Would you use Cat in a Flat the Airbnb for pets?

Would you use Cat in a Flat the Airbnb for pets?

Traditionally cat owners would rely on a neighbour or a cattery to take care of their moggy if they were going on holiday.

But what if you could find a trusted cat sitter, who lived nearby and was fully insured to check in on your beloved cat and make sure they were okay?

The website Cat in a Flat matches cat sitters and cat lovers across the UK working a little bit like a pet dating website.

Cat sitters booked through Cat in a Flat are fully insured and payment is made online

It now has tens of thousands of registered sitters and is the fastest-growing cat sitting website in the UK. 

The booking and money is handled through the website, and the cat sitters are fully insured. 

The website has a twofold benefit of allowing pet lovers, often those renting in cities and not able to have their own cats, the chance to look after one, while the owners are given the security of an insured cat sitter.

As a cat lover myself, I recently signed up to the website in order to earn a little extra cash, but also as I'm not allowed pets in my rented flat, I thought it would be a good chance to meet some cats in my neighbourhood. 

The cat sitters set up a profile featuring reviews fro m previous cat owners, which those looking for a sitter can see. Once the cat sitter and owner are matched, they meet up and arrange when the cat will be looked after.

Kathrin (left) and Julie set up Cat in a Flat in 2015 after finding it hard to leave their pets

I have already completed two cat sitting placements which were both incredibly easy to organise. I looked after a six-month old kitten near my work while her owner was on holiday and two cats near my own flat while their owner was away.

After chatting on the website and agreeing a fee, I met up with both owners and they showed me around their homes, introduced me to the cats and rather trustingly handed over their keys. 

While they were away I popped in and visited the cats, feeding them, making sure they were ok and sending photos to the owners along with doing some general household tasks such as watering the plants and collecting the post. 

For me the whole experience was extremely positive, I was able to spend time with a several cats â€" which as a cat lover was a huge benefit for me â€" and I was also paid for it, £10 for one daily visit and £25 for an overnight stay.

I got in touch with the founders, Kathrin Burckhardt and Julie Barnes, to find out a little more about how it works.

How was Cat in a Flat started?

As cat owners, Julie and Kathrin said they had always found it difficult to go away and leave their cats as unlike with dogs, you can’t really take them along.

They both have experience of working for digital services and Kathrin, a businesswoman and entrepreneur, says the idea behind Cat in a Flat was to create a network of true cat lovers who would look after other peoples' cats giving the owners peace of mind that they would be fed, played with and looked after along with lots of attention li ke belly-rubbing and sock-chasing.

When joining Cat in a Flat you can create your own profile with details of previous cat sitters

Both founders have impressive CVs with Kathrin running her own company for several years and working with large companies such as LBI, the Mill, Imagination and StinkDigital. 

Julie, an award-winning creative, has worked and directed teams for agencies such as Poke London and Work Club and started her own cat sitting business in 2012.

Based in London with a team of 10 the site originally launched in 2015 and is currently operating in London and Dublin, with plans to expand across the continent. 

How does it work?

When cat sitters sign up they are asked to upload proof or their identity, such as a passport or driving licence, along wit h proof of their address.

Cat sitters are then interviewed on the phone and asked to talk about their previous experience of pet sitting to help the website decide if they’re suitable for the site or not.

HOW MUCH TAX YOU NEED TO PAY  

A new tax allowance designed to help those working in the sharing economy is set to be introduced.

It allows so called 'micro-entrepreneurs' to earn up to £1,000 each year tax-free.

This includes those using sites such as Cat in a Flat and any similar schemes whereby you earn extra income through non-regular jobs. 

The tax break was announced in the Budget last year but then didn't make it into the Finance Bill published in May.

The Treasury has confirmed it will be in the new Finance Bill, which is expected in the autumn, but the exact details about how it will work have yet to be announced by the Treasury.   

The sitters set up their own profile page with details about themselves such as if they have a CRB check or if they’re able to administer medication.

There is a code of conduct that sitters need to abide by and if not their profiles will be removed within 48 hours from the website. This includes things such as making sure the property is locked, not giving the keys to anyone else and leaving it how you found it.

You’re also reminded on the website that Cat in a Flat is ‘independent of all its members' businesses’ and Julie said this message is displayed to reinforce the point that cat sitters working through the website are effectively self employed and set up their own contract with the cat owner.

Payment is guaranteed through the website, as well as the insurance which provides some cover but isn't completely comprehensive, but it's up to the owner and sitter to set up their own agreement about how the cat sitting will work and what's involved.

It's also the owner and sitter's individual responsibility to make their own enquiries and rely on their research and judgment before agreeing to anything.

Sitters register their bank details and are paid once the cat sitting is completed, with 19 per cent going to Cat in a Flat for the running costs (you’re shown the percentage before you agree to the cat sitting).

How much can you earn?

As a cat sitter the amount of money you can earn through the website all depends on where you live, how long the cat sitting stint is for and what the competition is like in your area.

In my area of London I charge £10 for one visit, £14 for two and £25 for an overnight stay and this can vary depending on what time of year it is - with more demand in popular periods such as Christmas or Easter. 

What can sitters do to book in more cat sitting stays?

We asked Kathrin what cat sitters can do to make themselves more attractive for potential cat owners, especially if they live in an area where there are lots of willing cat sitters.

'Each sitter gets their own mini page on the website and we encourage them to share it on their social channels and we also have posters on the site they can download and print.

'The algorithm, price incentives, policies and review system also help with the promotion of our sitters.' 

What does the insurance cover?

If the cat sitter is booked and paid for through the website, they are insured up to a certain point. They will be covered for public liability for up to £3,000,000 which provides cover if the cat sitter injures themselves in the flat, and also for key cover if the keys go missing and you need a new set of locks (up to £10,000).

Each pet is then covered for up to £15,000 for 'care, custody and control' (with a £250 excess). 

There is no cover provided for theft, loss or accidental damage while the cat sitting takes place, but there are a number of checks in place by the website to reduce the risk of things going wrong.

This includes interviewing cat sitters on the phone, requiring them to upload two forms of identification and asking them to declare if they have a criminal record. It's also possible to only choose cat sitters who have been police checked and after every sitting takes place both parties need to leave a review. 

Cat in a Flat operates in London and Dublin and is the fastest-growing cat sitting site in the UK

Does your home insurance policy provide cover?

As the insurance with Cat in a Flat has some gaps, if you're thinking about using a cat sitter it might be worth checking your own home insurance policy.

There's no standard across insurers but several will provide cover if you have a cat sitter in your house.

With some this can be full cover - including loss, theft and accidental damage - and with others it may be limited cover.

Therefore it's worth checking with your insurer to find out what it provides. 

How are disputes managed?

There are a set of policies, escalation and litigation procedures in place to resolve disputes. On Facebook there is also a private group in which only approved sitters can discuss issues and seek advice from each other. 

Kathrin said: ‘We're very proud of our transparent, open and self-nurturing community where each cat sitter is their own boss and sets their own rates and hours.

‘Cat in a Flat provides them with clients, best practice, communication platform, forms and insurance. The platform is optimised for the specific requirements of cats therefore manages and mitigates most needs and expectations.’

THIS IS MONEY'S FIVE OF THE BEST CURRENT ACCOUNTS

قالب وردپرس

Tweet

Subscribe to receive free email updates: