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Platinum (36mths+)
House Sitting Preferences
  • 0 - 1 week, 1 - 2 weeks, 2 - 4 weeks, 1 - 2 months, 2 months +
  • Dog(s), Cat(s), Fish
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  • England: ALL   Scotland: ALL   Wales: ALL  
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Reliable, Dependable, Trustworthy

65, Housesitter

Initially I did this for nothing, but as savings dwindled, I started to ask for my travel costs to be covered. Up until the pandemic this is how I operated and I found myself, apart from the odd week, fully booked for the year. Covid, and only asking for my travel costs, has depleted my savings further, I have therefore found the necessity to add a daily charge to this, currently £25 per day. I will be travelling from just outside Durham by bus and train, so would need a return journey to be covered. Depending on the time of day I would have to travel, and the vagaries of the train fares system, the double may be only slightly more than a single.

I started housesitting following my then employer dispensing with my pay grade and making me, and others, redundant in 2016. I was working for a college whose aim was to provide an educational route for international students to enter the top universities in this country, and my role was to look after and ensure their wellbeing outside college hours. The job came with accommodation, and so at short notice I found myself both without a home and work. Having seen an article about housesitting a few months prior to this news, and being unsure of where I wanted to live, let alone what I wanted to do, I saw housesitting as a means of helping with the former. It also gave me the time to think about the latter, and as a by-product, I have met some wonderful people and their pets.

I am focused solely on your pets' welfare and well-being and can devote my entire day to this. I have built up solid relationships with homeowners and very fun relationships with their pets over the past 6 years. This is great for continuity of care and I have spent years in the company of various cats and dogs, not forgetting the sheep, geese, chickens, ducks, snakes, hamsters, rabbits and sugar gliders that I have also encountered. I have been doing this for so long now that I have sadly seen some of the animals pass on, but I am lucky enough to now be looking after the next generation, which gives me great satisfaction.

I am an easy going, mature person, who can bring a wealth of related experience to looking after your home, pets, plants and garden. I will respect the home owner's wishes, follow the routines they have established for their animals and maintain a high standard of care for the animals and house. Each house and pet sit has its own unique set of requirements and I will provide regular updates and images of pets for the owner's peace of mind. One of my passions is walking and I will happily walk your dogs for hours, if needed.

Probably the best assurance and recommendation I can give to anyone who appoints me is that many home/pet owners have repeatedly asked me to do return housesits. All have found me through this website and their endorsements for my initial sit can be found attached to my profile.

I have a full clean driving licence, however the limited income that housesitting provides does not stretch to the costs of running a car, so if one is deemed essential, then this would rule me out. Some homeowners do choose to add me to their car insurance. This would be used to cover emergencies and to allow me to offer their dogs a wider variety of walks. This is your choice, not something I directly ask for.

Adaptable, reliable, friendly and completely trustworthy, I am sure you will be happy with the service that I can provide.

I am a non-smoker.

Reviews (35)
Bertie, our dog is a rescue who is most definately not wired up right. Dave was happy to visit us four times before our 3 week holiday in Australia, so Bertie could get to know him. Dave was excellent at working with Bertie. He provided regular updates and we returned to a happy dog which made our holiday all the more enjoyable. Without doubt we will be asking Dave again to look after our house and of course Bertie.
 
AILEEN (Chester Le Street England, Oct 2023 - 2 weeks 4 nights)
Dave totally surpassed our expectations. Nothing we asked of him was a bother. He totally understood our sensitive dogs individual needs. It was clear from our first meet that Dave made that his total focus. Dave communicated with us regularly, sending us photos and honest reassuring messages. This was so important for us as this is the first time we have left our dogs. Dave was polite , really friendly and helpful. We plan to arrange further sits with Dave and would highly recommend his ... MORE
 
GINA AND DAVID (High Heaton , Oct 2023 - 2 nights)
Dave is clearly a very experienced house-sitter. Our pets were all very well cared for and the house was spotless when we returned home. We asked Dave if he could water our houseplants too, which he did. I think our pets were disappointed that Dave had left and we had come back. I can't recommend him highly enough.
 
