Terms and Conditions

Last updated: 8 September 2026

1. The service

Gentlekin provides pet sitting, dog walking, home visits, puppy visits and small-animal care in Wokingham and agreed nearby areas. Services, dates, prices and visit durations are confirmed in writing before care begins.

2. Meet-and-greet and care plan

Every new customer starts with a free meet-and-greet. Before the first booking, the customer provides the pet's routine, veterinary details, emergency contact and any relevant behavioural or medical information, and confirms authorisation for veterinary treatment if needed.

3. Prices and payment

Prices are shown on the Gentlekin Prices page or confirmed in writing before a booking is accepted. Any additional charges, including Sunday, public-holiday, Christmas or New Year supplements, will be clearly disclosed before the customer confirms the booking.

Payment is accepted by bank transfer. The customer should use their name and booking date as the payment reference.

One-off and first-time bookings

Payment is due within 48 hours of receiving the booking confirmation and must be received before the first scheduled visit. Bookings made less than 48 hours before the service begins must be paid in full when the booking is confirmed.

Multi-day holiday-care bookings

Full payment is due no later than seven days before the first scheduled visit. For bookings made within seven days of the start date, payment is due in full when the booking is confirmed.

Christmas and New Year bookings

Full payment is due no later than 14 days before the first scheduled visit. For bookings made within 14 days of the start date, payment is due in full when the booking is confirmed.

Regular customers

Customers with an agreed recurring arrangement may be invoiced weekly or monthly. Payment is due within seven days of the invoice date, unless another arrangement has been agreed in writing.

Booking confirmation

A booking is not fully confirmed until Gentlekin has:

1. Confirmed the dates and services in writing; and
2. Received any payment due under this policy.

If payment is not received by the stated deadline, Gentlekin may release the reserved dates after contacting the customer.

Cancellations and refunds

Cancellation charges and refunds are handled in accordance with the cancellation policy in section 4 below. Any refund due will normally be returned by bank transfer within five working days.

4. Cancellation policy

We understand that plans can change. Please let us know as soon as possible if you need to cancel or amend a booking. Cancellation notice is calculated from the scheduled start time of an individual visit, or from the first scheduled visit in a multi-day booking.

Individual visits and dog walks

• Cancellations made more than 24 hours before the scheduled start time are free of charge.
• Cancellations made 24 hours or less before the scheduled start time will be charged at 100% of the booking fee.

Multi-day holiday-care bookings

A multi-day holiday-care booking means a booking covering several visits or consecutive days while you are away.

• Cancellations made more than five full days before the first scheduled visit are free of charge.
• Cancellations made between five days and 24 hours before the first scheduled visit will be charged at 50% of the total booking fee.
• Cancellations made 24 hours or less before the first scheduled visit will be charged at 100% of the total booking fee.

Christmas and New Year bookings

Because availability during peak periods is limited:

• Cancellations made more than 14 full days before the first scheduled visit are free of charge.
• Cancellations made between 14 days and 24 hours before the first scheduled visit will be charged at 50% of the total booking fee.
• Cancellations made 24 hours or less before the first scheduled visit will be charged at 100% of the total booking fee.

Rebooked time

Where Gentlekin is able to fill the cancelled time with another paid booking, the cancellation charge may be reduced or refunded to reflect the actual loss incurred.

Cancellations by Gentlekin

If Gentlekin must cancel a service that has not been provided, the customer will receive a full refund for the affected visit or visits. Where possible, alternative arrangements will be discussed, but replacement care cannot be guaranteed.

5. Keys and access

Customers must provide safe and reliable access to the property for all scheduled visits. Keys must be supplied and tested before the booking begins unless another access method has been agreed.

Keys held by Gentlekin will:

• be labelled without the customer's name, address or other identifying details;
• be stored securely when not in use; and
• be returned after the booking or retained securely for future bookings only with the customer's agreement.

Door codes, alarm codes, key-safe details and other security information must be agreed directly with Gentlekin. Customers should not provide this information through the website enquiry form.

Customers must inform Gentlekin promptly if access arrangements change. If a visit cannot be completed because the key, code, alarm instructions or other access arrangements supplied by the customer are incorrect or unavailable, the visit may still be charged in full.

If Gentlekin loses or damages a customer's key through its own fault, Gentlekin will notify the customer promptly and meet the reasonable cost of replacing the affected key. Any locksmith work or lock replacement must be agreed with Gentlekin before costs are incurred, except where immediate action is reasonably necessary to secure the property.

Gentlekin will not attach the customer's address to any key or disclose access information to anyone other than an authorised carer.

6. Health, safety and emergencies

Customers must provide complete and accurate information about their pet's health, behaviour and care requirements before the booking begins. This includes known medical conditions, allergies, medication, previous aggression, anxiety, escape behaviour and anything else that could affect the safety of the pet, carer or another person or animal.

Customers must provide:

• details of the pet's registered veterinary practice;
• an emergency contact who can make decisions if the customer cannot be reached;
• current medication instructions, where applicable; and
• written authority for Gentlekin to seek veterinary assistance when reasonably necessary.

If Gentlekin believes that a pet requires urgent veterinary attention, reasonable efforts will first be made to contact the customer or nominated emergency contact. If neither can be reached promptly, Gentlekin may contact the pet's registered veterinary practice or the nearest reasonably available veterinary provider and arrange any immediate assessment, first aid or treatment considered necessary to protect the pet's welfare. Veterinary professionals are required to obtain appropriate consent for treatment, but they must also make provision for emergency first aid and pain relief.

The customer authorises Gentlekin to transport or arrange transport for the pet where this is reasonably necessary in an emergency.

All veterinary fees, medication costs, transport charges and other expenses incurred for the pet remain the customer's responsibility. Where possible, the veterinary practice should invoice the customer directly. If Gentlekin pays an emergency cost on the customer's behalf, the customer must reimburse Gentlekin within seven days of receiving evidence of the expense.

The customer may specify an emergency treatment spending limit. However, this limit will not prevent Gentlekin from seeking urgent veterinary assistance where delaying action could place the pet's health or welfare at serious risk. Veterinary practices should explain proposed treatment and associated costs where circumstances permit, while emergency first aid may need to begin before every detail can be agreed.

Gentlekin will follow veterinary and medication instructions supplied by the customer but may decline any treatment or procedure that falls outside the carer's training, competence, insurance cover or agreed service.

Gentlekin must be informed immediately if a pet develops an infectious illness or condition that could place the carer, other customers or animals at risk. Gentlekin may suspend or modify the service where reasonably necessary to protect health and safety.

7. Medication

Straightforward oral or topical medication may be administered where agreed in advance with written instructions. Gentlekin may decline care that cannot be provided safely and confidently.

8. Insurance and liability

Gentlekin holds pet-care business insurance with Protectivity, including public liability cover. Full policy details, including limits of liability, are available on request.

9. Photographs

Photographs of pets are taken to provide visit updates. They are not published on the website or social media without the customer's permission.

10. Changes to these terms

Terms may be updated from time to time. The version in force at the time of booking applies to that booking.