The clincher for you is a new feature that you describe as a useful flag for weeding out inconsiderate or entitled hosts? I would have thought such a feature would make THS more valued. I must be confused or misunderstanding something.
For nearly three years of membership, I’ve had zero problems with prospective hosts and arrival or departure times. We’d just discuss in straightforward ways that worked for us mutually. I came across zero unreasonable asks when it came to that, even with sits that I ended up declining for other reasons.
Now, I’m seeing a bunch of unreasonable times with the new feature. I suspect that booking fees might be giving hosts a stronger sense they can just order up sitters as they please. I don’t know the reason for sure. But I’m not going to spend time looking through more listings to find ones I consider reasonable. I don’t need to, because sitting has always been icing to me.
Bigger picture, I don’t think such features are useful, because people who can’t have straightforward discussions to come to mutual agreements aren’t strong partners for good sits, IMO. And features like these are crutches for some folks who could benefit from learning such skills.
Of course, everyone has their own perspectives and you can decide for yourselves. Shrug.
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I might be missing something, but what exactly is this new feature supposed to improve, other than creating chaos and confusion? Many hosts do not know their exact arrival or departure times when they first post a listing. These details are traditionally discussed by both parties during the video chat or once the hosts have purchased their tickets. This system works perfectly, no additional check boxes are needed to help sitters “Start Every Sit with Clear Expectations” that might be weeks or months ahead
By creating these unnecessary fields, the platform is effectively forcing hosts to provide ‘placeholder’ data. When a host hasn’t finalized their travel plans, they will simply enter arbitrary times just to get the listing live, which creates a “misinformation trap.” Most likely, hosts will simply mark it as “to be determined’”, which is exactly what they are already doing today without the extra prompts. Why fix something that isn’t broken?
I have completed over 80 arrivals and 80 departures, and not once did I start or finish with unclear expectations. Not one single time. Before every sit, the hosts and I simply discussed the times that worked best for us, and that was that.
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I saw one recently, arrival time was reasonable but leaving time was 8 to 10pm. Seriously? Where am I going to after 8 or worse 10pm? A hotel that I pay for ? Driving late at night ? Public transport? Arriving at another sit this late? To me this show zero consideration for a sitter.
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Or they will get applicants who lie about it. We have seen that there all kinds of sitters and some have less integrity than others. Who don’t think the dogs need to be walked as much as asked etc.
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We wonder whether THS’s governance is competent. Instead of maintaining the necessary smooth relationship between HO and PS, they create discord.
They are going to sink the boat.
I even think they are destroying the model of free pet sitting.
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My thoughts, exactly!
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Seen some ridiculous leaving times. No way would I leave a sit at 10pm then drive home. Most of my area preferences are at least 200 miles. I would have to negotiate a reasonable time or withdraw. Who at THS is thinking up these ideas, this is on top of the new booking fees, 5 application rule and boarding pass example. Are they trying to go into liquidation 
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As far as I can see as a host I just have to tick the ‘to be arranged later’ box and that’s it done, so it’s not a Must situation re actual timings but as I think you have to tick one of the boxes it is a Must to choose!
I personally can’t envisage ever specifying the arrival or departure time as this is something I arrange direct with our individual sitters.
What I do though is make clear that the arrival is the day before we leave so that we can get to know each other and have an easy introduction to the house and cats. Also share a meal together. I make this clear as on the forum I’d noticed that some sitters dislike this so I’d rather they had clarity and therefore don’t apply for the sit if they feel uncomfortable with this.
That leaves us with a fairly wide window for arrival to suit the sitter and also leaving is flexible too as I have cats and they can be left for several hours as long as they have food.
I’m beginning to think that this is being made increasingly over prescriptive and complex as more and more rules arrive making it more about the systems than the relationships.
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I agree. I think it makes more sense for owners and sitters to discuss the options rather than set a compulsory field to be filled in at such an early stage.
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Of all the improvements they could have made this is potentially one of the most useless to competent people. Idiocracy here we come.
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I think they implemented this stupidly.
They should have a field where it’s homeowner arrival/departure time window.
Then a separate field of sitter expected arrival departure time.
This way it is crystal clear. The way they did it could be Ho are assuming it’s when they are coming/going (and yes it’s possible they mean order up a sitter exactly then). Or it could mean they are confused and just putting in when they are coming and going.
Seriously I think everyone should take a breath. If you want to apply just do so and ask did you mean I need arrive at 2am because I am usually asleep then? I am sure most would say no we didnt mean that, just confused by the field.
Sheesh!
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The point is that THS continues to make their platform more needlessly troublesome to use and will continue to.
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Thanks for explaining the point from your perspective but do you also recognize that newer members (who are staying) may see it differently?
Of course. Anyone can see things differently, whether old or new members.
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We’re all aware, I imagine, that expectations vary depending on each person’s priorities and past experiences.
The key for THS is to achieve a good balance between dissatisfied members, satisfied members, those who leave, and new members.
As a PS, I’m finding it increasingly difficult to find a good sit since the 5-app limit. I spent a lot of time monitoring alerts on my phone to apply in the top 5. Even when I’m among the top 5 applicants, it’s hard to get chosen. Today I realize I’d rather not be a slave to my phone and dependent on the THS platform.
They believe this gives more sitters a better chance of finding a sit. I don’t know if it works. In any case, it also leaves some sitters disappointed as me.
The Ho’s are in their armchairs, calmly waiting to receive the applications and choose.
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I don’t think that some HOs don’t know how to work this.
I have recently seen 2 separate listings, the first asking the sitter to arrive between midnight and 2 am and the other listing for the sitter to arrive between 2am to 4am
Clearly, (hopefully] these are errors
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Where are these sits @Itchyfeet ?
I’m wondering if the times are set to GMT as with the rest of the platform and so don’t work correctly for sits in countries in other time zones ?
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There were other similar reports. Perhaps some members, especially non-US/UK ones, are not very “fluent” in AM/PM, or they simply forget to switch from AM to PM. The latter has actually happened to me on more than one occasions while setting my phone alarm.
Perhaps making PM default could solve the problem
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Departure time 7-8 am
Does it mean between 7 am and 8 am ?