An update to our sit cancellation process

Product Updates
61

@KC1102 I have to disagree. Almost any cancellation IS a reflection of a sitter’s reliability; if not of their own personal reliability, then of the reliability of their situation. The exception is a cancellation due to additional duties tacked on by a HO after confirmation (but even an excessive number of cancellations for that reason would raise reliability questions about the common denominator…)

For full transparency, I have had to cancel three or four sits over the last few years. All of them were out of my control and, in my opinion, were not indicative of my personal reliability but a reflection of the reliability of my situation. Yeah, sitters should know this!

Assuming cancellations appeared with relevant information (ie, with dates listed and not just a single number counting the total), a sensible person could surmise that a cluster of cancellations were due to a single event.

My example of this: about four years ago I had to cancel two or three confirmed sits because my landlord decided to terminate my lease early and sell the house. Even though the incident was out of my control and not a reflection of my own personal reliability, as a renter I was certainly proven to be a riskier host than a homeowner would be.

A feature like this would almost certainly disproportionately affect solo sitters. I sit with my husband so if I broke my leg before the next dog sit, he could handle the walking and no need to cancel. Someone sitting by themselves wouldn’t have that same option.

Well, yes… solo sitters could be considered less reliable than couple sitters for exactly this reason: as a solo sitter they are certainly more vulnerable to cancellation from illness/injury, regardless of their own personality’s reliability. And what if this solo sitter is particularly prone to illnesses? It’s not under their control, but it absolutely makes them less reliable than a solo sitter who rarely falls ill, or a sitting couple who can sit through it.

On my side: the most recent sit I had to cancel was last summer, when my dog had to have a surprise surgery. Was it under my control? No. But does having a senior dog, with a higher risk of health issues, make me a less reliable host than someone with a younger and healthier dog? YES.

With this new feature, if THS is tracking cancellations on the sitter end and any chronic cancellers come to light , they may decide to investigate further.

I don’t think THS tends to remove paying members unless there is a very very strong reason for it. They have no incentive to do so, in fact the opposite. This is why I think chronic cancellers would not be penalized, and why I think the statistics should be visible.

62

Why’s that? I personally don’t see anything wrong with being called a ‘pet patent’.

63

That sounds like a good idea to me.

64

Because it’s anthropomorphism; blurring the lines. I happily treat my pets as animals and respect them. They are not my children. But hey. Different strokes for different folks. I just don’t want to be labelled as a “pet parent”

65

I’m glad this is happening, because I had a very bad experience with a sit and the owner left a bad review for me even though I hadn’t technically even started the sit. Unfortunately, TH wasn’t much help and here I am with a bad review written by a rather unhinged owner.

66

Why? What’s your preference: human, homeowner, or ??

67

Here’s a thread from January this year you might be interested in @DianaO

68

Host. Must be 10 characters

69

That was my first thought as well. Each of us has a subjective definition of “extraordinary circumstance” for cancelling. I don’t think it’s up to others to judge whether the reason for canceling fits their own definition of “extraordinary circumstance.” And certainly it’s often very personal. The only time I’ve ever cancelled as a sitter was for a confirmed sit five months in advance. Just after I confirmed it, I had a lucrative job opportunity at the time of the sit that I really was in no position to pass up. I felt terrible, of course, but honestly this was an extraordinary circumstance for me. I expected the host to understand, especially given that this was five months before the sit was to begin. But no, she was really angry and made me promise that if she couldn’t find another sitter I would step up and do it. That was what it took for her to cancel the sit. As I’ve shared before in this forum, I learned my lesson that as a sole business owner I should not line up sits too far in advance. Within a couple of weeks, that host did hind another sitter and they gave each other a 5-star review. But my point is I don’t need members judging me on whether it was forgiving to cancel for that reason. We all have different personal circumstances. As it turned out, it was a good thing I did cancel because the money I earned from that opportunity paid for the cleanup of a huge tree that fell down in my backyard and grazed my house - and missed me by about a foot and a half when it crashed out of nowhere.

Also, @Jenny I am very pleased with this update! The lack of understanding of that one host caused me much stress, as I had to almost beg her like she was royalty to cancel the sit.

