Hi beautiful community: Does anyone else have experience with applying for a sit along with another non-household member of THS? I’d like to do a sit (or several) with my sister and her partner. I have done one sit already with them, with the full permission of the homeowner, but several other times I have mentioned in my application that I would like them to be allowed to stay as well for all or part of the sit, and even offered to set up a video call with all of us, but I have not gotten a warm reception in most cases. I understand that homeowners would feel most comfortable with background-checked members of the platform. We’ve considered having them sign up and go through the process, which they are willing to do, but they would probably only use it to do sits with me. They are both highly conscientious professionals and can easily pass background checks. I’m thinking I would need to actually apply and of course be responsible for the sit, but then I could give links to their profile(s) to the homeowner, so they can see that they are screened and trustworthy. Does anyone else have experience with this sort of thing? I’d love to hear about your experiences. Thank you!
About me: I’ve been using THS for over 3 years now and have had many wonderful experiences and all 5-star reviews.
You are applying as a solo sitter and then springing on them you want to bring two other people. That’s a big ask and I can see how you are being turned down. Why not change your profile and apply as a family. Then only hosts interested in using families will respond to you and you can search by accepts families.
We take my mother-in-law on sits with us every year. As this means we need to use three bedrooms, we thought finding suitable sits would be a problem, but this has not been the case at all. Look for larger homes. If you have good reviews yourself, I think people follow the ‘nice people hang out with nice people’ rule.
Last year, over the Christmas and New Year period, we took her to Cyprus with us. This year, the home hosts have invited us back again on the condition that we bring her with us! - we agreed
I used to apply for some sits with my friend. I added a few pictures of her to my profile, and added her name into my profile when I was applying for sits she’d be with me on. We’ve done a couple of really nice sits and most people liked that there were extra hands to help with their pets.
During the holidays we take our now 5 year old granddaughter with us. We always ask when applying and the response has always been affirmative with one exception. Interestingly these are all homes without young children but the HOs have always been very accommodating. She has been on 7 sits with us now with no problems. The phrase “house sit” is now well embedded in her vocabulary.
We sit as a couple and occasionally take our 16 year old daughter with us if discussed and agreed beforehand. You can generally feel which sits are open and which aren’t in the listings. It could be that you’re going from one person to three which the host sees as a big jump. Taking just your sister might be easier or get them to set up a new account as a couple and apply, and make you the add on guest instead as that might work better? #planb
On the presumption you want to continue to do sits on your own too, so don’t ideally want one profile as a whole family, then maybe if they’ve got LinkedIn profiles you could attach those as part of your application.
I think you have slightly more of challenge to others, because you are going from 1 to 3, rather than some sitting singularly or as a couple but just wanting 1 other to come with them.
I think this is the one time AI may work brilliantly for you. I can’t believe I’m saying to ask AI for help for THS, but I definitely would when you’ve tried and are struggling to get the result you need.
Copy and paste how you are currently wording your application into chatgpt etc, and explain what you are trying to achieve, and ask it to improve/enhance it so that you are 100% sure to be offered the sit. It may not end up perfect, but you’re bound to see a few ways you could word things for the better.
Are you using the filter to look for sits that accept guests?
You’re more likely to get this kind of arrangement accepted over the holiday period, when there are more sits available than sitters, especially if you’re open to lovely sits in less popular locations.
If you’re one of five applicants, you have a 20% chance of being accepted. And if the other applicants also have good reviews and are solo sitters (without a +2), they may be more likely to be chosen.
So don’t let a few declines put you off - keep applying if possible with some flexibility around location .
Adding photos of your sister and partner interacting with pets to your profile would be advisable.
Also apply for sits that have multiple pets where have more sitters will be an asset to sharing the responsibilities .
I’ve twice brought friends on sits instead of my wife (she wasn’t available). My application (or whatever you want to call it) specifically mentions that I will be bringing a friend, and I gave a bio of them. It helped that one was a university professor and the other an OCD actuary.
I am a solo sitter. 4-5 times I had a friend visiting and one time my granddaughter. I mention my granddaughter in the listing and should she want to follow I’ll let the host know right away. As the friend’s visit is random I ask the host for permission. This far there never has been a problem.
However, I don’t think I’d ever like to drag along two friends. It doesn’t feel right. 3 seems more like a party to me
Only one application can be confirmed and only that sitter will be eligible to leave and receive a review.
Don’t overcomplicate things - be upfront about who will be on the sit and apply for family friendly sits or at least those that consider guests. Just because they are open to guests doesn’t always mean overnight guests.
The more guests the more beds, utilities, bedding, towels will be used which is also a consideration for the host.
I’ve been upfront in my applications especially when they would be joining for the entire time or most of the time, as opposed to a longer sit where I’m there the whole time and they may just want to join me for a weekend for example. I do most of my sits solo, or sometimes with my partner, who is mentioned in my profile and I have photos of him etc. So I don’t really want to create a “family profile” when most of my sits will not be with my sister and her partner.
