We are an active and fit retired couple who live in North Yorkshire, UK. We spent our working life in education, I was an Educational Psychologist and Andrew was a Behaviour Support Teacher. We are keen gardeners who have experience of living in a remote, rural home as well as a village & town. We enjoy spending time in different countries and prefer to have some purposeful activity rather than just be on holiday. We are happy to look after your property, garden, pets and animals. We are interested in assignments anywhere, rural or urban and can be available for up to three months,possibly longer.
We are careful people who take pride in our home and garden. You can be assured that your property and pets will be in safe hands.
During the last 11 years we have successfully done 20 house sits.We started with a week looking after a friend's house, ducks and hens. Then we had 3 months in the Dordogne where we looked after some chambres d' hote and gites. In 2014 we did a 3 week garden sit on the Cote d'Azur and then returned for a further 2 months which also included looking after the owners' dog and apartment. In 2015 we looked after a house, swimmimg pool and studio in Villeneuve lez Avignon. The Studio was let via and we acted as hosts and cleaned the studio. During 2016 we did a 6 week house sit in Brittany where we looked after 2 cats one of which was very elderly and required twice daily insulin injections. In September & October we spent 6 weeks in Le Marche Italy where we looked after a house, garden and small vineyard, including harvesting and pressing the grapes. In November we went to California for 6 weeks where we looked after a house and dog in a property on Grand Canal, Venice Beach. In 2017 we looked after a lovely apartment and 2 cats in the heart of Bordeaux. We spent 2 weeks in Vaucresson near Paris looking after a lovely Cairn terrier. In September and October we returned to the house and pool sit in Villeneuve Lez Avignon. In 2018 we returned to Villeneuve lez Avignon from June to mid September to look after the house and garden and maintain the swimming pool.
In 2019 we returned to Paris to look after Kerlchen the Cairn terrier and then went to Arles sur Tech in the Pyrenees Orientales where we looked after a house, garden and 3 lovely cats. In September we looked after Flash the cat in Cork, Ireland. In October we looked after Daisy, a blind and deaf 18 year old Westie who lived on the Isle of Arran.
2020 started with us taking care of 26 sheep and 5 hens for 2 weeks. We went back to Paris in February to look after Kerlchen. Then the pandemic grounded us for a while.
In 2021 we returned to Arran for a 2 week sit and went to Berkshire to look after a house and 2 dogs, a lovely labrador and daschund.
In 2022 we returned to Paris to look after Kerlchen who was having some health problems. Sadly later in the year he died. In the summer we returned to Arles Sur Tech to look after the 3 cats for a month.
In 2023 we made another return trip to Arles for 5 weeks to look after the cats. Over the Christmas period we housesat in Chapel en le Frith for Ingrid. We stayed for 3 weeks looking after her lovely cat Luna.
So far in 2024 we have looked after Bella,an Irish Setter who lived near Leeds and Milo a Bedlington Terrier who lived in York. Both were really affectionate characters.
We can provide references from all of these owners if required.
We also let a self contained unit within our home via and you can check our reviews by going to the site and searching for Robin Hood's Bay UK and looking for The Garden Room.
We enjoy gardening, reading, walking and cooking. We are non smokers. We have owned cats, dogs and hens in the past and many years ago I used to ride and was used to handling horses.
We have thoroughly enjoyed our experiences of house sitting and have been privileged to have the opportunity to meet some interesting people, live in their homes and look after their pets.