MATTHEW (Newcastle Upon Tyne England, Jun 2023 - 1 week 3 days)
David is a brilliant sitter. From the start , his perusal of my notes and checking certain parts gav3 me confidence that he was committed to the sit. Also sending me texts and photos while I was away was very reassuring that my cats were being well looked after. On our return house @nd cats were in really good order. I would not hesitate to recommend David as a sitter
 
ANN (Carlisle , Apr 2023 - 1 week 3 days)
I can highly recommend Dave. His communication before and during this first experience for us was excellent. On arrival, he quickly developed a rapport with our three dogs and I felt so confident leaving him with them. He sent regular updates, photos and even a sound-bite of them to reassure us during our holiday. On our return, it was clear they were very happy and adored him! The house was immaculate and he had even washed and dried his bed linen which was an added bonus. If ... MORE
 
LINDA (Letchworth , Sep 2022 - 1 week)
I was very nervous leaving my puppy for the first time but he took an instant liking to David which made me much more comfortable. David was professional and polite throughout, even when my puppy tripped him up on a walk, and sent regular updates of what they'd been doing throughout the day!
 
HOLLY (Tipton , Aug 2022 - 2 days)
David sat for our 2 large dogs during our recent holiday. His reviews show he is a very experienced sitter and we were not disappointed The dogs, one of which is usually a little shy, took an instant like to David. He is a natural pack leader, used to caring for many different types of dogs and our dogs responded well to him. He cared for the dogs and looked after our home while we were away, happily taking the dogs on a variety of walks each day, giving them plenty of exercise. He took ... MORE
 
ANDY (Reading England, May 2022 - 1 week 2 days)
David is a 5 star house sitter , from the moment we meet him we knew that we were leaving our pets and home in the hands of a very capable and experienced sitter , so we were able to leave for our holidays with the knowledge that everything would go well. We enjoyed this updates of life in Norfolk and the pictures of our animals . I would love to have David back to sit for us but I may have to book my holidays around his availability !
 
SORREL (Norwich England, Mar 2022 - 1 week 1 day)
This was my first time leaving my home and 2 GSP's with a stranger to look after them, so I was a little anxious but Dave's calm, quiet and unflappable nature soon put me at ease. The dogs took to him immediately and I could see from the photos Dave sent daily that both were happy and content - fighting for a place to sit next to him on the sofa, and their usual zoomies in a secure field that I rent just down the road. Dave asked straight away what the dogs routine was, so I walked him ... MORE
 
ROSIE (Consett England, Jan 2022 - 2 weeks)
Dave's communication from the start was great. He agreed to arrive a day early so we could show him what he needed to know concerning the house, dogs and local area. We went for one long walk. and knew, from the way he was happy to navigate the fallen trees and hills, that the dogs would be in good hands. He took care of everything well and kept us fully informed with lovely pictures of the forays - both at the beach and local woods. Would highly recommend Dave to anyone but he's in ... MORE
 
CHRISTOPHER & SUKI (Aberdeenshire , Jan 2022 - A week)
I would like to thank David for his recent house sit looking after my 4 dogs feeding medication and walking also giving me a daily log and photos I could not have asked for anything more would certainly recommend David and look forward to seeing him again
 
LYNNE (Durham England, Nov 2021 - 1 week 2 days)
David looked after our 3 dogs and 3 cats for 2 weeks recently and we were really happy with the service he provided. From the first contact David was really helpful and really prompt at communicating and this continued right up to the sit. We have animals on medication and David dealt with all this in our absence and sent us updates every day which was really appreciated. We would highly recommend David for house and pet sitting and we will be using him again!
 
CASSI (Fareham England, Mar 2020 - 1 week 6 days)
David is the perfect house sitter, I would definitely have him back in my home, as would my cats who loved the attention they received from him. David was here for four weeks and during that time kept me well informed via email on how the cats were, including some lovely photos. On my return I found the house had also been well looked after, clean and tidy. David came over as a caring, considerate person and it was a privilege to have him in my home.
 
GAIL (Worcester , Jan 2020 - 4 weeks)
David was a wonderful house sitter he kept in touch with use by email including sending photographs of our two cats. I should also add that the house was spotless for our return including having cleaned the oven and the fridge. Would highly recommend David as a house sitter. Should he be available we would use him again during our future travels.
 
