References

Home Owner References

Johnny & Angie – Vancouver (August ’16 – August ’17)

Jeremy and Diana cared for our dog, cat, fish, and home for our one-year trip away. We have nothing but glowing things to say about them! They cared for our pets with love and affection. Even when our dog became ill unexpectedly and required extra care, they were compassionate, helpful, and sensitive. Our home was treated with great respect and was maintained beautifully, and when we came home it was clean and welcoming. Jeremy and Diana were communicative, honest, available, proactive, and genuinely lovely people. Our experience with them surpassed our expectations, and we enthusiastically recommend them as housesitters to other homeowners.

Etienne & Caroline – Thailand (July 2016)

Diana et Jeremy sont venus garder notre maison et surtout adorables chats un peu plus de 2 semaines en Thailande en juillet 2016 . Tout s’est merveilleusement passé . Ils sont sympathiques mais surtout très fiables ! Ils aiment les animaux et se sont très bien occupés de nos 2 merveilles ! Ils nous ont régulièrement donné des nouvelles ce qui était très rassurant . Par ailleurs ils se sont très bien occupé de la maison et des plantes ! Je les recommande très chaleureusement et j’espére avoir la chance de les avoir à nouveau ici l’année prochaine !!!

Joael – Thailand (June 2016)

Jeremy and Diana are lovely people and we hit it off right away when we Skyped. They came to my home in Bangkok to take care of my two sweet cats, who also took to them right away. Gomez and Louie were happy and content when we returned. I would highly recommend them for any sitting job. They are kind, gentle and write great emails! My only disappointment I have is that they don’t live nearby as I would love to have them as friends.

Richard & Fiona – Thailand (May 2016)

Diana and Jeremy looked after our house in Thailand for one month this year. They took care of our four rescue dogs, one cat and motley selection of chickens. All were in excellent condition on our return and very happy. The house was kept beautifully. Jeremy is very handy and can fix most anything. Our well pump gave a few problems in our absence and Jeremy had it up and running again in no time. We would highly recommend them for any house sit, and would choose them again.

Charlene – Kuala Lumpur (April 2016)
It was a pleasure meeting Diana and Jeremy. Such a lovely and friendly couple, and Guinness got along with them so quickly it was great to see! Thank you so much for being great house-sitters, Guinness sure does miss you.

Junie – Singapore (April 2016)

Jeremy and Diana looked after our condo and 2 furkids (pugalier and Shizu) for 5 days in April 2016. They are absolutely kind and attentive. Dogs were spoilt, we were sent daily photo updates, and the place was left spotless (even with bedsheets washed and put back on!) though we told them not to bother. Absolutely I would recommend them. Thank you

Judith & Peter – Newport, Vermont

(Nov. 5, 2015-Jan. 25, 2016 & March 4-22, 2016) 

Diana and Jeremy house-sat for us twice. The first time was long-term for almost three months early November 2015 until end of February 2016. Then they came back for another 16 days in March 2016. They took wonderful care of the house and our two dogs, and we came home to very happy animals and a house which was spotlessly clean.
During the first time Diana and Jeremy had to deal with an extra challenge with one of our dogs. He had to go through heartworm treatment which is a very harsh treatment and requires a lot of patience and understanding for the animal. I am not going into details, but we could not have found anybody who would have done this in a more wonderful, warm way than Diana and Jeremy. We cannot thank them enough for that. At the same time they of course did not forget to meet the other dogs needs, going for long walks and playtime.
Furthermore, Jeremy has proven to be a super handyman. He was open to work on some projects in and around the house. For example, I had to idea of a little greenhouse. So Jeremy went out to get all the material and built me my dream greenhouse. Another project he did was putting in a laminate floor in one of our bedrooms. Also this Jeremy did in a very neat, professional way.
I could go on and on praising Diana and Jeremy. As a home and pet owner you cannot ask for better house-sitters. They are a delightful, easy-going couple and I cannot recommend them high enough!

Martin & Chris – Ottawa (February 1-29, 2016)

Diana & Jeremy were absolutely wonderful. We have never been able to take a trip longer than a few days before, so we were hesitant about taking a one month vacation. From the minute we connected, they made us feel comfortable. They took the time to speak with us on Skype several times which was awesome. They offered to drive us to the Airport, pick us up and also when we returned back home they had made us dinner and dessert which was above and beyond! Very very nice to come home to a nice meal following a long day of travel.

