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Platinum (36mths+)
House Sitting Preferences
  • 0 - 1 week, 1 - 2 weeks, 2 - 4 weeks, 1 - 2 months
  • Dog(s), Cat(s), Fish, Bird(s), Rabbit(s)/Guinea Pig(s), Chickens/Ducks/Geese
Preferred Locations
  • Anywhere in the United Kingdom
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  • 2024: 30Apr-31May | 1Jun-30Aug | 30Sep-5Nov | 1Oct-2Nov

John the Reliable

, Retired

Hello
I'm John.
Fit, active, healthy and love walking and a keen photographer.
I love pets and animals in general and I'm a keen traveller
I took early retirement in 2016, prior to that I managed a brewery in Cumbria that was part of the Corby Castle estate, I have in the past managed quite large businesses very successfully and I am now enjoying my retirement.
A client once said of me that he liked me because I had old
fashioned values and it was a compliment I very much appreciated; although I am 'very young for my age'!!!!
I am on the committee of my local Cricket Club and I help to run the beer festival there every year and I am a NON-SMOKER.
I started house sitting in February 2017 and so far I have spent over 600 nights house sitting along the length and breadth of this wonderful country from Sky to Cornwall. Looking after dogs, cats, rabbits, fish, pigs, chickens and ducks. Not to mention the houses that I've stayed and their gardens and plants.
I have 33 positive endorsements on my profile. and I already have bookings for next year some of which here I will be returning to for the 3rd time. Although I lost a lot of dates because of the Cor0na Virus. I am now able to supply a copy of a Police Disclosure Document and photo ID If you require any further information don't hesitate to contact me

Reviews (40)
John is a great find. He truly lives up to his name "John the Reliable". We were able to chat to him before he arrived, and he came to stay the night before our departure so that we could introduce him to our animals and where everything was. While we were away, he was in touch with us to keep us updated and took our dog to the vet when she was seeming under the weather. We came back to a lovely clean house and a vase of flowers. Who could ask for more? Hope we cross paths again.
 
FELICITY (Weymouth England, Dec 2023 - 2 weeks 2 nights)
John kindly arrived before 0730 on the day the sit began so I could get the 0828 bus
 
SHIRLEY (Hawick Scotland, Dec 2023 - 3 nights)
Dogs loved John. Felt very comfortable leaving them, received regular pupdates and came back to a very clean house . Hope he will come back again .
 
TAM (Blairgowrie Scotland, Sep 2023 - 12 days)
Our dog Merlin is still missing John. John arrived the day before our holiday to meet Merlin and shown around the area. Our holiday was totally stress free knowing Merlin was being taken care of by John Merlin enjoyed his walks and visits to the local coffee shops. Our first time using this service and for sure will be using again. Thank you John for taking care of our boy.
 
MAGGIE (Pontcanna , Mar 2023 - 18 days)
John is a friendly and likeable individual with a good sense of humour and good communication skills .He and dog Millie got on well from the start and it is such a relief to depart knowing that your pet is in good hands .He looked after the house very well .We would have no hesitation in using him again if he was available and wanted to see more of the New Forest. Thank you John and best wishes.
 
ALAN (Downton Nr Salisbury England, Feb 2023 - 1 week 2 days)
This is the third sit John has done for us each resulting in a happy dog, laundry done, a vacuumed house and regular texts/photos during stay. Would definitely recommend
 
JACQUI (Kerridge , Dec 2022 - 10 days - 1 of 2 endorsements from this owner )
This was our first time using House Sitters UK when we needed a house sitter for three weeks to look after our cat, Clive. John fitted the bill perfectly, having previously lived in Sheffield and knows the neighbourhood well. He is obviously very well experienced, an excellent communicator and animal lover. He sent us regular updates on Clive and we were completely reassured that our pet was in good hands. They got on very well! We hope we can call on John again in the future for any house ... MORE
 
NEIL (Sheffield England, Sep 2022 - 3 weeks)
John was only in the house for three days but proved an exemplary house sitter. The cat slept through most of it apparently, but John wasn't adverse to dealing with a "little mouse problem", looked after the house beautifully and cleaned up afterwards! I wouldn't hesitate to recommend him.
 
