While I am all in to a sitters union - or general union, as the fees and other issues harm hosts too - I think this kind of action would be very hard to implement. THS has done a financial calculation. Only if we changed the numbers on that calculation could change come. As long as they make money, they do this - and when they dont make money, they will let THS die. We are a machine to make money, not a part of a mutual respect agreement.
Couchsurfing made a business decision too and now it is pretty much dead. Hardly any members and a one star rating on Trustpilot. Let’s hope that this place won’t be going the same way.
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Hi @Shahyan
The problem with your suggestion of us taking a collective stand is that only a very small fraction of members read the Forum. So I don’t think that stand would make much difference.
What we don’t know is how the large majority of members think or plan to do.
sorry what do you mean by discount code?
I’ve sent a link to various fb groups I’m on plus photos and some editorial to build engagement offering the 25% discount code associated with your own membership. If somebody signs up to THS you get an extra 2 mths attached to your own membership so renewal dates get pushed forwards.
I see referrals, ok thanks
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I am checking back on the thread, in the vain hope that the fee idea has been shelved. Looks like it hasn’t. My membership renews in May, in the middle of a sit. If I turn off auto renew it will cancel my sit.
I don’t know whether to contact the HO I am sitting for, and assure her I am very much coming to sit for her, so she isn’t let down thinking I’ve bailed. Or just leave it to auto renew and suck it up. Then cancel it for the following renewal date.
If your membership renews in the middle of the sit, you are already there so it won’t matter. Just means you can’t give or receive a review. Just cancel your membership/turn off auto renew when it’s due mid sit, not now! It renews on the date it is due not before. Easy
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You could ask your host whether they’re open to your doing the sit off the books. If so, your canceling your membership wouldn’t matter.
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Another option would be to explain the situation to the HO and discuss the different options:
- keep everything as planned and renew.
- let your membership expire mid sit and have half the sit covered but no reviews on either side.
- change the official dates to make them coincide with the end of your membership and do half sit fully covered by THS, including reviews.
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I dont think you, as a sitter, can turn off the auto renew without asking the host to cancel/cut your sit short? The site says “you need to cancel your sits first”, and I think it will not let you proceed with the cancelling of the auto renewal unless you have no sits past that date. I am not sure if this is true also for sits that are on progress over the dates, or only those that are to start after the renewal date.
Is it really that you can not leave a review if the counterpart of your sit has no active membership? I find that odd.
I vote for the third option Newpetlover suggested.
Membership is paid through credit or debit card. THS cannot force anyone to pay for membership even if it’s mid sit. You simply remove your card details from the site when the membership is due. It is true, yes, that reviews cannot be left or given if you have no active membership. Don’t over complicate the situation, it only causes problems. If the member is already half way through the sit and not wanting to renew, all it does is prevents reviews being left. Probably let the HO know no reviews can be done but don’t stress them out by giving all these options. It’s not their issue, it’s yours, so don’t give them cause to worry unnecessarily in case they think it best to find another sitter.
I dont use a credit card but VISA (debit card), and THS does not let me remove it. I need to submit a new card to have my current one removed. I would say as long as I am actively using the service, THS should be able to force me to pay for it?
But if indeed that is not the case, could you give me guidance on how to remove my details? This might come handy one day.
And if this really is an option, sure it is the simplest one. I just never managed (I always have a couple of months gab between paid years).
I would rather not get into the details of this if you don’t mind. It can get complicated sorry.
Could not having enough funds on the debit card be an option?
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Why some members are offered a premium for a basic membership price ?
I don’t know why. I just know they are doing it. I can only guess. I think lots of people, especially sitters turned off auto renewal and some of those are letting their membership expire. I did. We will never know but I don’t think the outcome of fees implementation is exactly what THS expected.
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Wish I knew. I turned off auto renew in December and was immediately offered 20% discount if I stayed. I’m on standard membership. If they offered 20% off premium I might be tempted though renewal not due until November. If no offer, I’ll just let my membership lapse. Just to add have left auto renew turned off.
This offer might be available to experienced sitters who do a lot of sits, may be. I am happy for them but it is quite an unfair offer from THS.
Could you please provide some kind of proof what you have stated, including things like “THS cant force a member to pay” or “you simply remove your credit card details”. These are the base of your response to the question, and as my experience is the opposite, I am worried that you are giving false information - and I would like to be corrected if I am the one with false information.