Dear Fellow Sitters, hello! Firstly, please forgive this rather long explanation but the details semi-set the saga so any comments would be greatly appreciated as I’m currently in shock mode!! After 51/51 Five star reviews (via THS and another House sitting site) a recent Host has just disappointed us with a 4 Star review based on “cleanliness /tidiness”. Apart from being a super meticulous, almost ‘over-the-top’
with attention to detail Sitter in this area, I’m devastated (doesn’t help being an Aries star sign either)!
Dear husband and I always work extra hard, particularly on the final day, to leave a home as immaculate as possible … it’s rare a review doesn’t make a dedicated comment to confirm that (and it’s why we so often leave exhausted but loving the whole experience… mostly!!). This ‘Sit’ was no exception; the home was immaculate when we left (their commercial cleaner actually also ‘cleaned’ the day before even if we had to empty her used ashtrays, rewash floor areas and hose the porch of bird droppings). A further comment by the Host that we left “to soon (sic)” is strange… the appointment had ended as per the pre-arranged dates, the Hosts were home and handover was given. We collected them from the airport, well over an hour’s driving distance away, late at night (unlike us having to find our own transport to them) and as we won’t leave pets until pet parents are home, we stayed the night and left the next day to travel to our new House-sitting assignment. All parties were happy with this before our initial ‘Sit Agreed’ confirmation. Hosts home, Sitters leave. Our bed we stripped but made up with the bedspread coverlet and decorative cushions, etc., our bathroom deep cleaned, the carpet vacuumed, rubbish gone, wet and dry dusting done.
So why am I super upset? Because the rest of this home was also fabulously clean and inviting to return to. In addition , all consumables, plus quite a few extras, were replaced, the car washed and refueled, pets bathed and wormed ( very necessary and did get approval!), excess garden produce varieties were picked, prepped, blanched, pickled, stewed or frozen, a Welcome home gift of potted autumn plants were bought, a gift of my same perfume was procured for the Hostess as she kept complimenting me on it when we first met, three dinners with Host’s favourite desserts (asked surreptitiously) plus cookies, made and ready. (I thought their international travel from the UK back to Canada would have them jet-lagged for a few days so this would help), large lawn areas (2+ acres) frequently mowed to standard of an English cricket pitch, over 120 kgs of apples raked and removed off garden area so not to be rotting and rancid (after making Hosts good supply of apple sauce, apple preserves, apple paste, stewed apple) overgrown garden weeded, etc. etc., This is just how we House-Sit, we love our ‘job’!
Not a thank you comment to be had and although we don’t expect it, our one casual lunch together on our arrival, was a split bill. it was as though we were just ‘the hired help’ but without the dollars. Consolation for us? We loved the pets, we experienced Ontario, Canada!
So Sitters and indeed, Pet Parent Hosts, how much am I over-reacting? Should I respond on our review site? Should I post a review for that Sit at all? it’ll be honest. Should I communicate my disappointment directly to the Host??? I’ll appreciate any responses.(my husband then won’t be continually asked “What, what, what didn’t we do?”).
Many thanks and happy House-sitting all. My upset wil recede soon as we’re now on a gorgeous appointment in Switzerland!
( I hope this will end up being a 5* review, the Hosts are just super hospitable, generous and charming! …errr, I’d better get cleaning, they’re back soon!). RF.
How disappointing. I might ask the owner what I could have done differently because it would help me on future sits. It might be appropriate to leave calm feedback on their review of you, not retaliatory but highlighting how great the sit was. That and your many 5* reviews should make it obvious to others that the problem is with the owner in this case.
Agree with @jcvbva - ask all the questions to the HO and gauge the response. Then leave a non emotional, factual review of everything on the sit including your above & beyond actions and fab attention to detail and move on. Some people just can’t give a “perfect” score and that may just be it. 51 fab reviews say it all 
Best of luck 
Agree with both @jcvbva and @Cuttlefish. A short, unemotional response to the review stating the place was left to your usual high standard. If I were reading the reviews, I think I’d see where the disconnect was.
