App Update: Improved Experience for Combined Members

Product Updates
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Screenshot 2026-02-09 at 09.35.03
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Hi everyone!

We’re introducing a more streamlined experience for Combined members who use the TrustedHousesitters app.

What’s changing?

Combined members now have the ability to switch between dedicated sitter and owner profiles with the touch of a button.

If you select a notification, you’ll automatically be switched to the relevant owner/sitter app experience (and will see the transition screen pictured above).

At this time, combined members will keep a single inbox to receive messages.

In order to create a fully aligned app experience, all sitters may notice that their ‘favourites’ are now accessible by selecting the ‘account’ tab.

Why is this change being made?

This approach means that when you’re posting a listing, you’ll only see the options that are relevant for that task. Equally, when you’re looking for your next sit, you’ll see the information to achieve that goal, making everything a lot smoother.

We recognise that up until now the combined members experience hadn’t kept up with the same level of new features as dedicated owners/sitters. This change allows TrustedHousesitters to correct that for app users.

Who does this apply to?

This change will only be visible to combined members using the TrustedHousesitters app - you’ll see an in-app message that offers some guidance.

Alongside this post, our next Trusted Times email will outline this update.

We will look to introduce a similar option for web users in the near future.

Top Tip

This feature has been enabled on the TrustedHousesitter app, if you’re a combined member and cannot see the right option(s), please ensure that you have the latest version downloaded. If you encounter any issues, I recommend deleting and reinstalling the app.

For more help, check out these useful blogs:

Update: Members can now access the forum via the app by selecting the ‘Help’ sub-menu.

Forum route in has moved
Who turned off my search notifications?
Forum route in has moved
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@Jenny I’d love to say this has improved my user experience as a combined member but it hasn’t. I had no problem navigating between my owner & sitter profiles. Surely I’m not an outlier. Was there truly a demand from combined members fir this? It just seems to be another cosmetic change that we didn’t need when many other app & website issues go ignored.

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We are dual members, as well. So far, with a bit of time looking things over, it seems to work okay. The user interfaces aren’t much different, just something new to get used to.

I’m on an Android phone.

The only issue I have is that I had to separatey install the Forum app so I could go there directly, instead of wading through either our HO or sitters areas to find that link.

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I usually use the website, not the app, but 100% agree that there is NO problem with one mailbox and NO problem with switching. I am not looking forward to this change. Nobody asked for this. I’m wondering if some new fee will follow this “improvement.”

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I’m combined and use both the app and website. I didn’t ever think it was difficult before. I did not receive any in-app message to give me any guidance.

I am not happy that I cannot get to the forum from either my pet sitter or pet parent areas of the app. How does one get to the forum from one’s phone now? Is it a different/new app?

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Apologies for any confusion.

@BonnyinBrighton has outlined how to find the forum in this discussion - the forum has been moved under the ‘Help’ sub-menu.

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@Mark_B I would have thought either you or Jenny as the Forum Community Managers would have provided the information on where the Forum can now be accessed on the app rather than a member stumbling on it and letting us know. Instead of it being very visible, especially for new people to access, it’s hidden away now. Why?

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Human error.

I’ve added a small update to the end of the original post. :+1:

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But the original post was concerning combined members so I didn’t read it anyway. This affected ALL members, not just combined ones.

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@Mark_B Human error? Then you’re going to fix this obviously wrong place for a link to the Forum?

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The error was not communicating it.

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Not wanting to have to press the point but the errors are:

  1. I’ve not been a ‘member since 2019’ this is wrong. I had never heard of THS until 2023….
  2. I’ve not got a combined membership
  3. You ticked the solution box on your own comment, I didn’t appreciate this so unclicked it.
  4. I had zero prior warning.
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@Mark_B The “Why?” was actually in relation to why is it now hidden, making it more difficult for members to find?

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@temba and still no response as to why the number of applicants is hidden on an applied for listing :person_shrugging:

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@Mark_B would I be correct in assuming that you didn’t “communicate it “to the forum because THS didn’t “communicate it “ to you ?

The frustration is directed at those responsible for making the changes—not at the forum moderators, who have no influence over product decisions.

What upsets members the most is that these changes are implemented without any apparent consideration of their impact on users, yet they’re being presented as improvements.

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What upsets me the most is a change that wasted my time, that’s 20 minutes I won’t get back… at my age every fraction of an hour matters :smiling_face:

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I do NOT see this as an improvement to my app experience, quite the opposite actually. I played “hunt and peck” to find where to search for a sit but couldn’t find my saved searches! After several minutes of randomly trying things I found them - clicked the “x” next to “anywhere” and there they were. Seriously?!?!? Since when does “x” mean anything other than delete/clear field???

PLEASE work on user suggestions and what’s broken and quit spending your time, and our money, on meaningless “improvements” that no one asked for.

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