Archive for the ‘General’ Category
Gumtree and Dogs Trust
Here at Gumtree.com the welfare of our furry friends is something close to our heart. We take all matters of animal and pet protection very seriously, so we’ve teamed up with the Dogs Trust to help support their ‘A Dog is for Life, Not Just for Christmas’ campaign. Over the next few weeks you’ll see links to their advice and information across our pets category, as we help them spread the word that a dog really is for life – not just a novelty Christmas present. Clarissa Baldwin, the CEO of the Dogs Trust, has kindly written a guest blog post for us telling you more about the campaign and why it’s important. It also includes a link to a video from Dermot O’Leary giving practical advice for people looking for a pet online. We hope you find this useful, The Gumtree Team.
Buying a puppy for Christmas? Ho No No
Did you know that a third of all children put a puppy on their Christmas wish list? Or that more than one in six parents say they would buy a dog as a Christmas gift if their child asked for one?*
I have to admit that I was really disappointed to find this out when Dogs Trust did some research recently. The terrible thing is that around 100 of these dogs are handed in or abandoned at Dogs Trust Rehoming Centres every Christmas; they have becomegifts that have lost their novelty value once the excitement has worn off. Many more end up in other animal shelters around the country.
And that’s why this year, tied in with our annual message that A Dog is for Life, Not Just for Christmas, Dogs Trust is launching the Ho No No campaign: asking people to please take puppies off the Christmas wish list
We think one of the reasons puppies are seen as suitable gifts is that they are so easily bought and sold online. Although there are many reputable sellers, we really want people to be aware of the dangers of buying an animal online and to understand why Christmas is not a great time to introduce a puppy into your home.
If you don’t do your research you could end up losing thousands of pounds if your pup turns out to be poorly, and potentially suffer the tragic heartbreak of losing your new pet unexpectedly.
Please do listen to TV presenter and Dogs Trust friend Dermot O’Leary’s specially recorded words of warning if you are looking to buy a pet online, and some of our other celebrity friends have recorded messages explaining exactly why A Dog is for Life, Not Just for Christmas here.
Season’s greetings from all at Dogs Trust!
Clarissa Baldwin, CEO of Dogs Trust
*Dogs Trust survey carried out by One Poll in October 2011. 1,000 respondents of parents with children aged 3 to 16 years
Gumtree Pets – part 2
Here’s the next instalment in our series of pet blogs. This week we’re looking at how to happily settle in a new cat or dog to your home.
Preparing your home for a new arrival
Moving to a new home can be stressful for your new pet, so be patient and understanding and provide lots of affection. Here are some pointers to help you get your fluffy new family member settled in happily:
Cats – For the first few days in your home it’s a good idea to keep your cat in one room whilst he gets used to his new surroundings and family. Prepare the room with a cat bed, litter tray, food and water bowl, a few toys and a place he can hide if he becomes anxious. Bringing bedding from his previous home will help him to feel more settled.
Safety – Make your new home safe by being mindful of household hazards that may harm your pet. A safety gate is useful for preventing curious young dogs exploring unsafe areas of your house such as the cleaning cupboard.
Looking at your house from the eye level of your pet may help you to spot any possible dangers.
Veterinary Care
Register with a vet as soon as you can, and learn basic pet first aid.
Cat and dog Care Essentials
Your pet will give you a lifetime of unconditional love and friendship. In return he counts on you to provide him with food, water, safe shelter, regular veterinary care, exercise, companionship and more. Follow our top tips and you’re sure to develop a rewarding relationship with your furry friend.
- Give your pet with a collar and ID tag that includes your name, address, and telephone number. No matter how careful you are there’s a chance your pet may become lost – an ID tag greatly increases the chance that they will be returned home safely.
- Take your pet to the veterinarian for vaccinations and regular check-ups.
Spaying or neutering your pet is also an option. Animals that have this routine surgery tend to live longer, be healthier, and have fewer behaviour problems. By spaying or neutering your pet you’re also helping to reduce the problem of pet overpopulation. - Groom your pet often to keep their coat healthy, soft, and shiny. Although it is especially important to brush long-haired cats and dogs to prevent their hair from matting, even short-haired pets need to be groomed to remove as much loose hair as possible.
- Ensure your pet has a nutritionally balanced diet, including constant access to fresh water. Ask your vet for advice on what and how much to feed your pet.
- Give your dog proper shelter. A fenced yard with a doghouse is a bonus especially for large and active dogs; however dogs should never be left outside alone or for extended periods of time. Dogs need and crave companionship and should spend lots of time inside with their family.