Walk away. Accept there are some people who will not acknowledge perfection.
I’m a sitter but also rent out my apartment on short term let’s (Airbnb etc). This past 18 months we are getting reviews with full marks for each category but 4stars overall. Usually there are no comments so we can’t discuss how we can improve. I as getting very upset because of this. My husband sat me down and we had a conversation about how some people cannot acknowledge perfection and we just have to accept it. Now, it’s a shrug of the shoulders and a look to the next guest.
Put it behind you and carry on what your doing. It’s obviously working with 51 5 star reviews.
Wow…you did a lot of stuff for them. A very random thought popped into my mind and this probably isn’t it, but figured I would share it anyway. Maybe all the stuff you did came off as trying too hard, and was off putting in some way, and they took some weird pleasure in not giving you a perfect review. Again very random and unlikely…
It’s great if you truly enjoy doing those sorts of things for the HO’s but if not, you can still definitely get great reviews without going to those lengths. My husband and I have excellent reviews, and we’ve never once made a meal–not much of a cook-- or bought a gift. I am not averse to doing these sorts of things but it never really crossed my mind when I started out.
If I were the HO I would have definitely showed appreciation for all you did. But when sitters do a lot of extra stuff that isn’t expected of them, that they were not asked to do, they have to be prepared that the HO may not react in the way they are hoping.
And if the sitter did truly fall short in one area–and I don’t think you did in this case–all the other stuff they did would be neither here nor there in terms of the feedback.
In the grand scheme of things, I don’t think it will have a huge impact considering how much good feedback you already have. But it would probably bother me too a bit as a long time sitter with really rave reviews up until this point. I think the sting will die down sooner than later.
I’m not surprised you’re upset and, difficult I know, but just try to put it to the back of your mind. Owners like that are, thankfully, in the minority.
I do, however, think you’ve gone well beyond the call of duty and the owners might expect all those extras from their next sitters and give them even less stars. I do sometimes make a meal for owners if they’re returning late but generally just leave the home as clean and tidy as it was on arrival, wash bedding and remake if time, replace any items I’ve used leaving fresh bread and milk and a card. That, in my mind, is sufficient and always appreciated.
As someone else has said, without going to all the lengths you have, you should still get 5 stars. It’s no wonder those owners thought you were the ‘hired helpers’ as you’ve set yourselves up to be so considered.
I am thinking/wondering if it was just a “slip of the finger” when pressing all the star sections on the review page. I have done that a few times when reviewing various things on other online sites by mistake. But I do triple ensure before pressing send that all is corrected but maybe these HO’s didn’t?
So maybe they DID mean to say 5* but accidentally pressed 4* and didn’t check over before pressing done. Just a theory as it definitely doesn’t sound like they should have, or meant to, have given a 4.
Maybe contact them and discretely ask that question, did you mistakenly press 4 instead of 5, then you will know for sure and if it is the case, they can have it amended by TH.
Off topic, are you from Tasmania by any chance?? Tazmazias?
First, not treating you to lunch was very poor form. You were dream sitters! Were you their first sitters? If not, what kind of reviews did they leave and what kind of feedback was left by previous sitters?
You could ask them if the four stars was a mistake but the fact that they said you left too soon when you drove a long way to pick them up from the airport late at night and stayed until the next morning, sounds like they are just unreasonable. Like you, I would be royally p**sed!
I think you should leave them a review/feedback and reply to their review with “just the facts, ma’am.” Take your time, make sure you are cooled down before you start and write it like a legal brief, stating the actions you took, entirely devoid of emotion. Future HO and sitters will be able to figure it out and you will keep your self respect. You will be doing a service as it will serve as a warning to other sitters.
Sorry you had such ungrateful owners. You deserved so much better!