IAIN (Laurieston, Castle Douglas Scotland, Dec 2019 - 4 weeks)
David was an absolutely fantastic house sitter, we were a little worried when we first thought about getting a sitter but after a few messages we decided that David was going to be the one for us. We invited him up for a weekend so that the dogs could get to know him and they loved him, so did our cat (who doesn't seem to like us much at times!!) David also found the least expensive rail fares for his journey to us for which I thank him. When it came to the actual sit David kept us informed ... MORE
 
ANITA (Cowshill, Nr Bishop Auckland England, Nov 2019 - 3 weeks)
David was fantastic. Both of our dogs were immediately comfortable with him from the moment he met them. Great communication whilst we were away and we returned to two happy hounds and a very clean and well cared for home. Would definitely use again (if he isn't too booked up!) and certainly recommend to others.
 
ADRIAN (Marlow/Wycombe , Oct 2019 - 1 week 1 day)
What a find Dave is, from the moment I met him and he introduced himself to my 12year old Blind dog Barney I knew I could leave my dog and house in safe hands, and my instincts were right. Regular emails and pictures throughout my trip followed and I must admit was a little jealous of the cuddles my dog seemed to be giving him. He needed medication each day which was not a problem for Dave or Barney. He is a patient and kind man who found out that Barney likes to sit in our local park for ... MORE
 
ANNE (Eastbourne England, Aug 2019 - 2 weeks 2 days)
David did a great job of looking after Jack our dog and Millie the cat, as well as the garden fish and the wild birds we feed, and of course the house while we were away. He was very organised and friendly from the time he arrived to the time he left, and Jenny and I would have no hesitation in recommending him to others, and asking him to house sit for us again. He also sent us email updates and photos almost daily of Jack and Millie which we found very reassuring as we have not used a house ... MORE
 
NICK (Horton, Bristol , Jun 2019 - 1 week)
David is a really great house sitter and we were really happy that he agreed to come to our home. His communication from before the sit was great, asking questions, answering questions and offering advice too! This continued while we were away, with regular emails and photos. He listened and took on everything that we spoke about, and the house was well look after while we were gone. He got on really well with our dog Coco and we felt very happy and comfortable leaving her in his care while ... MORE
 