- Give your dog enough exercise. Most dog owners find that playing with their canine companion, along with walking him twice a day provides sufficient exercise. If you have questions about the level of exercise appropriate for your dog consult your vet.
- Set aside time to play with your cat. While cats do not need the same level of exercise that dogs do, enjoying regular play sessions with your pet will provide him with the physical exercise and mental stimulation he needs as well as strengthening your friendship.
- Be patient with your New pet. Make sure the expectations you have of your dog are reasonable and remember that the vast majority of behavioural problems can be solved. If you are struggling with your pet’s behaviour, contact your veterinarian or local animal shelter for advice.
If you’d like more information you can read our previous blog post in this series, or a guest blog post from our friends at the RSPCA.
Wimbledon residents cash in on Murray mania
As tennis fever sweeps the nation, cash-savvy Londoners are letting out their homes, gardens and driveways to eager enthusiasts looking for a taste of Wimbledon 2011.
Accommodation
Home owners in SW19 are cashing in on Wimbledon by renting out their flats and spare rooms.
- For those looking to splash out this year a plush penthouse comprising of an inbuilt fitness suite in Putney Square is up for grabs for a cool £5,000 per week.
- A double room in a home within walking distance of the All England Club for £300 a week.
- A three bedroom flat with views of the tennis court for £1,600 a week.
Parking on local driveways
Enterprising Wimbledon home owners are even renting their driveways and gardens out for around £15 per day or £200 for the two weeks.
- http://www.gumtree.com/p/flats-houses/parking-throughout-wimbledon-tennis/82090059
- http://www.gumtree.com/p/flats-houses/camping-at-the-tennis-need-a-parking-space-nearby/82331844
- http://www.gumtree.com/p/flats-houses/parking-throughout-wimbledon-tennis/82090059
Want to play tennis?
Any future Andy Murrays can also head to Gumtree to find tennis rackets, local tennis lessons, balls, and tennis partners. There are currently 144 ads for tennis rackets and nearly 200 people looking for a tennis partner.
To search for everything from Wimbledon accommodation to tennis whites just visit Gumtree.com!
Our Bargain-Tracking iPad Price Infographic
The iPad: that modern talisman of desirable, must-have tech. But maybe you’re one of those folk who thinks Apple’s revered tablet PC is out of their price range? Well, you’d be surprised. You see, from the moment the iPad 2 was rumoured, we at Gumtree HQ noticed a dramatic boom in listings selling the original iPad – peaking at the launch of Apple’s popular tablet computer in late March. Given we know just how much our users love a bargain, we started trawling through all our listings data since the launch of the iPad 2 to uncover just where savvy shoppers can find the cheapest iPads in the UK. And as you can see from our infographic, we learned some surprising things. Things like:
- Did you know 44.2% of all iPads for sale are in London? Tweet this
- The most expensive place in the UK for an iPad 2 is Bradford at £849 – Tweet This
- The cheapest place online to buy an iPad 2 is Exeter at £323.33 – Tweet This
- Avg. iPad price in the North UK is £385.80 vs the South’s £410.39 – Tweet This
- Did you know the average price of iPad’s in Scotland is £370.18 – Tweet This
- Did you know the average price of iPad’s in Wales is £386.46 – Tweet This
- Did you know the average price of iPad’s in England is £402.21 – Tweet This
- Did you know it’s cheaper to buy an iPad 2 in Exeter than any iPad in the UK? – Tweet This
- 55.9% of all iPads 2 are sold in London – Tweet This
Guest blog post – Justine Pannett, RSPCA
A guest post from Justine Pannett, Get Puppy Smart Campaign Manager at the RSPCA
We’ve worked with Gumtree.com for a number of years now, helping them with posting rules for the pets category, and consulting on important issues such as sharing up-to-date details about banned breeds of dogs.
We recognise that many people will use the internet to find a pet but some websites are a lot less scrupulous than others.
We know that Gumtree takes this issue very seriously which is why we recently chose to partner with the site on our Get Puppy Smart campaign to help pet owners make the right choices when it comes to buying a puppy. We have links to our Puppy Smart site across the pet section of Gumtree, and everyone that responds to an ad to get a puppy through the site automatically receives an email from Gumtree with tips, advice, and a link to our Puppy Smart website.
