Jenny

AVAILABILITY from late November 2024 for 2/3 day housesit:

-Longer stays: Sydney Harbour to North Shore and Hunter Valley areas particularly Newcastle and Maitland. Melbourne city to Seaford. Adelaide’s Henley Beach to Port Noarlunga / Seaford and across towards Happy Valley.

-Short stays to one week at Tweed Heads, Coolangatta and Queensland’s Landsborough, Mapleton, Buderim Sunshine Coast Hinterland and Coastal areas.

Born and raised in Australia my first housesit was 2014 in Adelaide and repeated 2015. Four cats, two needing medication, in Adelaide for over two months when I travelled from my then home in the UK to cover the housesit. My profile highlights my housesitting experience both in Australia and in the UK. Reviews of Aus and UK housesits including early 2024 in the UK are attached via the associated UK housesitters site. I prioritise maintaining your home security and caring for your loved pets. I have cared for cats, dogs, chickens, ducks, horse feeding/brushing down; details follow below.

If you are looking to secure a house sitter, whoever that person may be, I suggest having a backup or even two back ups. I have covered numerous last minute sits following the pulling out of house sitters. I should add, as homeowners increasingly enquire: I have never anticipated nor would I request financial compensation to watch over your home whilst also enjoying the responsibilities and company of your pets.

Background:
-To date I have not cancelled a committed housesit where I have pre-met or pre-video met the homeowner. I am a home owner who understands your home and pet care concerns. Covid ‘boostered’, non smoker and organised manner. I plan ahead with an emphasis to manage your priorities.
-If an early start, I spend the previous night nearby (hotel/airbnb).
-My research work is home based. My house sitting interest is to revisit areas unseen for years or to return to favoured locations. Historic architecture / libraries, galleries and museums are usually my key interest directing me outside for a few hours during an afternoon. Otherwise, I am ‘home’ based working on my research. I take pride ensuring you return to your clean home and content pets. I approach all pets with sensitivity and patience.
I have:
-successfully ‘settled’ snack demanding young, large sensitive stomach dogs. Stratford-sub-Castle, UK, young Golden Retriever refers.
-managed ‘indoor only’ cats ensuring I conduct routines with the aim an indoor cat remains in-house and/or walked on a leash. Some indoor cats have their indoor ‘out of sight hideouts’ towards strangers. I am aware of this behaviour where it can take time for a cat to build confidence.

I am not nomadic ie I do not live in a car. I have a permanent address in Brisbane.

I am happy to pre video call should you wish to discuss your house sitting times and priorities. Unfortunately, it is necessary for me to request: should you be a heavy drinker or smoker kindly note I am not contactable. Thank you.

More background detail:
My first housesit was 2014 in Adelaide, 4 cats when I travelled to Adelaide from the UK. I used the opportunity to visit my Father in Adelaide. I was asked to cover same housesit in 2015. Since 2016, when I returned to Australia, I have cared and attended to a variety of pets and farm animals in Queensland. A number of my UK housesits are repeat requests. From 2022 I reduced my Australian housesits to 2 or 3 annually.

Australian born and raised, I eventually left Australia to live in the UK and parts of Europe for over 35 years. I’ve been a Brisbane resident since 2016. On completion of a housesit I avoid requesting references/reviews from home owners. Nevertheless, I am grateful to home owners who have spontaneously written reviews and I am happy to respond via my review of a housesit.

I arrive with my necessary groceries, tend to remain 'on site', watching over the care of cats or walk a dog/dogs, coffee out mid/late afternoon. If out, I return before dark and stay 'on site' during the evenings. I'm happy to email a further Queensland character reference and to provide ID verification.

Reviews:
Various reviews are provided on my Profile. Please advise if you require further references. Further reviews to include home owners of delicate antiques in the UK are available via House Sitters UK.

My housesits are summarised below.

