Frequently Asked Questions
🏠 Trust, Credentials & Security
Are you insured and background-checked?
Yes. A3 House & Pet Sitting is fully public liability insured to operate nationwide across the UK. Amber is also fully background-checked with up-to-date DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) documentation. You can rest assured your property, keys, and animals are in safe, professional hands.
What geographic areas do you cover?
We offer a truly nationwide service. No matter where you are located in the United Kingdom, we can travel to your property to care for your animals and secure your home.
How do you keep my property secure while I am away?
In addition to keeping your animals safe, we provide full property management and security. We keep your home clean, well-managed, and visibly occupied to deter intruders. We follow strict rules regarding your house keys and gate codes to maintain absolute confidentiality and safety.
🕒 24/7 Premium Presence & Constant Care
Do you offer a 24/7 constant presence option?
Yes. For owners who require high-level home security, or for animals with severe separation anxiety, medical conditions, or intensive farm routines, we offer a premium 24/7 constant care service. Under this arrangement, we remain permanently on your property and do not leave your animals unattended.
How does standard house sitting differ from 24/7 care?
Standard Care: We live at your property but may leave for brief periods during the day (up to 3 hours) to fetch supplies, grab food, or manage brief local tasks. Your animals must be comfortable being left alone for short windows.
24/7 Constant Care: We do not leave the property. All food, supplies, and personal needs are managed directly from your home, ensuring your animals have continuous, around-the-clock supervision.
Is there an extra charge for a 24/7 presence?
Yes. Because a 24/7 presence prevents us from leaving the site for any outside tasks, this is treated as a premium service. Rates for constant care are bespoke and calculated based on your specific livestock or pet care requirements. Please mention this need on our Contact Page so we can include it in your custom quote.
🐴 Animal Care & Specialities
What types of animals do you look after?
We look after all standard domestic pets (dogs, cats, small animals), but we also specialise in equine and smallholding care. Thanks to Amber's BSc (Hons) in Equine Science and her background growing up on a rural farm, we are highly experienced in handling horses, ponies, chickens, goats, sheep, and other livestock.
Will my animals' daily schedules be disrupted?
Not at all. Our goal is to alleviate separation anxiety by mirroring your animals' normal, day-to-day practices. We strictly follow your exact routines for feeding times, turnout schedules, exercise, and medication.
Do you stay in touch while I am away?
Yes. We know how important it is for you to have peace of mind. We are happy to send you regular updates, messages, and photos of your beloved animals so you can enjoy your time away completely stress-free.
What happens in a medical emergency?
Before you leave, we take down your trusted vet's details and any emergency contact info. If an animal becomes unwell, we will make immediate efforts to contact you while ensuring the animal receives swift veterinary attention.
Can you operate agricultural machinery on my estate?
Yes! I drive ATVs and quads regularly for daily estate tasks and am highly competent with trailers.
For heavier machinery, we were taught to drive Tractors with trailers from Walford College as part of my National Diploma in Equine Studies, I passed this module with a Distinction.
Because agricultural technology has evolved significantly over the last several years, I treat your expensive machinery with the highest level of care by requesting a brief, 10-minute walkthrough of your specific tractor’s controls when I arrive.
📋 Bookings, Pricing & Preparation
How much do your services cost?
Rates start at £100 per day. But because every home, smallholding, and animal mix is different, we do not use a one-size-fits-all price list. We offer highly competitive rates based on your specific requirements. Please send us an enquiry via our Contact Page for a personalised quote tailored to you.
What details do you need from me for a quote?
To give you the most accurate quote possible, please share your postcode, dates, the number and types of animals, their ages, routines, and any specific medication or property management needs.
Do we meet before the booking begins?
Yes. We are always happy to arrange a "meet and greet" beforehand. This ensures that you, your family, and your animals feel entirely comfortable and happy with us before the house sit begins.
What should I prepare before I leave?