When looking to get a puppy, we recommend:
- Always see the puppy with its mother in the place where it was bred
- Check the puppy’s age – a puppy should be at least eight weeks old before leaving its mother
- Check vaccination records and any other papers carefully
- Ask lots of questions about and observe how the mother behaves towards you – does she greet you in a calm and friendly manner.
- Do think about adopting a dog rather than buying a puppy – could you give a home to an unwanted dog?
For more information on how to find the right puppy for you please visit the Get Puppy Smart Website.
Justine Pannett, RSPCA
*Please note that comments are turned off on this blog post.
For further tips and information about our pet section, please read our previous blog: Gumtree and Pets.
Gumtree Pets
Gumtree.com is a local noticeboard and many people use it to find pets for sale or to find new homes for their pets. Safety in our pet section is something that Gumtree takes very seriously. We work with several welfare groups including the RSPCA and our own community to ensure our rules and monitoring systems are always up to date. All Gumtree customers benefit from community input and we value this feedback.
We’ll be blogging more about pets on Gumtree in the coming weeks, but here are the essentials to think about before using our Pet Section.
Our guidelines for finding a safe and loving new home for your pet:
- Visit the prospective new home to get a feel for the environment. Explain that the pet is part of your family and that you want to make sure he or she will be cared for. Screen potential homes carefully.
- Don’t be fooled. If anyone refuses to allow you to visit their home, do not place your pet with them.
- Carefully consider all the elements of the new home for your particular pet – will it get along with small children? Is the family planning to keep a dog outside? Would a cat be kept only to catch rodents? Does the family have a veterinary reference? Do not be shy about asking questions as your pet’s happiness may depend on it.
- Ask for a valid form of identification (preferably a driver’s license). Record the number for your records and require the new owner to sign a contract stating the requirements of adoption upon which both parties agree. As part of the contract, require the new owner to contact you if he or she decides at some point that they must give up the pet.
- We wouldn’t recommend giving your pet away for free. A genuine buyer, who can offer your pet the love and attention it deserves, will be happy to pay for it.
Asking your local shelter for help may be the best option for you and your pet, they often have qualified staff trained to screen and advise prospective adopters.
Our guidelines when searching for a new pet:
- Search Gumtree for animals in your immediate local area. Long distances increase risks and make it harder to visit the pets in their home environment.
- Visit the pet’s home and see how they’re cared for. Ask to see where the animals are kept – are they inside the house in a place where they get lots of attention or are they outside? Is it similar to your own home environment? An animal used to a quiet atmosphere might not be suitable if you’re not an experienced pet , if your home is very noisy, or you have children.
- If you’re planning to adopt a young animal (which should only be from 8 weeks of age) ask to see the parents. If the owner will not let you see the parents of a puppy or kitten there may be a problem.
- Always ask about the animal’s health, and get details of any past veterinary treatment. If you’re looking for a young animal always ask about the mother’s health.
Alternatively, try visiting your local pet rescue centre. There are many animals living at these centre’s looking for a new and permanent home.
Gumtree pets posting rules:
In additional to our general posting rules, we also have specific rules for posting a pet ad. If you see an ad that you believe breaches our pet policy please report it by using the ‘report an ad’ button.
For more advice, visit the RSPCA website, or their new Get Puppy Smart website for puppy specific help.
The Royal Wedding and Gumtree.com
With the sound of Royal Wedding bells almost in the air, Londoners living near the royal procession route can also hear the sound of cash jingling in their pockets. Gumtree.com has seen an influx of ads from people renting out their London rooms or homes over the Royal Wedding period – often charging as much as £2,000 for the whole week.
Homes and rooms on or near the royal procession route, or within walking distance from Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace, are charging a hefty premium – with many ads detailing the short walk that renters can take to catch a glimpse of the wedding action.
Rental prices per week range from £1,000 to £2,500 to rent the full property. Others who are staying in London have advertised to sublet a single spare bedroom.
Lina from Chiswick has successfully rented out her spare room for the Royal Wedding weekend, and says: “Taking part in the ‘official’ fun of the royal wedding is great. Hosting people who have come to London especially is like being part of a beautiful bubble and Gumtree’s reach and flexibility made it possible”. You can view Lina’s ad here.
Luxury hotels are charging in the region of £3,000 – £5,000 for the long weekend – so it’s easy to see why self-catering options are proving popular.
Gumtree.com anticipates a similar trend this summer in south-west London for the Wimbledon Tennis Championships 2011, and the London Olympics 2012 – so even if you’ve missed the Royal Wedding opportunity you can still get in on the act and plan ahead!