CAROLINE (York England, Aug 2020 - 3 days)
Our dog fell in love with John instantly. He looked after her as good as we would have. We can highly recommend John and we hope that he will be willing to come again, hopefully when the weather is better, so he can also enjoy the countryside near Oxford.
 
ALLA (Sunningwell, near Oxford , Feb 2020 - 3 weeks)
john has just completed a second house and pet sit for us and as of the first sit everything was perfect we would not hesitate for john to look after the house and pets. communication and timings were spot on. thankyou john. andy/jenny
 
ANDREW (ipsden , Jan 2020 - 1 week 1 day - 1 of 2 endorsements from this owner )
John was a great house / pet sitter and comes highly recommended. He looked after our two independent cats, our 12 year old Jack Russel and our lively 11 month old Parsons Terrier. They all took to John from the moment he arrived and we left for our little break away, totally confident in Johns ability to care for our home and pets. John is a very approachable amiable person and wouldn't hesitate in recommending and asking him to return in the future. Many thank John, Claire & ... MORE
 
CLAIRE (Warkworth, Morpeth England, Nov 2019 - 5 nights)
John did an absolutely great Job of looking after Jack our dog, Millie our cat, the fish, the pheasants and the other garden birds, and of course the house. He kept us updated with pictures and messages while we were away which we found very reassuring. Jack got to see more places than he normally does with us during the time we were away. We are hoping John will return to look after everything next year when we go away if he is available. Thank you John for looking after things so well for us ... MORE
 
NICK (Bristol England, Sep 2019 - 10 Days)
John looked after my 3 dogs my koi pond and my house while i was on holiday. John is a very personable, likeable and very thorough. My house was immaculate upon my return. I would reccomend John for any house sitting position without hesitation. Many thanks John. Terry
 
TERRY (Southwold England, May 2019 - 5 days)
John was really communicative in advance of our house sit and so I felt confident before even meeting him. Our dogs are quite lively, but John displayed straight away that he was confident and relaxed around them, which was reassuring. He was in touch when needed during our holiday and left the house in immaculate condition. I would recommend him without hesitation.
 
VICTORIA (Devon England, Mar 2019 - 1 week)
John is the perfect house sitter ! Dog and cat looked after exactly as required. Arrived home to happy animals,a spotlessly clean house, his sheets washing in the machine and fresh flowers on the table. Highly recommended. .
 
LINNY (Edinburgh , Jan 2019 - 1 of 2 endorsements from this owner )
John was was us for 3 weeks looking after our springer spaniel. She enjoyed lots of good walks and first class care. John is a very pleasant, competent chap who cared for our pet and our property to a high order. We would highly recommend him and hope he would come to us again.
 