But most of all we are happy with the way they took care of our home and our pets. The house was absolutely spotless….much cleaner than we had left it! All of our 4 pets were very relaxed and happy upon our return. We could tell that they really were loved as much as they are when we are home. Throughout the trip they emailed us photos and updates which we loved! Also they fixed several little things around the house we had been meaning to do, including a creeky noisy door! They are a very handy and capable team. We could not have asked for more.

We highly recommend them….and we just hope that we would be lucky enough to get them again if our dates every match up on a future trip. 10 out of 10!!!!!

Heidi – Bahamas (August-November, 2015)

Diana and Jeremy looked after my house and my lovely special dog Choco for 10 weeks this fall and all I can say ….. they were Great!….. They took very good care of my dog….. he got all the attention needed and was very happy….they took great care of my home and Jeremy fixed a lot of things in the house…. thanks again!!…..Diana and Jeremy are a really nice very helpful couple and I can highly recommend them to look after pets and homes…

Michelle Milne – Montreal (August 2015)

Diana and Jeremy looked after my dog Maya and my home for two weeks this August. They were great! Communication was straightforward and timely, my dog was happy and relaxed with them, and they took great care of my home and plants. They went the extra distance to pick me up at the airport on my return and leave me a lovely meal.
Five stars!!!!!

Esther Naegeli – Nicaragua (April-August 2015)

It is with great pleasure that I can provide a recommendation for Jeremy and Diana Porteous to future home/pet owners. This warm and energetic couple have been very helpful to me on various occasions at the B & B which I manage. They have performed duties of a manager in my absence as well as attending to a variety of repairs including electrical, plumbing and general repairs. In addition to this they have cared for my dog in my absence. They are honest and reliable and I highly recommend them for house sitters and for anyone who wants their pet loved and cared for in their absence.

John Hagerty – Nicaragua (January-April 2015)

I am happy to recommend Jeremy and Diana Porteous to any prospective parties wishing to have someone oversee their property. They both have a good eye for what needs to be done to maintain and oversee a home. They have helped me on many occasions when I have been away from our vacation home. Jeremy is quite a good fix it guy and finds the challenge rewarding when many people just want to see an issue go away, he takes the time to figure it out and the best solution. Diana has a good idea for decorating and making a house a home, something that not everyone is able to see. They are wonderful people and I am happy to have them look after my property and support my best interests while away.

Heather Mckeown- Westmount (June-August 2014)

I am so pleased to recommend Diana and Jeremy as house sitters. Not only are they a wonderful couple, they are so capable in anything they do. They house sat for me for 11 weeks in 2014 when I was in Florida. Jeremy told me to leave a “list” of things I needed to do around the house and I did. When I returned everything was done. Diana and Jeremy also made sure my home and my garden (which I treasure) were kept in perfect order. I also have two adorable cats whom could not have cared in the least when I finally returned home. They were more depressed to see Diana and Jeremy leave. I would 100% use their wonderful services again.

Veronique Spiquel – Montreal (April-June 2014)

We have been a 100% satisfy of Diana and Jeremy, they were 3 months in our house until april 2014.
The house was perfectly clean and ordered. Also Jeremy, who is a great ingenious handyman, solve several small problems in the house we had for years (a door that closed badly, a way to easily wash the water features, etc…).
They love gardening, and the garden was in very good conditions (I might not be able to do the same this year 🙂 !).
They also did a great job with the cat, as they are quiet and peaceful, the life atmosphere is harmonious in the house, and I think it’s a good point, the cat has not been disturbed.
Having said that, we strongly recommend Jeremy and Diana, a totally reliable and friendly couple.

Vicky Connolly – Montreal (March 2014)

We have a wonderful yet horribly needy and whiney cat named Pink. She is not the easiest of animals to look after or for some people even to appreciate. Jeremy and Diana looked after her for 10 days last year. All of Pinks needs were meet and you could tell that she got all the attention and love that she demands (clean litter, clean food station, well groomed etc..) My husband and I joked that Pink was to spoiled and was not happy to have us home! On top of it we had a leaky faucet that was magically fixed 🙂 Diana and Jeremy are lovely & fun couple, we would highly recommend them to anyone looking for pet care and/or home care.

