Andy Peck launches TrustedHousesitters

A person whose brushes with demise impressed him to gamble on a brand new profession now heads up a multi-million pound enterprise that lets him keep totally free in luxurious homes around the globe.

After changing into stranded within the Andes after which dangerously unwell in Thailand inside the identical yr, traumatised traveller Andy Peck, 46, hit on an concept that mixed his love of globetrotting with the therapeutic energy of pets - house-sitting for vacation makers and caring for his or her cats and canine on the identical time.

Not solely has the idea allowed Andy and his co-founder fiancee Rachel to remain in stately properties in Eire and rustic French chateaus freed from cost, their Brighton begin up TrustedHousesitters now has 300,000 members in 140 completely different international locations.

Andy Peck, seen together with his fiancee and TrustedHousesitters co-founder Rachel Martin, was impressed to begin the enterprise after two brushes with demise

This dreamy French chateau in Avignon is among the many properties listed on the web site

'We have had some wonderful experiences,' mentioned Andy's fiancee Rachel, 42, who together with Andy nonetheless goes on home sits six years after they launched the enterprise.

'Like taking care of Alfie the labradoodle in a New York penthouse, and Socky the terrier subsequent to a surprising winery in a standard stone home in Bordeaux.

'So we get to indulge our love for journey, whereas on the identical time studying extra about methods to make the enterprise develop,' she mentioned.

Members of TrustedHousesitters are both house homeowners searching for folks to take care of their properties whereas they're away, or pet lovers in search of another approach to journey.

They pay an annual charge of £89 to be on the web site, which has listings that vary from taking care of a cat in Cornwall to a herd of alpacas at a Canadian eco-lodge, however after that the overwhelming majority of house-sits happen with none cash altering arms, Andy says.

The homeowners of this up to date house in Brisbane, Australia, are additionally members of the location

An image-perfect nation cottage within the Cotswolds that might have been lifted from a film

Killegar, a sprawling property in Wicklow, Eire, seems on the home and pet sitting website

'In addition to the enjoyment of with the ability to spend time with pets, the breadth of properties on the location clearly provides to the enchantment,' mentioned Andy.

'We've castles and penthouses and manor homes everywhere in the world, from New York to New Zealand.

'The wonderful factor about occurring a pet sit is the way you immediately change into a part of the area people - I've had the factor the place I have been strolling a canine by a city that I've by no means visited and whole strangers begin speaking to me simply because they know the homeowners of the canine.'

The beautiful view from the lounge of a house in Avalon, Australia, listed on the location

A fairytale French chateau is among the many properties listed on Brighton-based TrustedHousesitters

A glimpse on the inside of a French chateau in Bordeaux which home sitters can take care of

Andy Peck says the idea permits animal lovers another approach to journey

The thought for the enterprise happened after eager traveller Andy had two near-death experiences in 2010.

He was struck by altitude illness within the Andes and have become separated from his group.

He was ultimately discovered by one other group of trekkers who helped him by the perilous 18-hour journey to the closest hospital.

'As I used to be recovering I could not cease serious about how precarious life is and the way I wanted to do one thing significant with my life,' Andy mentioned.

Fancy dwelling in stately splendour within the Irish countryside? Home and pet sitters can take care of magnificent Killegar in Wicklow

The Irish stately house is listed on the location alongside New York penthouses and mansions

He returned to the UK, offered his small publishing enterprise and flew to Thailand to ponder his future, however encountered extra misfortune when he contracted an immune system dysfunction referred to as Guillain-Barré syndrome.

After 5 weeks spent in hospital in each Thailand and the UK, a weak and traumatised Andy, after studying concerning the therapeutic energy of animals, organized to deal with sit a property in Spain and take care of the proprietor's canine, Dave.

'It is no exaggeration to say that Dave modified my life,' he mentioned.

'I realised that everybody ought to have the possibility to spend time with pets, however after all it isn't all the time sensible.

'Then I noticed a approach to make it occur.'

Andy and his now fiancee Rachel Martin offered virtually every thing they owned and spent two years house-sitting their method around the globe as they acquired the enterprise off the bottom.

TrustedHousesitters member Kathy Robinson is seen outdoors her house in Rutland along with her pet canine George

TrustedHousesitters co-founder and Andy's fiancee Rachel Martin is seen on the seashore with a canine she cared for in Spain

Andy says the idea permits property and pet homeowners to journey stress-free, and provides animal lovers another approach to journey

Since being arrange in 2011, TrustedHousesitters has now change into the world's largest house-sitting website.

'It's about a lot greater than saving cash,' mentioned Andy.

'Taking care of somebody's pet when you keep of their home is a lot extra rewarding than staying in a lodge.'

He says the advantages for house and pet homeowners embrace with the ability to journey stress free and avoiding forking out for kennels, or having to depend on members of the family to care for his or her pets after they're away.

The location makes use of a mixture of free and paid-for digital verification processes to reassure members, and digital references are all the time requested previous to committing to a sit.

Sometimes house homeowners match themselves with potential sitters by way of the location, then organize to talk over Skype earlier than ultimately assembly on the property forward of the proprietor's departure.

'I've made life lengthy friendships by home sits, and had experiences I'd by no means have dreamed of getting in any other case,' Andy mentioned.

'The truth that Rachel and I've additionally been capable of make a profitable enterprise out of it truly is a dream come true.'