigating appropriate dog care for my dog. Finding a housesitter right for your needs can take time.
-I have a permanent address in Australia and likewise in the UK as my UK and Aus ID testifies. From 2023 I commit to no more than 3 Australian short, annual housesits; I offer longer housesit periods in the UK.
-I housesit in Aus and UK where the surroundings reconnect me with past familiar locations or where there is historic interest.
-I escape Australia’s summer in January or February giving me the opportunity to see my London based daughter.

Day-time hours spent at a Housesit:
I tend to not leave my house sitting address for extended periods unless I'm walking a dog, looking over historic architecture of interest, having coffee or retrieving groceries. I stay in during the evenings when I work on my economic research. I arrive with my own essential groceries including sensible boots for dog walking.

Regardless the size of a housesit property, I prefer to keep my belongings compact rather than ‘spreading’ myself. I am conscious of energy costs.

Personal detail:
I'm happy to provide details of my personal background. Past commercial work includes a London Merchant Bank (Mergers & Acquisitions) and co-managing a Civil Engineering Consultancy. Today I research various public listed companies, their management and their associated financial history. This research keeps me indoors for a good number of hours.

I'm happy to phone or skype should this be helpful.

2024 UK:
January 15-March 11, Bishops Stortford, 1 cat. Review available.
17-28 March, Manchester, 2 cats 1 dog.
30 March-14 April, Stokes Poges, 1 cat. Review available.
14-21 April, Stratford, London, 1 cat.

2024 Australia: (via sister company to Housesitters UK):
December 21-29 booked, Sydney, 2 cats.
Nov 3-11 Cabarita Beach, NSW, 1 dog.
Sept 26-30, Buderim, 1 dog.
July, 2 nights, Buderim Meadows, 2 elderly dogs. Review available.

2023 UK:
January 20-30, Ebbsfleet, London, 2 cats, large modern orderly home.
February 24-26, Eton, 1 cat, 1 small dog. Dog walking and care of this listed home. On departure I travelled directly to:

February 26-5 March, Stratford-sub-Castle, near Salisbury 1 large, 2 year old Golden Retriever. Listed large manor /mansion home largely with original furnishings and porcelain in drawing and bed-rooms. Most rooms unheated / not occupied regularly. Perfect small space for me near the AGA & a lovely bedroom! I trained young Elsa to not endlessly jump on the kitchen table, I reduced all her snacks and replaced with much conversation and paw shakes. We had long walks from 7am towards Old Sarum; remote surroundings compared to Eton or London. Old Sarum being an icy February landscape. This housesit outcome was very satisfying as there was a good result after much table jumping. A close bond, after what felt to be a shaky start with dog’s sensitive stomach!

March 9-20, Pratts Bottom, Kent, 1 cat, fed and cared for. A detailed recycling routine was in place which I followed.

References were not requested for the above sits. However majority of owners ‘messaged’ expressing their gratitude.

2023 Queensland:
August 5-12, Burleigh Heads. 2 Siamese cats sensitive to new voices.
October 8/9-14 Beerwah. Two pet (rescued) birds. Feeding, cleaning large bird cage.

2022 UK:
Late May: Salisbury, 3 cats, 1 dog walked, cared for. An immaculate home left immaculate per owner’s feedback.

2-6 June: Camberwell, London near Dulwich) 1 dwarf cat. Must remain inside the house. Fine interiors, I ensured nothing out of place. Had a back-up front door opening system. Regular communications.

17-25 June: South Wimbledon, 2 cats. Regular communications with home owner.

27 June - 11 July: Carshalton housesit, security watch, garden. No pets.

11-15 July: Surrey Quays, London. 1 Cat must remain inside.

18-24 July: Carshalton housesit, 1 cat, garden and indoor plants watered.

29 July - 6 August: York housesit, 2 cats, 3 chickens. Cats must remain separated. One cat walked on a lead.

2022 Post Lockdowns, Queensland:
-Jan to March Queensland - Various short term sits including several weeks at Buderim, tropical vegetation. 2 small dogs, Fox Terrier Jack Russell, frequent on lead walks, watch out for Pythons. Mindful of floods.
-Alexandra Headlands 1 Greyhound living in a small apartment. Unable to walk during daylight hours as suffered the heat. Loved evening walks on lead.
-Nambour 22 chickens approx, 3 roosters, 3 cats and 1 large dog on a large property. A busy and enjoyable housesit. Returned to this housesit Dec 2022.*
I was in UK May-Sept 2022: see above.
-Nov to Dec short sits: Gympie, 1 dog, walked on lead. Nambour, a return housesit. 1 dog, 2 cats, hens, 3 roosters, 7-10 December.

UK - 2019 returned twice:
-26 Jan to 7 Feb near Stratford, London. Dog. Lots of walks, bus outings.
-8 Feb to 11 Feb Morden.Large Dog living in an apartment. Walks, feeding.
-16 Feb to 23 Feb, West Kensington, Cat. A home with cherished antiques. And fine furnishings to be cared for.
-20-23 November, Basingstoke, Cat.

2018 - Queensland, Mt Tamborine, April and May. Have a reference letter which can be forwarded. One small dog, walked frequently and cared for, water large garden, clear away debris from water tanks. Remain mindful of the resident python on the roof and the little dog under my charge. I have returned to this housesit.

22-27 December Golden Beach, Cat, fish, clean house, cooking, water garden.

2017 - Auchenflower Brisbane, regularly covered for short housesits and for a 4 week housesit during December. 1 Labrador dog walked and cared for. Mt Ommaney area Brisbane, two short stays. 2 non stop jumping poodles, needing to be trained. Dogs always walked in line with their regular requirements. Ensure they would not escape. I have returned to this housesit.

2016 Dec to Jan, 6 week housesit Lutwyche, Brisbane, one cat. Followed by numerous housesits throughout Brisbane from June 2016, cats and dogs. Full details can be provided. Chickens and cats at Kedron, Brisbane, ensuring the chickens return to their pens pre darkness, watered, fed and their surroundings are clean. Cats also secured inside before dark.
2 weeks each at Brisbane’s Mt Gravatt and Bulimba. 1 dog each sit - walked a few times daily, fed and play. Removal of pool debris and watering the garden for both sits, common expectations in Queensland.

2014 - 3 month Adelaide housesit, 4 cats. Returned for same in 2015. 4 cats, medication for one.

Please do not hesitate to contact me should you wish to discuss your house sitting needs and dates.

Jenny Zintilis
Updated 4 November 2024