2025 UK
January - 7 March. Bishop’s Stortford, 1 cat.
2024
December 21-29. Sydney, confirmed, 2 cats.
November 3-11, Cabarita Beach Tweed area, NSW, 1 dog. I pre-met home owner.
QLD
September 26-30, Buderim, 1 dog. I pre-met home owner.
July, 2 nights, Buderim Meadows, 2 small dogs. Review attached. I pre-met home owner.
UK
15 Jan-11 March, Bishop’s Stortford, 1 cat. Review attached.
17-28 March - Manchester, 2 cats, 1 dog.
30 March - 14 April, Stokes Poges, 1 cat. Review attached.
14-21 April, Stratford London, 1 cat. Have not requested a review despite remaining in contact with home owner.

2023
QLD
Aug 5-12 Burleigh, 2 cats.
Oct 9-14 Beerwah, 2 birds. Cage lining replaced daily, birds fed. Ensured their well being such as accompanying music.
UK
Jan 20-30 Swanscombe. 2 cats.
Feb 24-26 Eton. 1 Dachshund, 1 cat, review attached. Then on 26 Feb train taken for:
Feb 26-Mar 5 Stratford-sub-Castle, nr Salisbury. 1 dog, Golden Retriever. Positive feedback received via personal message.
Mar 9-20 Pratts Bottom, nr Orpington. 1 cat. Review attached.

2022
QLD
1. Jan 14 2022-Jan 17 2022 Buderim. 2 dogs, Fox Terrier and Jack Russell.
2. Feb 10-13 Alexandra Headlands. 1 Greyhound requiring regular evening walks. Dog did not have access to a garden.
3. Mar 25-28 Nambour. Numerous Chickens, 1 dog, 3 cats, watch over fish pond. Returned to this housesit 7-10 Dec 2022.
4. Nov 3-8 Gympie. 1 dog.
5. Dec 7-10 Nambour. 1 dog, 2 cats, chickens.
UK
6. Amesbury, Wilts, UK 27-28 May. three cats, one dog. Invited to cover future sits.
7. Camberwell, London 2-6 June. One cat - must stay indoors. Ivory carpet, fine interiors to respect.
8. South Wimbledon. June 2022. 2 cats.
9. Surrey Quays, 11-15 July, one cat. Must stay indoors.
10. Carshalton, Surrey mid July - end July, one cat, garden to regularly water.
9. York, 29 July - 6 August, 3 chickens, 2 Bengal cats. Cats must remain separated. One cat 100% housebound. The other walked on leash.

2020
QLD
- 12 - 14 Nov 2020 and 29 Nov - 3 Dec 2020 Gold Coast, 1 Spaniel, cat, ducklings, 1 horse.
- Dec 21 2020 - 5 Jan 2021 Mt Tamborine - returning house sit, 1 dog.

2019 UK
- 26 Jan 2019 to early March 2019 - Leytonstone and Morden, dogs. One cat in a period home, West Kensington (repeat request 2022).
- November 2019 Basingstoke, cat, elegant home.

2014-2018: Adelaide and Brisbane housesits - details can be provided.

Small detail:
-After an absence of over 35 years I returned to Brisbane from Europe June 2016. My work background has included managing and co owning a civil/structural engineering consultancy in the UK. Other work: Corporate Finance London. Throughout I retained my Chef status for various private clients (primarily: London, Surrey, Dorset UK).
-The review attached to my profile referring to Jenny and Graeme is for someone else.
-The photo of Cocker Spaniel wearing his hat is Dino, my dog of the past.

In addition to my reviews, house sitting comments sent to me from June 2022 to March 2023 include:
28/6/22 South Wimbledon UK 'Hey jenny, thank you so much again for taking care of my babies.'
7/6/22 Camberwell UK 'House looks fab thanks so much'.
18-24 July 2022 reference has been posted on Housesitters UK.
Feb 26-Mar 5 2023 UK, when I worked towards reducing all dog snacks, excessive jumping and replaced with paw shakes & praise. ‘Thank you for all the training you have given Elsa. I’m not sure we will be able to keep up the Greek!! Sorry for her bother at the table. I have noticed before she does this when she is bored, thank you for improving her. Thank you again for looking after our house.’

I look forward to helping you.

Jenny Zintilis
Brisbane