I just need to vent a little, so please bear with me. Over the past few weeks, we’ve had one baffling experience after another on THS – it feels like we’re collecting a whole bucket of red flags.
Some pet parents live next to an airport runway (which we only found out after asking four times for the exact address). Others seemed genuinely offended that we requested a video call, making sarcastic remarks about it being unnecessary. A few were surprised – even annoyed – that we’re not based in London, despite us clearly stating this in our profile and messages. And some turned the video call into what felt like a job interview, complete with grilling questions.
We had to unconfirm another sit after receiving the welcome guide, which once again raises the question: why can’t sitters access the guide before confirming? It would prevent so much frustration on both sides.
Since returning from a fantastic sit in Sweden in April, we’ve done around 15 video calls. And honestly, the tone has shifted from “odd” to “borderline bizarre.”
I don’t know – is this year just weird? Or have others noticed a change too?
I’m guessing it could just be “new” homeowners. I’ve felt for a long time that THS doesn’t do enough to educate both homeowners and sitters about the roles. I hadn’t done a sit since November and recently applied for some easy to do sits a few hours away in the countryside. I got both – one was two sits for the same host so 3 sits - July, August, and September! But both homeowners confirmed before a chat. I confirmed without insisting on one and getting in touch with one of the homeowners to set something up has been difficult although finally both are upcoming.
GIven that my experience as both a homeowner and a sitter has been that sometimes things come up on the chats that make it apparent this isn’t a good match, I will not make this mistake again even if I “lose” a good sit or a good sitter.
Hello
Sorry to hear you have been having a rough go of it lately…that can be frustrating. I have been using the site since 2014 and my experience has been very positive and has never changed in any discernible way over time.
I know a lot of sitters have posted about having more negative experiences with hosts at various stages of the process but a lot of the things they talk about --hosts not disclosing important information, not being responsive and such–wouldn’t be anything that the site itself would contribute to. It is all about the individual.
Anyone can join the site and like anywhere else in life, you will encounter a variety of people.
Hopefully things will get back on track. It could be helpful to think back on your process lately and see if perhaps there is something that you may have been doing differently, a different vibe driving your selection process etc…
But overall I wouldn’t read too much into it all…good luck!
@Fatamorgana like you we always insist on a video call but there are experienced sitters on this forum with 100+ sits completed who have stated that they have rarely / never done one and don’t see the need .
That’s because they joined THS years back when video calls weren’t common place and they have successfully completed many sits , just by messaging hosts . So based on their experience they see video calls as unnecessary.
Whereas we started with THS more recently ( after Covid pandemic ) and have always had a video call before confirming a sit so that’s what we are familiar and comfortable with..
Same with hosts, those who have successfully arranged sits without video calls and those who won’t go ahead without one .
I can’t say I’ve experienced much difference lately. I think I’ve made a couple of mistakes recently accepting sits that perhaps, with hindsight, I shouldn’t have. I’m on my 99th sit and have only agreed to one or two sits without video calls as the owners were too busy
I think something great would be to come up with a list of non’negotiables as a sitter- I think a few good ones are (based on what you wrote):
Introductory video call is a must
Shared home guide x days before sit
Intrusive lines of questioning are a no
We have a few as sitters and as home owners and we stick by them and it has saved us a headaches. Another thing we go with is our intuition… if something doesn’t click, don’t apply to that sit.
I think home owners are expecting more and more What I originally felt was a fair exchange is tilting to more and more requests from the HO. A recent sit, 5 days length only, wants the grass mown. I know some people will do anything to be helpful and to secure a sit and a good review but it shouldn’t feel like a job.
It makes much more sense to get the WG before you confirm. They say they are interested in you and you say please send the welcome guide. You read it and then confirm or have additional questions. Good for the PP as well. How it is done now, If you confirm TH sends an automatic decline to the 4 others as I understand it. Now a sitter reads the guide after they accept and sees there are additional responsibilities they didn’t bargain for and then declines. The PP has lost the other 4 that were interested as they probably moved on. I think a sitter should have 24 hours to read the WG when sent and then either decline or accept.
I think that’s a great idea, @Seniorsitter . I always tell a sitter that I’ve just confirmed that the Welcome Guide will be sent immediately after confirmation and that if they find anything objectionable in it, they are free to cancel. In fact, I even mention it in my listing that the Welcome Guide is ready to send upon confirmation. I’m a sitter as well, and that’s what I prefer, so I do the same for my future sitters.
I’m sorry you’ve had such a rough streak! I haven’t experienced any dodgy behavior from HOs in the past seven months that I’ve been a member. Every HO I’ve spoken with has been upfront, and every one of my sits have been fabulous.
I’ve accepted a couple sits (out of 15) without a video call, but of course not everyone is comfortable doing that - I personally wasn’t bothered based on the other communications I had with the HO and see the video call as a personal preference thing. If it’s important to you to have one, then you shouldn’t feel bad about asking for it before moving forward, but they have just as much right to not want to deal with it. Just walk away from that sit and move on to find one that’s a better fit for you…
correction: just realized I’ve done three out of 15 without a call. had forgotten about one!
Hi silversitters. I have rarely done a video call. It just was not a thing when I joined. Infact then you could be confirmed in the first reply back from a homeowner, without a chance to change your mind. It was always assumed that if you applied then you wanted that sit. But nobody even suggested a phone call. I have confirmed six fairly short sits this year and only one was a WhatsApp video call.The others were with an ordinary phone call or a WhatsApp phone call but one confirmed by message only. I find reading owners profiles and reviews from others gives me enough information without the need for a video call. If I have any queries I can always send a message, without the need for a video call anyway.
It was mainly the overall tone of it. I’d say I’m really good at reading between the lines – mostly because it’s related to my job. And I knew this wouldn’t be a comfortable sit for us or what we’re looking for.
I agree with you 100%. For the past 2 months, we’ve had a first (major) cancellation, our entire summer is now open, last minute, and everything we apply to, is either unread, rejected before reading, rejected, or read but “reviewing applications” for weeks. We never in our 10 years on the platform experienced so much hardship securing sits and it’s obvious to us that something has shifted. What? I don’t know. But you are 100% right about everything. And regarding the “getting grilled by interview questions”: this is more and more common. In our case it’s been from younger HO in their 20s, new ish to the platform, with a gigantic process in place that makes us cry inside.
If it’s down to a streak of bad luck,..well the luck has been bad for weeks and dozens of applications, now!
I guess that is true and odds are also increasing because of the ever growing number of new members, probably misled by THS advertising.
I may be wrong but I do feel there are more listings lacking lots of relevant information and pictures of the rooms the sitter is supposed to use, listings with inconsistencies regarding number of pets or pet care and I also see more often wording like “and follow any additional instructions shared”. Of course, it could also just be a change in listings I check and not be representative of a general tendency.