Please ensure you stock up on enough animal supplies to last the entire duration of your trip. This includes food, treats, medications, bedding, grooming tools, and clean-up supplies (such as poo bags or stable disinfectant). We will also need clear written instructions regarding your animals' needs and your property.
🚜 Equine & Smallholding Care
What specific experience do you have with horses and livestock?
Amber holds a BSc (Hons) in Equine Science and grew up on a working smallholding. We are fully qualified to handle everything from routine horse care, turnout schedules, mucking out, and rug changes to feeding, managing, and securing smallholding livestock like sheep, goats, pigs, and poultry.
Can you administer medication or specialized medical care?
Yes. Thanks to Amber’s formal equine training and extensive background, we are highly experienced in administering routine medical care. This includes tracking exact medication dosages, managing dietary supplements, monitoring physical injuries, and following strict veterinary treatment plans.
🏡 Logistics & House Manners
What are your expectations regarding household utilities and food?
We are completely self-sufficient. For standard and 24/7 care sits, we supply our own food, groceries, and personal items. We only ask for access to standard utilities (water, electricity, heating) and a clean space to sleep. We always leave your home exactly as clean and tidy as we found it.
Do you look after plants or manage basic home maintenance?
Yes, basic home care is included in our house sitting service. We are happy to water your house or garden plants, bring in the post, put out your rubbish and recycling bins on the correct days, and keep the property looking visibly lived-in for maximum security.
Do you accept bookings for multiple pets or mixed species?
Absolutely. We specialize in complex, multi-animal households. Whether you have three dogs, a colony of cats, or a mixture of domestic house pets and smallholding farm animals, we can manage them all under a single, bespoke care plan.
📋 Booking, Deposits & Final Payment
What are your deposit and payment terms?
We operate on a trust-based model built around absolute peace of mind for our clients. Our payment structure is as follows:
To Secure Your Booking: We require a 25% non-refundable and non-transferable deposit at the time of booking. This officially locks your dates into our nationwide calendar.
The Final Balance: The remaining 75% balance, along with any pre-agreed travel or fuel expenses, is only due upon our successful completion of the house sit.
Payment Window: We kindly request that final payment be made via secure bank transfer immediately upon your return, and no later than 24 hours after our departure.
How does the 21-day cancellation policy apply if I pay at the end?
Because we block out our calendar exclusively for your property and animals, a late cancellation means we lose a slot that cannot easily be filled at short notice.
If you cancel your booking within 21 days of the scheduled start date, the remaining 75% sitting fee still becomes due and must be paid as per your invoice (minus the fuel expense). We highly recommend taking out travel insurance that coversunexpected pet care cancellation fees to protect yourself
We highly recommend taking out comprehensive holiday or travel insurance that covers pet care cancellation fees to protect yourself against unexpected changes to your travel plans.
✈️ Travel Delays & Emergency Backup Policy
What happens if my return flight or travel plans are delayed?
While we will always make every effort to communicate with you and will never abandon your animals, we operate as a highly specialised, one-person business. Because of Amber’s specific, advanced qualifications in equine science and livestock management, we do not have a secondary team or agency staff on standby to step in with our level of expertise.
Our diary is booked back-to-back with nationwide clients who rely on us arriving exactly on schedule. Therefore, the policy regarding travel delays is strictly as follows:
Immediate Notification: You must contact us as soon as you become aware of a travel delay, flight cancellation, or schedule change.
Onus Is On Client: It is the client’s sole responsibility to have a designated local emergency contact(such as a trusted neighbour, family member, local friend, or emergency boarding facility) arranged before departure.
Handover Trigger: If your delay clashes with our next scheduled nationwide booking, we will coordinate directly with your designated local contact to safely hand over your keys, house access, and animal routines.
Holiday Insurance: We strongly advise all clients to ensure their comprehensive travel or holiday insurance policy covers unexpected travel delays and the costs associated with emergency emergency pet care care coverage.
Are your vehicles marked with company branding?
No. For safety and security reasons, we operate using unbranded vehicles. This ensures that we do not advertise to the public or onlookers that you are away from home, keeping your property discreetly protected.