It may have been a mistake. I had one recently that was 4 stars in one category and the owner wrote to say she was sorry and hadn’t noticed when she hit the button. As it was 5 over-all I didn’t bother to ask her to contact TH and change. I didn’t regard it as a failure or a big thing. I do think you are doing too much, just my opinion. If I had come home to all that I would have found it overwhelming and a little like a take over of my home. I know it was kind, but it is a free exchange of looking after pet and home for everyone’s benefit. I leave a little gift and a thank you card,very occasionally I have made a meal if I am staying the last night, but mostly I am gone when the owners return so they have time and space
Move on. You are obviously a wonderful sitter. As an ex airbnb Superhost with hundreds of five star reviews I came to the realisation that some people are just asshats but I love the 99.9% that aren’t.
Thank you all, Fellow Sitters! Great to hear opinions. After a good night’s sleep and now also knowing that their only other previous Sitters left (?) before their ‘Sit’ even began (so we were actually their first experience with the House-sitting concept), I’ve calmed!
Great reassurance as I admit I am a tad fussy in Host’s homes (certainly not extreme though!)so to be then told
“house could have been cleaner and tidier”, was taken as a real insult.
Take care all as I sip a coffee looking out to the Swiss Alps on a glorious day! R
Yes, we’re from Tassie!
Their only previous sitters left before the sit started? That potentially speaks volumes
@Tasmazias from Tassie, glad to hear you have settled and enjoying the Alps. We Aussies are a strong breed so I’m pleased you have shut down. (I would have been insulted also though TBH) 
And who doesn’t love an (ouchy expensive) coffee in front of the Swiss🇨🇭 Alps @Tasmazias from Zug/Oberieddien/Zurich/Basel/Oberageri (& more) Swiss loving pair of sitters! #onwardsandupwards
@Tasmazias, i am sure i would have felt the same way and glad that the Swiss alps are salving the sting a little.
Looking at the disparity between your behaviour & efforts and theirs, it might be that they are just the type who feel very entitled, or perhaps just see how different your values are to their own and feel put out by it. I am at a loss as to anything more you could have done.
So put it down to experience as “just one of those things…” And perhaps leave a polite & factual review that may subtly alert future HSs. Am sure anyone who did all that you did would be upset and confused too. You sound like super sitters
Just curious if they asked you to do all the preserving and canning etc as they do not have any of that listed under responsibilities on their listing?
The part about leaving too early is just bizarre. I wouldn’t worry at all based on all of your other reviews.
I should add though that I would never apply for a sit after you had been the previous sitters as HO expectations would be way too high 
@Tasmazias you sound like an incredibly kind, generous and hard-working person. I wonder if the HO’s review might reflect an emotional reaction to you doing too much? Putting myself if the HO’s shoes, if I had a sitter who bought me perfume, left me three meals plus my favorite desserts plus cookies, loaded my freezer and pantry with canned, stewed and frozen fruits and veggies, and did so much more beyond my expectations, I would be flabbergasted. I wouldn’t ding the sitter a star but might feel quite uncomfortable about the excessive effort. That’s just me… I’m sure plenty of HOs would be thrilled. I hope you can let this one go and chalk it up to “you can’t please everyone.”
Dear @Tasmazias I’m sure every good sitter worth their salt has had a horror sit in one way or another- we certainly have! Those hosts were super ungrateful and disrespectful to you and it was painful to read your story- I felt angry on your behalf!! 
Don’t let this experience stop you from believing in yourselves! You obviously have a great track record and in time - as you accumulate more great reviews- this bitter experience will fade into the background! It sounds like you are on a great sit right now so - Enjoy!!! 
Some people are just that way I think. They, out of principle, just won’t give a “perfect” rating In all categories.
You sound like a wonderful sitter. But, maybe it’s time to reconsider going to quite so above and beyond. I think over time, it can lead to resentment when it’s not appreciated and most likely hosts are not expecting all of these things ! A clean home and well cared for pets, good communication throughout, maybe a nice card on their return - but rides to the airport, multiple meals and gifts, and “extra” unasked for chores, doing all of these things in one sit , well, I’m not surprised you are tired and you are likely setting yourself up for disappointment and resentment when not adequately appreciated.
Signed , a recovering people pleaser.