AILEEN (Stranraer , Jan 2019)
No rating John is a fantastic dog and house sitter. He very kindly arrived a few hours before we left to give him time to get to know Penny. We got regular updates and photos of him exploring the area with Penny. She looked like she a great time. We returned to a spotless home and a fantastic disco of photos of Penny, which was very thoughtful and better quality than the photos we take! Penny was also content and happy. Highly recommended!
CLARE (Inverness Scotland, Oct 2018 - 1 week 1 day)
No rating Couldn't have been happier with the service provided by John. Reliable by name reliable by nature!! Our dog was obviously very comfortable and relaxed during his stay judging by the lovely photos John took and we returned to find a house that was spic and span, laundry done with flowers in the kitchen! What can I say - thanks John and we hope you can sit again for us next year
JACQUI (Kerridge , Sep 2018 - 2 of 2 endorsements from this owner )
No rating It was a pleasure to have John come and house sit for us. All communications before, during and after the sit went very smoothly; and our cats were very well looked after. John left the house very clean and tidy, and he even left us a book of local walks he had bought. We would highly recommend John as a house and pet sitter.
PETER (Bristol England, Aug 2018 - 3 weeks)
No rating John is a credit to this site. John does exactly what he tells you he is going to do where and when. John is polite, proefessional and goes above and beyond looking after the woofers. One of ours was sick John ensured we were kept up to date and was great with our dog. Both Ivan and myself would not hesitate to recomend or use again. Thak you for being so kind with our woofer and us. Marie Norman rutland
MARIE (Braunston In Rutland England, May 2018 - 2 weeks 3 days)
No rating We were very happy to have John house sitting for us. He communicated well beforehand and arrived as expected. He happily looked after our pigs chickens ducks and cat coping with their individual needs very well. He kept us informed about the cats problem but dealt with it to minimise our worry when away. On our return the house was clean and he had also cleaned the animals houses. We would be happy to have him back and definitely recommend him.
LIZ (Portree Scotland, May 2018)
No rating John came to look after our dog for 2.5 weeks during April 2018. It was the first time we have used house sitters and I was a little apprehensive but John thoroughly put me at ease. Our dog seemed perfectly happy on our return. I wouldn't hesitate to have him come and house sit again. I would highly recommend him.
ALIE (LONDON England, Mar 2018 - 2 weeks 4 days)
No rating John was absolutely fabulous at looking after our house and our dog, Archie, for a long weekend. Archie is my "baby" and I worry about him when we are away, however, I really needn't have worried with John looking after him. He appreciated how precious our house and dog are to us, and put us completely at ease. He even gave us daily updates on Archies activities during each day, and compiled a lovely photo album for us of the lovely walks they had together. Wouldn't hesitate in using John ... MORE
TINA (Buckingham , Mar 2018)
No rating Couldn't ask for more...perfect housesitter ! Returned to a beautfully well groomed and happy dog, and cat, and clean and tidy house. Highly recommended.
LINNY (Edinburgh Scotland, Mar 2018 - 1 week 4 days - 2 of 2 endorsements from this owner )
No rating John was fantastic from start to finish. The dogs had a great time and the house was cleaner than when we left. Fantastic photographer.
RHIANYDD (CARDIFF Wales, Feb 2018 - 1 week)
No rating john has just completed a three week house and cat sit for me and the wife whilst away on holiday. whilst me and the wife were a bit concerned of leaving the house with a stranger there was no need to have been as john was very prompt with his timing so we could go over things before we left and introduce him to the cats and on our return every thing was as we left it and the the two cats very contented. we would not hesitate in using john again.thankyou john
ANDREW AND JENNY (Wallingford England, Jan 2018 - 3 weeks - 2 of 2 endorsements from this owner )
No rating Well, what to say? We met first met John last year after he applied for the sit, as we like to meet our potential sitters in advance. The meeting went well and as a result John house sat and looked after our dog Boris whilst we went away for 2 weeks at the beginning of January. He arrived the night before the sit in order that we could go through essential details, and Boris was immediately impressed and decided he had his new best mate, so an excellent start. I should mention that Boris is a ... MORE
SUE (Oakham England, Jan 2018 - 2 weeks)
No rating John is a competent sitter, he looked after my cats, dogs and the home great! I have no hesitation in endorsing John and hope he will be able to sit again.
KAREN (Weymouth England, Nov 2017 - 2 weeks)
