Who's minding the house?

Holidays away from home are supposed to be about unwinding, recharging the batteries and forgetting about it all. But where's the peace of mind if you're the sort to worry about an empty house or boarded-out pets, and you're hoping a heatwave hasn't reduced your precious plants to shrivelled sticks? You could always pay someone to house-sit for you. "General worry and security considerations aside, getting someone in to house or pet sit while you're away can be very cost-effective," says Derrick Hill, founder of Houseminders, a new service for home owners.

"For a fee of about £140 a week, or £19 a day for short stays, we provide a security-vetted adult to look after your property, pets and plants while you're away. The only additional cost on top of that is about £24 a week for basic food, which the minder purchases themselves. Compared to boarding-out pets or the cost of damage not recoverable from home insurance policies, it's actually good value," he adds.

For no extra charge, minders will also walk the dog, move the car around the drive to confuse potential burglars, or stock the fridge with essentials for your homecoming.

They will provide double security in the form of a spouse or companion if the owner agrees. There's no extra charge for that.

Although this new service is Dublin-based, Hill says he can provide minders for most locations. While they always attempt to source one within the owner's locality, it's sometimes necessary to recruit further afield. In such instances the owner is expected to pay towards petrol expenses or public transport costs.

While the service is predominantly geared towards looking after property and pets, the company will refer clients to another agency if they need someone to look after an elderly relative or children.

Hill says he uses a variety of methods to vet prospective minders. These include verifying credentials with the Garda, former employers, neighbours and members of the clergy. Most minders are retired; half are men ranging in age between early 50s and late 60s. All will provide a virtual round-the-clock service and all are non-smokers. They regard your home as their base, usually leaving only to go to church, grocery shopping, or to make other essential trips.

Uninterrupted 24-hour cover can be arranged but rates are higher. Normally, however, the minder is required to sleep in the house, never leaving for more than three hours during daylight or one hour after dark. They will take telephone messages if required, but won't divulge your whereabouts.

Service charges don't differentiate between large, detached properties in leafy suburbs, inner-city "two up, two downs", or apartments. Differentials do apply, however, for pet minding - £2 a day for a dog, irrespective of whether it's a wolfhound or a chihuahua. Cats cost 80p a day, but there's no charge for hamsters, budgies or goldfish. Charges for minding pigeons or ponies have to be negotiated. Requests for minding snakes, alligators or other exotica are not entertained.

"Don't expect them to cut the grass, sweep the tennis court or clean the windows either. We're house minders, not house keepers," Hill adds. That said, he has some horticulturalists on his books. Light gardening can be arranged as can things such as basic swimming-pool maintenance. "Where possible, we match home owners' criteria to our minders' database. They always meet the prospective minder before making a final decision."

Hill thinks the growing demand for this service is a reflection of a healthy economy and a consumer boom that has resulted in people spending more and more on their homes and gardens. He doesn't disclose how many minders he has on his books, but admits that a similar company in the UK has 600.

"Insurance/financial considerations aren't the main priority here. Our clients are just looking for peace of mind. Most are middle-class families and consultants working abroad part of the year."

Six months down the road, after a business career spent working with Gouldings, Fitzwilton and, more recently, the World Bank, Hill says he has had no reports of wacky incidents or weird client requirements. Obviously, the rock stars are making their own arrangements for minding their homes and castles.

Houseminders can be contacted at tel: 01- 6614474.