Happy to be here 
just signed up this week as a sitter and am already so excited for my Switzerland 
three week sit.
A few questions - as this will be my first sit, how important is the different membership levels. Not knowing exactly how the app works, started at basic. … I know I’m super reliable and dependable …. I’ve seen a few posts here though where PO canceled on people last minute and not sure how often than happens? It never occurred to me that someone could cancel last minute and I’m stuck flying to a country and having to scramble for accommodation when I get there - or learn that my flight 
was a waste of time and money.
As a first time - but so excited when my friend referred me to this app - have recommended it to many trusted friends - want to make sure I did the right thing by referring them and for my own good 
thanks for any advice.
I’m still trusting this was the right decision for now. & I’m seriously loving the people I’ve spoken to. I’ve actually had to turn down a lot of stays - sits this week, which makes me sad 
so many great people and great places. If only everyone would not cross dates so I could except them all. 
Thanks for any & all advice to help me keep promoting this service to both sitters and owners and know I can do it with responsibility.
I didn’t even know how to update my profile as I made it so quick the day I signed up. Had to get in touch with Help … well Frankie who’s A I I’m sure needs to be fired 
but both real people I chatted were great. They said no emojis on profile or else it won’t save - as an IT person so simple for THS to just update the text boxes to let new users know. Frustrating otherwise. Just like password can only have letters and numbers. In profile boxes just says min 50 characters.
It’s frustrating to feel a waste of time to keep trying to re-enter info in the text box without knowing you can’t use an emoji. So silly!
They were very helpful with that
Removed names in line with forum guidelines
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Ya iam the same and wondering if it has neen a waste of time and money.but i will add members are very helpful just wish someone would accept my invitation.
There’s not much point sending invites to sitters- the way this works is that you put up a very appealing listing and the sitters who are available for those dates and want your location will apply. The calendar only shows when a sitter is busy with THS sits not their personal availability across their whole life- lots of sitters sit for a range of platforms or only sit occasionally and not all the time.
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“Basic sitter” was fine for me, but I am not much into insurance (also when I buy a new phone etc). So this depends on what kind of person you are, how much risk you are prepared to absorb yourself.
I deal with the risk of cancellation by getting flexible tickets, when the extra cost of that is not too high.
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POS might cancel…. so sitters need a Plan B, now if your finances mean you couldn’t afford to pay for accommodation in the location then the premium membership might suit you however it only pays out if the PO cancels (and you don’t agree) within 14 days of the start date of the sit. Most sitters would try to find other sits and THS expects you to do this if you’ve got premium membership.
Why do POs cancel? Well it could be illness of the PO or the pets, it could be they simply changed their mind! Or if a sitter did a sit prior to theirs and got a bad review then the future PO might decide to cancel. Many reasons tbh. Be prepared! Best wishes.
@Lovepettravels - sounds like you have got off to a great start.
I have been a basic member for 11 years (but I don’t do international sits). For me there are too many hoops to jump through with regard to the cancellation insurance. Always best to have a plan B because cancellations do happen on both sides.
I suggest you request a Welcome Guide from the host if you have not already done so.
Request contact details outside the THS messaging system.
Make sure you leave and receive a review when the sit finishes. There is a 14 day window to do that. Reviews are very important, especially for newer members.
Do come back and let us know how the sit went 
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Welcome @Lovepettravels and congratulations on getting your first sit 3 weeks in Switzerland sounds great 
.
The premium membership comes with some Sit cancellation cover but it’s limited to sits cancelled within 14 days of the start date and capped at a daily amount which might not fully cover the cost of alternative accommodation in Switzerland so you do need to research that for yourself . Also you need to pay for the alternative accommodation upfront and then get reimbursed ( which takes a month or two ) Sit Cancellation Terms - sitter | TrustedHousesitters.com
As a new sitter on THS there are somethings to be aware of that have been discussed on these helpful threads
https://forum.trustedhousesitters.com/t/sitter-has-to-pay-veterinary-expenses-up-front
https://forum.trustedhousesitters.com/t/i-wish-i-knew-then-what-i-know-now
We joined THS last year have completed 16 sits ( mostly long sits ) and the overall experience has been great . We have not had any sits cancelled. We have had two sits curtailed when owners came back early . So it’s a good idea to always have a Plan B in mind . Often we have had either the start or end dates changed by a day - we deal with that by regular comms before the sit .