No rating We have just returned from a lovely relaxing weeks holiday, leaving our home....and more importantly our much loved rescue dog Bo....in Johns care. If you are looking for a thoroughly reliable and professional sitter then look no further than John. He arrived early so we could give him a really good handover. Our dog is lovely but quite nervey....she took to John immediately and settled in his company. Throughout our holiday John kept us updated with little texts. We returned to a totally ... MORE
ANNE (Holyhead Wales, Oct 2017 - 1 week)
No rating My wife and i were over the moon with John's house -sit. Our cat took to him straight away and she was in fine fettle when we returned after 2 weeks. He'd also vacuumed throughout and the house was immaculate. Would recommend John highly. Great peace of mind whilst away!
MICHAEL (newport gwent , Sep 2017)
No rating John looked after our home and pets whilst we had a short break. Good, prompt communication before sit, providing info requested quickly and on arrival details etc. Easy going and unphased by wild bird feeding routine or cat pampering requests! House clean and tidy on return, cat just where we left her, seemily oblivous to our absence. Would recommend and welcome for future sits.
CLAIRE (Cambridge England, Jul 2017 - 4 days)
No rating John was an absolute pleasure to deal with all the way through the process. From contact and sharing info before the sit, through the sit, and leaving things wonderful for our return, all went wonderfully. We recommend John to everyone.
RICHARD (Biggleswade England, Jul 2017 - 1 week)
No rating John has been the perfect house guest both in looking after our house and our 2 year old cockapoo Amber with whom he walked and took everywhere with him! Amber is now looking at me wandering what's happened to him.... Bless you John, you were great and hope to see you back here again. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend John, very pleasant, very genuine and a very friendly person.
DEBRA (Flitton England, Apr 2017 - 1 week 3 days)
No rating John proved to be a really great house sitter. Easy to get along with and clearly very kind, my little Alfie (1 year old cocker spaniel) who is a little shy took to John instantly! We felt very sure that the house and the dog were in good hands. John sent us regular updates. On our return we found the house was perfectly well kept and our little dog was really content. In fact Alfie was looking for John in 'his' room for the next 3 days! We would have no hesitation recommending John and ... MORE
GILLIAN (Quainton England, Apr 2017 - 5 days)
No rating I cannot recommend John more highly - he is incredibly reliable and thorough and certainly looks after everything beautifully. I hope that in his busy schedule he might be able to return in the future.
SARAH (Tetbury England, Apr 2017 - 1 week 1 day)
No rating John looked after home and two cats during the Easter holiday 2017. He was easy to communicate with and professional in his approach to making arrangements. We'd booked John a few months in advance and he very thoughtfully made contact with us several times in the interim just to confirm that all was going to plan, which was reassuring considering we were travelling abroad and a last minute cancellation would have been disastrous. When we returned from a week away the cats were perfectly ... MORE
CHLOE (Brixham England, Apr 2017 - 1 week 1 day)
No rating Thank you John for looking after our mad Lurcher "Max" for the last few days. We arrived home to find him happy and healthy and our home clean and tidy. You've done a fabulous job and looked after both home and dog in an exemplary manner. I hope you enjoy your further travels and maybe we will see you again sometime in the future.
SASCHA (Westbury on trym England, Mar 2017 - 3 days)
No rating John looked after our elderly dog and home in Buxton, Derbyshire for a long weekend in February. Everything was absolutely fine. We returned to a happy contented dog and clean home. Thanks John.
PAUL (Buxton England, Feb 2017 - 5 days)
No rating John came to look fire Arnie and Woody our two dogs in February. He couldn't have been nicer. Very organised with his communications , arriving the night before we left so we could have supper and take the dogs on a walk . He was totally non fluster able ( Woody can be a little boisterous ) and the only downside of his stay was that he walked them so much they were disappointed when we came home and missed John!House was left clean and tidy and John had done the washing. Thank you so much John ... MORE
JANIE (St. Ives England, Feb 2017 - 6 days)
No rating John has just looked after my house and dog for about 3 weeks and has done a fantastic job! Macey looks fit and happy and judging by the walks she's been on she should be. She's had regular outings, various distances, hills, woods, canals, she's had a whale of a time (you know when your dog is happy)! The house is clean and tidy, everything exactly as it should be, even the towels and bedding washed. John was kind enough not only to email me some photos of her out playing in the snow, ... MORE
SAM (Rossendale , Jan 2017)
 
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