The UK is a nation of small business owners and according to the National Federation of Self Employed and Small Businesses (FSD)[i] small businesses accounted for 99.3% of all private sector businesses at the start of 2017.

Many small business owners worry about taking time off and a report earlier this year by retail bank Aldermore[ii] suggested bosses in more than half (52 per cent) of all small businesses say they only took five days holiday or less last year.

When they do go away for work or pleasure, more business owners are turning to homesitters to keep their home secure and look after any pets, according to Alan Irvine, Chairman of Homesitters Ltd.

Alan Irvine says, “Many of our clients are business owners and they rely on our services to take care of their home and pets when they go away. Often, they need to travel at short notice on business and know that we will be able to find them a responsible homesitter quickly.

“Most are reluctant to put their pets in kennels or catteries and clients like the fact that the homesitters get to know their pets as well as their home, which can make business trips easier to organise, with one less thing to worry about.

“Often with business owners their home is also their work place so employing a homesitter gives them the extra reassurance that their home looks occupied. Should anything happen there is someone on hand to deal with an emergency,” adds Mr Irvine.

One couple who have been using Homesitters Ltd for three years to look after their two dogs, Archie and Bruno are business owners Travers and Katie Nettleton of Marlborough who run Garden Art Plus in Hungerford, a business which specialises in antique garden ornaments and statues and garden design.

The company exhibits at Chelsea Flower Show every year and the Nettletons find it greatly reassuring that Archie and Bruno are well looked after by Homesitters while they're away. The couple take pride in their own garden, so when they travel in the summer they're glad to have someone staying in the house that can water the plants while they're away.

They are also keen skiers and appreciate having someone reliable staying in the house when they holiday during the winter months to keep an eye on things. If there were ever any problems such as frozen pipes, power cuts or flooding they know that there is someone in the house that can deal with it.

Travers explains, “We've found it very reassuring that we get to meet the homesitters before the assignment begins which takes away any worries about using the service. The company is very professional and the paperwork very detailed, which puts our mind at rest.”

“Every time we've been away we've come home to an immaculate home, the dogs are happy and the homesitters have even made sure that there's milk and bread for us. One homesitter even wrote a dog diary telling us what they'd done with the dogs each day which was very sweet and we enjoyed reading it when we came home,” adds Travers.

Another couple, Oxfordshire based Gwen Lawler and her husband work in entertainment and run a production company from their home. They find the service a real lifeline as they are frequent business travellers and use homesitters to look after their pet dog and cat, Bilbo and Baggins.

Gwen says, “As my husband and I work from home our pets are used to us being there all day, so companionship is very important for them when we're away. I wouldn't put them in a kennel and cattery as it would be too much of a disruption – Bilbo prefers the company of humans to other dogs!

“I believe that using Homesitters is money well spent to give our pets stability, and we can rely on them to provide a homesitter at the eleventh hour if needed.  It's also reassuring to know that the house is occupied too as there have been several burglaries in the local area recently,” adds Gwen.

For more information on becoming a homesitter visit Homesitters Ltd at www.homesitters.co.uk

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About Homesitters Ltd

Homesitters Ltd was established in 1980 and is now the UK's leading nationwide live-in home and pet sitting companies, available throughout the year. It has looked after 100,000 plus bookings and has an extensive network of employees throughout England, Scotland and Wales.

All homesitters are meticulously vetted and are conscientious, sensible and responsible homeowners. Many have been pet owners and have experience looking after all different types of animals. It's tantamount to the outstanding reputation and professionalism of the company that 70% of new clients re-book with Homesitters within two years and many have been clients since the 1980s.

[i] http://www.fsb.org.uk/media-centre/small-business-statistics

[ii] https://www.aldermore.co.uk/media/3813/sme-future-attitudes-report.pdf