Thank you 
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I’m also very surprised.
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Could be something that could be agreed on in individual cases… I’ve been told a couple of times by HOs that the cats would be OK for a night or 2 if I wanted to go off somewhere exploring. I also think the sitter should stay with the pet so I said I wouldn’t be doing that.
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I can see both sides of the argument, being a sitter and a pet owner.
I can see how there could be situations as a sitter where it would be impossible to stay at a house for instance, flea infestation, Electricity or water outage, or any number of circumstances that could make it impossible for a sitter to stay at the house, but the sitter might still want to complete the sit and be able to find nearby accommodation with or without the help of the owner.
From the homeowner perspective, I think Most home and pet owners assume that the sitter is agreeing to stay overnight not only to monitor the pets but also for security reasons. I think probably most of them would be shocked if their sitter was not spending the night.
A solution that might work for everyone would be to change the THS policy to say that sitters agree to stay overnight with the pet unless they have notified the homeowner that they will not be there overnight. In other words, if the sitter is not going to be there overnight, the homeowner needs to be notified.
What I don’t think is right, is for a home and pet owner to discover midway through a sit that the sitter has not been staying with the pet in the home overnight.
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I think that this is what is really understood by most people. There was a thread recently and most people (sitters and owners) agreed that sitters should stay in the home at night unless otherwise agreed. The fact that a listing must include at least a night also suggests that this is what THS expects but it seems they have not clearly stated.
Perhaps you could get in touch with support and raise this point.
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What is the point in having a sitter that doesn’t stay at night? It’s not just about the pets, it’s also about security for the house. I can’t believe this isn’t in the terms and conditions. @Jenny , can you clarify this please.
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@Chrissie - The point is, all homes are not fit to want to sleep in.
i would guess that is pretty rare, I have never come acros that in 10 years of sitting. A few scruffy homes yes, but never anything that bad.
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I’ve noticed quite a few sits where the sitter will be staying in a “granny flat” (or Airbnb type unit) in the grounds of the home, with the pets staying in the home. In fact, I’m doing such a sit (for a cat) soon.
So the current wording of the ts & cs is flexible enough to cover this. As usual, the key to this is communication.
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Some owners are shocked a bit too easily. Some are shocked when the sitter had an overnight guest, but at least that is against the T&C’s if that had not been agreed.
It is also against the T&C’s to take the pet overnight when that had not been agreed, but I remember at least one HO telling me that I could do that, that their exemplary dog was used to that.
A single sitter returning from a date or from a party in the morning, in time to walk the dog or to feed the cat, should not be that shocking or unexpected. It is not against the T&C’s.
Just as shocking as a couple returning at the same time, I would say.
I agree. But, for me, that would be an exception. As a sitter, I would not be interested in a sit if the house doesn’t have the minimal conditions I require. I might consider the option of sleeping somewhere else just for the sake of the pets but it wouldn’t be a fair exchange and I wouldn’t enjoy the pets company much either if the house is unlivable.
I think every sitter will agree with you but you don’t always know until you arrive at the home
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If when i arrived i found that the home was not fit to sleep in i would cancel the sit altogether.
I am not going to pay to stay somewhere to look after someone’s pet free of charge. Straight back to HO back up/emergency plan.
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