Alternatively, if the happy Royal couple have inspired you to plan your own wedding – but you’re on a much smaller budget – why not check your local notice board for all your wedding needs? There are hundreds of beautiful wedding dresses to choose from, some starting as low as £29!
What are your plans for the Royal Wedding weekend? Have you been inspired to have your own wedding, or are you hosting a street party decorated with bargain priced memorabilia you found on Gumtree? Have you rented out your spare room? Let us know!
Have a Gumtastic Easter Bank Holiday!
Easter break starts tomorrow and if you’re short of ideas for what to do with yourself, or with the kids, then check your local Gumtree.com noticeboard for inspiration.
There’s plenty of fun to be had at an Easter Egg hunt, or why not invite the Easter bunny over to your place for a surprise visit? If you’re planning an Easter party you can pick up all manner of holiday related goods, from bargain price chocolate eggs to boxes of decorative fluffy chicks.
Alternatively, you could swap chocolate eggs for real eggs and take home a chicken or two!
There are dozens of chickens listed locally on Gumtree.com, along with the various accessories needed to care for them – but do remember that a chicken is not just for Easter!
If you’d prefer to take advantage of the long Easter weekend (and maybe even the whole of next week if you’ve made the most of the Royal Wedding holiday!) and get away, Gumtree.com has plenty of holiday listings to choose from including the popular Canary Islands and Turkey – although with forcasted highs of 26 degrees across the UK it might well pay to stay closer to home, and use your local noticeboard to find nearby events.
Have you spotted something fun to do over the Easter weekend on your local area on Gumtree? Share the link and let us know!
Cash in on your Spring clean with the Gumtree Price Index
Spring is well and truly here, and for lots of us that means that it’s time to throw open the windows, let in the fresh air, and get cleaning!
But what to do with all those unwanted items? Use your local Gumtree.com notice board to advertise and cash in on your spring clean.
Statistically each of us hoards a staggering £581 of unwanted items, so canny clearers can make a profit from their clutter by selling unwanted items locally.
From sofas to stacks of old newspapers, Gumtree makes it easy to find new homes for the bits and pieces you don’t need any more, and by recycling rather than sending to the skip you’re helping the environment too!
The most popular items to go from this year’s household cull are sofas, followed by men’s clothes, DVDs, books and chairs.
Decluttering expert Jamie Breese says: “There is money to be made and space to be saved by selling unwanted everyday items. Ultimately, what you might not want or use anymore, someone else could put to good use. There are so many misconceptions out there about the value of general goods. Many people think that old kettles, sporting equipment and DVDs are worthless – but it couldn’t be further from the truth.”
Selling your unwanted items on Gumtree is quick and easy and now is the perfect time to kick-start your spring clean, free up space in your home and more importantly, make some extra cash. Gumtree.com is about local face-to-face trading so it is very simple to off-load your unwanted possessions to someone up your very own street. You never know, your cast off’s could be just what your neighbours are looking for.
To give you an idea of where to start we have developed the GTP – Gumtree Price Index – which shows the amount you could be making for the most commonly hoarded items in the UK.
Jamie also shares his top tips on how to convert clutter to cash;
1. Don’t feel guilty about letting go of items you have a personal attachment to – it’s amazing how good you feel when you get extra cash for that ‘unwanted present’. If in doubt think of a price that feels right and add 10 per cent
2. Sell items with the instructions manual if you still have them to get extra value – this is especially for technology items or gadgets and kitchen appliances
3. Group lower-value items and sell as a job lot – items like a toaster, kettle and sandwich maker work well together and help appeal to those looking to update their kitchen
4. Look for first editions or rare albums – books and music are some of the most hoarded items in the UK, if an album has a dustjacket or is a first edition then it could be worth a lot of money
5. Present the product well – to get the most from your Gumtree gem give the item a good clean or polish and present it well in your photos, this will help catch the eye of potential buyers
6. Consider how old the item is – with everyday household items, the newer the better. To help determine your Gumtree price ask yourself – is this a trusted brand? Has this games console been superseded? Do I have the washing machine’s service notes? How much was this new?
7. Look on Gumtree.com – see how much other sellers have listed their items for, undercut them if you can to help secure a fast sale
Are you planning to have a clear out? Let us know what items you plan to sell, and how much of a profit you make from your spring clean!
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May 14th
As you may have heard the Gumtree forums are closing, it wasn’t an easy decision to make, read more about it here... http://t.co/FsDTShjs [uk_gumtree]
May 12th
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