All of the applicants are “new to TH”

A new sit (Paris) popped up (this was a few minutes ago) I immediately opened it and it was already in review. How does this happen? This happens quite a lot to me.

If your listing is going to be popular (good location, nice property, desirable dates, extra fuzzy kitty) and you want to get applicants that meet your criteria under the new 5 limit rule then put those criteria front and centre of your listing:
Must have x 5 star reviews in THS. Must be in THS at least x years. Must have at least one review for a cat. Whatever you want. Sorry if you don’t meet these criteria and still apply your application will be declined.
Then decline away guilt-free since not only were you clear about what you were looking for but they have demonstrated they haven’t actually read your listing or they don’t care about your requirements or both.

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THIS! Many home owners don’t seem to know this since the new 5-rule was introduced.

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Exactly this Ziggy, thank you
I live in Switzerland and have zero issue getting sitters for any length of stay - my profile isnt the issue (i reckon i could have barebones profile and i would still get applicants), its that I have to take a chance on someone which I havent had to do in the past (as in, i had reviews I could rely on PLUS the video call, the gut feeling etc).

I will of course still do my due diligence - i only approve applicants after a video chat and a gut feeling but I also rely on reviews.
I had a great feeling about an applicant once, and a review caused me to ask a question which exposed the sitter and her very odd behaviour - now I wont have that.

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I really dont mind giving a newbie a chance - honestly its not about them being new - its about ALL of them being new, so I dont have a choice but to give someone a chance, which i dont like, I am basically forced to be the HO that gives newbies a chance - im not a guinea pig for new TH users. I think your second message touches on this, you have experience but the 5 person limit means you dont see them quick enough - thats whats happened to me now. Anyway, just frustrated but hopefully one of the ones whove applied will give me a good feeling, chats are set up already!

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I really don’t want or need a review of my profile - Shella hit the nail on the head - the 5 person system means the chances of getting a variety of applicants is small. I have declined one of my applicants, and unpaused the listing, and within a minute I had another application - so, you see, my listing is not the issue. I am not trying to be a snob about it, but people want to stay at my house, and it helps that my pets are cute too!

I have set up video calls for applicants and will go from there. Thanks.

Thank you to everyones feedback - I did not know I could decline SOME of the 5 applicants and then unpause the listing - I thought it was a choice of “pick from these 5, or decline all of them” but I have since learnt I can decline some of them, then unpause, which I did.

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I posted only once on this thread earlier. Personally, the five-applicant system hasn’t kept me from the sits I want.

In your case, you’re not forced to accept a newbie — you can decline applicants and wait for new ones to apply. Just post your listing early enough to avoid scrambling.

You also can mention in your listing that you want applicants with X. For instance, some hosts say they want experienced sitters with at least X reviews. (Some people will still disregard or not fully read, but it probably will help you thin out applicants you don’t want.)

Thank for the update @PepsAndPrince.
Good luck.

Thanks, I think this is valuable advice and a good way to do my listings going forward. I have at least 2 more holidays coming up, both of which will be long stays in a desirable area with fairly easy pets, and I want to get the best candidates possible - I’ll add these things to my listings from now on.

I don’t see being new to THS as lacking in life skills and the love of pets. We only started around this time last year, and I refused to get my friends and family to write referrals for us to ‘start us off’, as I really didn’t see the point as they are totally biased, when we have a lifetime of real skills and the love of pets that we dearly miss, plus a property background, which I would say was much better than a bunch of very biased referrals.

Less than one year on, and we have 20+ reviews on THS now from people we have now sat for, and return visits, just because the pet owners gave us a chance and ‘felt’ like we were the right match for them. You will know-know when you have found the right person, with or without reviews. Go with your gut and your heart, not a tick box.

We got into this because we miss having our own pets. Others may not be allowed to keep pets in their current home for example if they live in an apartment. Others may not have had the chance to grow up with pets and may be filling that void now. Others may be just combining their two loves, animals and travel.

You will know-know when you have found the right person, and if you haven’t then just reject them so you can get another 5 applicants in.

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I understand, I certainly appreciate having a sitter with some experience with THS, so they know what to expect from us HO & what is expected as a sitter. That said, I have given new sitters a chance. I’d start by picking the “best” applications & doing a vidoe chat with them. You might be surprised & find the perfect sitter.