Employment Reference

Stanley Heisler, M.D.

This letter is my personal recommendation for Diana Porteous. Diana was employed as a medical administrative assistant in my office from September 2001 to June 2014. Diana fulfilled her responsibilities with little supervision. The position required interacting with an often highly anxious public, as well as the ability to liaise between different medical departments. Success was dependant on her strong communication and interpersonal skills. Diana is honest, flexible, reliable and utterly trustworthy. Besides being a joy to work with, Diana was a take charge person who is able to present creative ideas and communicate the benefits. Her multitask abilities and outstanding time management skills are unparalleled.
Diana was my eyes and ears reminding me of ongoing crisis and organizing my schedule so my often hectic days ran as smoothly as possible.

Ronald Ludman

Employment reference

Diana worked in our busy general practice office for many years until she decided to move from Montreal. Our practice has many old patients and she was always polite, helpful and understanding to the patients. She is a kind and empathetic individual and I have no doubt that she would do her utmost to help elderly individuals.

Diana is an intelligent, motivated and hard working person. She can easily work independently. Despite the difficulty of dealing with some of our patients for psychiatric and cognitive problems, she always remained calm and helpful. I would have no hesitation about having her help my own mother who is 93!

Diana was always reliable, dedicated to her job and honest. We deal with a substantial amount of cash in our office and we never had the slightest concern about it.

In short, if she wanted to come back to work for us, we would rehire her in an instant.

Sheila Mccracken

Character reference

I have known Diana Porteous for 50+ years. We have been life long friends spending many summers together.

Diana is a natural caregiver. She is nurturing, warm, understanding, supportive, empathic and patient.

My father has dementia. Diana engages him in lively discussions, patiently listens as he talks of the past, and shares in the joys of simple things. She is respectful and kind.

In recent years my husband and I have entrusted Diana to house and pet sit while we travelled for extended periods of time. Each time we confidently left knowing she would care for our home as she would her own. On one occasion she skillfully managed an emergency in our mechanical room as we were unavailable.

She is trustworthy, dependable and loyal.

Character Reference
Edward Konczarek
We have known Jeremy and Diana for over 5 years and sincerely can say that they are a wonderful couple and friends. They have been our neighbours for 4 years and were very welcoming when we moved into our town house condo next to theirs. It was wonderful to learn that they also had pets, a little dog Fred and 3 cats. One of the cats, Roxie, was abandoned in our neighbourhood and Jeremy and Diana took it in and nurtured it back to health.

Jeremy and Diana did not hesitate to care for our two dogs, Austin (Shih Tsu/Yorkshire mix) and Basil (Yorkie) as well watch over our home when we were away. Before we would leave the pets and house in their care, they would ask if there were any special instructions for the care of the pets. We were never concerned when they cared for our two little dogs.

Jeremy was very conscientious as the volunteer President of our condo association. He concerned himself to ensure the property and units were well maintained either by doing the work voluntarily himself or organizing the condo owners to pitch in on spring and fall tiding up. Jeremy is very enthusiastic which rubbed off on the volunteers to get the tasks done well.

When it came to larger projects, Jeremy ensured we received the best services by obtaining three proposals and ensuring the responsible contractor received the order. He oversaw major projects such as window and door replacement, balcony repairs, major landscaping, driveway maintenance, roof repairs, front outside stairs and porch replacement, … . These projects were over $100,000 and the condo owners entrusted Jeremy to manage and oversee the work. He did this on a voluntary basis. He was very proud of the contribution he made to maintaining and enhancing the value of the property.

We highly recommend Jeremy and Diana as responsible house sitters and pet care givers for any length of time required.

Employment Reference

Laini

Jeremy and I worked and are friends for almost 20 years. As General Manager of the company I was affiliated with he was detailed, organized, creative, cool headed and always ready to listen. His staff found him to be a great teacher, very approachable and regarded him with respect and admiration.
I would recommend him with the greatest confidence as a person to take care of your pets and home.

Character Reference

Mireille Thomas

I have known Jeremy Porteous for 5 years as a friend, neighbour and president of the condo association where I worked as secretary. He was a proud owner of a beautiful and spotless condo and he and his wife Diana took pleasure in embellishing and taking care of their backyard.
Their cats were always well looked after with loving care. I would not hesitate to leave my pets and household in their care.