70

I’m afraid you would still have the same problem. The sit must have started for THS as a review was given and even now

I wonder if owners still can.

I remember your thread @proflangley, by your account, the HO must be really weird.

71

Host (I’m already human)

72

You have made a well argued point that we ALL to some extent carry a level of risk due to our ‘situation’. In my case I’m 67 and so the risk of a health issue arising is greater as I age, however this is mitigated by us sitting as a couple. Not all health risks are age dependent, some are due to poor lifestyle choices. However I digress, each sitter (and HO) carries risk, the variables are infinite. Despite a few attempts in this Forum to stereotype who is more likely to cancel, the unexpected will always happen, so sitters/HOs who’ve ’never cancelled’ will all have a 1st time.

73

@BonnyinBrighton , agreed. You only have to look at the recent terrible case of a youngish sitter stealing the HO car, and even worse, his husky dog. Still both missing after 2 weeks. Can’t imagine what the HO is going through.

74

I agree 100%

Here, I also agree but would change “will” by “may”

It won’t necessarily happen but it may and that won’t change their reliability or, at least, their trustworthiness.
Although I agree that the word “reliability” has also this meaning:

I place so much value on that word, that I don’t like to use it in that sense. It reminds me of a politician who said, long ago, that women were more unreliable workers as they might get pregnant and their children might get sick.

75

We had an owner cancel about a month ago for a sit we’d already bought plane tickets for, and unfortunately, we used a companion ticket that is now just forfeited. It’s not in our budget to pay for our own accommodations. It’s not seems that if we can show we’ve purchased tickets, there should be some recompense. I realize that there are benefits to being premium members, which we are, but since the cancellation was outside of the 14 day limit, we lose out. It seems like THS would realize that responsible sitters would have already secured plane tickets much more in advance than 14 days. Very frustrating. We only pay the yearly fee for the credit card specifically to get the companion ticket. I wish there was another option in these cases.

76

Agree. There are too many variables and cancellations are at times benefiting both parties who may not realise it yet.

For example… I have been in situations where I didn’t realise it at the time, but the replacement arrangement turns out to be better for me, which basically makes reporting it really silly.

I have a more philosophical approach: life moves where it needs to. It’s not always convenient but unless I have booked a flight, I don’t mind if someone cancels. Life happens and I often find what replaces most sits can be much better. Why would I then complain?

What I would say instead: let everyone receive or apply for confirmed sits as “second in line options”. So, say there is a cancellation, you already have a list of candidates to fill the sit.

If both sides want more commitment they have to agree to pay the costs for losses due to cancellation on their side and hit a different button like “committed”.

If an owner or sitter do not wish to hit “committed” then they have to accept that both sides can change their mind and canvas the platform for other opportunities. The owner can request that only committed sitters apply.

That means, you both have a choice… but if you hit “committed” you have to bear the costs of cancelling on the other person should they have purchased a plane ticket, for example.

The problem with this much control is that it will discourage owners to select international sitters.

So circling back to my original statement; I keep things open. If they cancel I know I am taken care of and I have insurance to cover issues (nothing has ever happened though! Owners have never cancelled and neither have I unless a sit was truly gross which happened once).

77

This. 100% cancellations should be counted and visible on profiles of both sitters and homeowners. Transparency is key to best behavior. Understood that cancellations are often unavoidable, AND they can be transparently reported. Those two things can be true at the same time.

78

Please, let’s not get things more complicated or more monetary.

IMHO, trust and commitment have nothing to do with money. If we include money in the equation, then we are talking about something else, perhaps risks, guarantees, etc

79

Recompense from whom ? The hosts ?

80

I understand. It’s just a conversation. If people are worried about not being safe in making plans, the reality (legally) is that you have to pay for any change to a contract you make in writing. So, if you fail to keep dates and the other person booked a flight, legally you can sue them for your costs. Enforcement is another thing though… :slight_smile: and most sitters wouldn’t bother.

So what is the solution? You have to have plan Bs and understand (both sides) you cannot rely on certainty on this or any other platform. This is not an employee-employer situation where you have rights. It’s an agreed favour between complete strangers and you need to be realistic about what that means. If you want more protection, it’s best to use pet boarding or other paid local services where there is more certainty and accountability.