CARMEN (St. Ives , Dec 2018)
No rating David housesat for us over December 2018. He stayed in touch when we were within mobile signal sending photos and updates of all the animals and when we returned it was clear that the animals were all very happy and content - would recommend David highly.
TRACY (Grazeley England, Dec 2018 - 2 weeks 3 days)
No rating Dave hardly needs any more glowing testimonials, but he was so wonderful that I really have to add to the long list of happy customers. We were a little nervous about leaving our house, dogs and cat with someone we'd never met, and some of our friends though we were mad, but it really was a wonderful arrangement. We liked Dave as soon as we met him, and he won the hearts of all our animals very quickly and clearly gave them a wonderful holiday while we were away. We were so grateful for his ... MORE
RACHEL (Godalming , Jul 2018)
No rating We were so lucky to find Dave on here - a real gem. He looked after our 3 dogs so well for the three weeks we were way and we know they thoroughly enjoyed all the long walks he took them on. He kept in touch with us regularly and we felt very comfortable that the dogs and our home were being well cared for. We cannot recommend Dave highly enough and we will certainly be asking him to housesit for us again when we go on holiday.
TRISH (Thatcham , Jan 2018)
No rating From the moment we met David we were impressed with his professional approach to looking after Henry and Toby. He requested details of the dogs routine prior to his visit so any disruption to the dogs was minimised. David provided regular updates with photos of the dogs while we were away which we were delighted to receive. David is friendly and easy going and ensured the house was spotless for our return. We would have no hesitation in recommending him for your housesit
JOHN (Cardiff Wales, Dec 2017 - 2 weeks 2 days)
No rating It was a pleasure to have Dave house/pet sit for us. Dave made the whole process smooth from beginning to end. We had excellent communications from him both before, during and after the sit. He was especially good at putting our minds at rest regarding the welfare of our dog and even sent pictures through showing her enjoying her walks! The house was really well taken care of, many areas being cleaner and tidier than we left. I would rate Dave with a 10 out of 10 on all aspects and we ... MORE
DEBRA (Grantham England, Oct 2017 - 1 week)
No rating Dave was a perfect house sitter. All communications with him were easy and prompt. He took our dog on many long walks and looked after our elderly cat really well. He sent regular emails updating us on the house and pets which included photos of our dog enjoying walks on the moors. Dave even helped sort out issues we had with mail and other things. When we returned after 5 weeks, the house was cleaner than we left it!! What a fantastic thing to come home to! We would wholeheartedly recommend ... MORE
ALEX (Otley England, Jul 2017 - 1 month 1 week)
No rating I'm pleased to say that, thanks to Dave, my first experience of having a house-sitter has been an absolute pleasure! Dave was kind enough to sit at very short notice - looking after my house and my cat Misha. I met Dave when he arrived by train - and spent some time chatting and showing Dave how everything worked at the house. When I was away, Dave kept in touch - giving me updates on how everything was going, and how Misha was doing. I was able to totally relax on my trip, without worrying ... MORE
JON (Leeds England, Jun 2017 - 1 week)
No rating David was a great sitter. Both the house and the cats were very well cared for. I'd be very happy for him to sit for us again and recommend him to you.
SUE (Morpeth England, May 2017 - 1 week 1 day)
No rating The greatest endorsement we can give to Dave was that our 3 dogs and our special cat felt Dave belonged in our house which meant we could leave knowing they would love their time with Dave. Dave was a pleasure to deal from first contact to his departure. Dave gave endless affection to our pets which they whole heartedly lapped up. We returned to find happy and healthy pets with our dogs well exercised having covered many miles and the cat content. We hope Dave is free when we go away as we ... MORE
STEPHEN (Barwick in Elmet England, Mar 2017 - 6 days)
No rating David proved to be an excellent sitter. We invited him to sit at fairly short notice and despite having a long journey for a brief sit he still agreed to do it for us. Our cats were very well looked after and the house left clean and tidy. David stayed with us the night before our flight as we had to leave at 2am. He was an easy guest and we had every confidence in him. We had arranged to be back in time to take David to the station, but had a 2hour delay on our flight. David took this in ... MORE
MARION & RALPH (St Fagans Wales, Mar 2017 - 1 week 1 day)
No rating Dave exceeded all expectations when he housesat for me and looked after Stan & Maxi for 10 days. It was the first time I had left them with somebody else, and as they are both street dogs, it was unclear how they'd react. However, through Dave's clear and regular communication, with photographs, he put my mind at ease right from the beginning. He is clearly very experienced with dogs and has a calm and unflappable manner about him, which the dogs respond to very positively. Dave was ... MORE
SALLY (Thetford England, Feb 2017 - 1 month 3 weeks)
No rating David is the sitter of all sitters! His communication from the start was prompt, honest and detailed. He kept us informed whilst we were away and sent us photos of how well everyone was. It was quickly apparent that Dave is an intelligent, straight forward, honest and capable guy. I had NO concerns leaving him in charge of our 2 young dogs, elderly cat and our home. In fact, the dogs have never had such fun, long (up to 4 hours) walks, they definitely missed him when he left. He kept the ... MORE
CHLOE (Wortwell England, Jan 2017 - 2 weeks)
No rating David, together with his friend Flick, house sat for 3 weeks over Christmas 2016. From our first contact on this site David was open, straightforward, and easygoing. They did an excellent job of caring for our animals and home, watered plants and took the idiosyncrasies of our property in their stride. David kept us updated as and when necessary while we were away so that we had no concerns to worry about. When we got home everything was clean and tidy and in order. We would thoroughly ... MORE
MENNA (brecon Wales, Dec 2016 - 3 weeks)
No rating David was the perfect house-sitter. He loved the animals and looked after them so well. He was a pleasure to deal with and we will use him again.
LAUREN (Richmond England, Oct 2016 - 4 days)
No rating David was an excellent Housesitter,looking after my cats giving them the love and attention they required,and looking after our home as if it was his own.
LILLIAS (Glasgow Scotland, Oct 2016 - 1 month 2 weeks)
No rating Dave was the perfect house sitter! He was far more attentive to Matisse our cat than we are and rescued a number of house plants from certain doom. He was kind enough to keep us updated with our the cat was doing ( he's a young kitten really and first time we have left him) for which we were really grateful and could enjoy our holiday more! He clearly also looked after the house and left it tidy and clean - complete with fresh milk for us on our return. Dave was very flexible in our hand over ... MORE
GEORGIE (Cambridge England, Sep 2016 - 1 week 4 days)
 
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