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Hi @Samanthaporter - best way to get some great applicants is a fab listing, not invites. They rarely work. Having had a look at yours, house & pooch look sweet and appealing. You’re missing some key bits through that sitters need so these definitely need adding. 1. Amenities in full 2. Shortened responsibilities (bullet point it) the rest can go in the welcome guide 3. How long Archie can be left alone 4. Things to do in your area - those four things alone could change everything. #workyourmagic
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PO= Pet owner PO=Pet parents etc some people use these terms…
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PO = Police Officer / Post Office / Pet owner
In this context I assume Pet Owner .
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Welcome to THS & I hope that your first sit in beautiful Switzerland is a success.
You’ll see from the forum that we’ve complained a lot about various issues with the website which, as you say, could be easily resolved. It can be very frustrating but we’re still able to connect with owners for some great sits.
As for the different levels of membership, I originally signed up as a basic member which was the only membership level available when I joined in 2018. The extra 2 levels were brought in after the pandemic, presumably to make more money as THS lost a lot of members, understandably. I wasn’t going to change from the basic level but, having helped with a couple of articles I was given the next level by way of a thank you. I’ve had sits cancelled twice by owners: one that was due to start as the pandemic hit the other because the dog died. For the latter I was able to find another sit that matched the dates. I’ve never had to cancel a single sit. That may be lucky but, even if I was cancelled I save so much money by doing this full time I would be able to pay for accommodation/stay with friends/ maybe find another sit.
All the very best to you!
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To be rewarded an upgrade in membership for writing articles is a wonderful thank you.
Are you able to share these articles?
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Welcome @Lovepettravels . You have certainly made a great start securing your first sit, and must have created an appealing profile to receive several invitations.
Cancellations are not very common. Yes, they do happen, and often people need to seek help or just vent on the forum, so it appears that they are frequent. Less people post about sits that go ahead without incident.
I’ve been a Basic member since 2019, when other levels didn’t exist, and sit with my teenage sons. I don’t intend to upgrade. The only sits we had arranged that were cancelled were covid related. We did have one sit finish a day early for a very valid reason. We know the homeowners well, and they knew we would be able to drive home early from that sit, so it wasn’t an issue.
We are doing our first sit outside our home country this summer. If it were cancelled, I’d try to find another sit or alternative accommodation, as the ferry is already booked and paid for.
We sit during every school holiday, and sometimes on weekends, so we get value out of our membership.
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I see you have had someone apply, that’s great.
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Ya I know it’s nice isn’t it, but if I accept them it means won’t get anymore sitters sent.i am not sure what to do, she sounds really nice but it’s a long way to come.i think I going to wait a bit longer.
s m porter
@Samanthaporter what are you waiting for ? If she sounds nice , has a good profile ( and maybe some reviews or references too ) arrange a video call with her asap- if you wait you may miss out on a fantastic sitter . Sitters can apply to as many sits as they want - so until you confirm the sit she can accept another offer.
If you have any concerns discuss these in the video call . Then after the chat you can make your decision about if she’s suitable .
You aren’t committing to anything by having that video call . It will either put your mind at rest over any concerns that you have OR raise some concerns (in which case you can decline their application after the call )
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I know your probably right. but to be honest i was expecting someone local to respond.and with not having done this before iam just not sure ,but i know i would love to have a chat with her thank you for your litte nudge.
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That’s great , if you want some ideas of what to talk about on the video call there’s some helpful advice in this article .
Please report back on the forum how it goes
As regards a local sitter applying - The majority of sitters on THS become members because they are looking for a travel experience. There isn’t much of an incentive for someone who already has their own home locally to come to live in your home to look after your home and pets for FREE ( there are exceptions of course) .
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Honestly, it would be better if you specified that you prefer a local person if that’s what you like. It’s not really fair for sitters that are applying and hoping to get your sit.
I second the need to reply to them ASAP setting up the videocall or declining them, depending on how you feel.
What does this part mean: archie likes to phone to bed around 9.30 pm.and do,sent get left for long periods
It might need some editing for clarity. 
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