Hi, there is a sit that I like the look of but cannot see anywhere to ask the home owner a question. Do I have to apply for the sit to ask the question and then decline if needed?
thanks - still learning! 
Hi @Lily ā¦ thank you for asking the question and we never stop learning.
If the sit is current and taking applications then you will need to go through the application process to ask your question.
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Hi Angela, thanks for getting back to me. Iāve just gone to do that but itās no longer there. Live and learn eh! thanks again
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You will know next time ā¦
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As Angela said, you do have to apply. But remember that your application is just an expression of interest. You and the home owners will both likely have questions for one another before you agree to a sit. Thereās no obligation to accept a sit if the answers to your questions donāt suit you.
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Before I could eventually apply for a sit I needed to clarify a couple of things. Unfortunately, it is impossible to send a message to HO without bocking the dates which effectively means applying for the sit. Therefore, I began my message with āThis is not an application ā¦ but ā¦ā
As it turned out, the sit required a skill I couldnĀ“t provide, thus, I was not interested in applying for it. However, I have technically and practically already applied for it so the HO had to decline my application.
Even though it is not a big deal I got nevertheless rather annoyed by being declined something I didnĀ“t want in the first place. How can I ask HO a question before submitting an application?
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I often apply for sits with questions that I need answered before I decide if I want to do the sit or not. I ask my questions and if the sit doesnāt suit me, I politely let them know and rescind my application.
An application is not a contract. Itās an expression of interest in the sit. Both parties need to discuss it and make sure it fits for them both.
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Hi @RadarInc There is already a thread on this topic. There is no way of doing this except what you have already done. You can withdraw your application rather than the owner decline it and then you will not receive that automated response.
[Can I ask THO a question before apply for a sit?](https://forum.trustedhousesitters.com/t/can-i-ask-tho-a-question-before-apply-for-a-sit
Hi @RadarInc welcome to the forum, great that you could join us.
Thank you @temba Iāve moved this post to this existing conversation.
Thank you, @Kelownagurl. This is exactly what I was planning to do. Unfortunately never got a chance as my āapplicationā was denied at the same time the HO send a reply.
Well, as a tech person I cannot wrap my head around the concept of having to apply for something most probably donĀ“t want for the only purpose of making sure I donĀ“t want it and then getting slapped for doing so.
If, for whatever reason, the system cannot be changed perhaps the terminology can? Denied feels so harsh 
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At times HOās donāt include important information in their listing. I wish there was a way to ask them a few questions before applying for the sit. Might this be an option in the future?
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This question has been asked before and discussed and currently there isnāt a way of asking a question without hitting the āapply nowā button. But itās not a problem, Iāve done it a few times saying āIām potentially interested in applying to housesit for you however, before I decide, could you please answer the following questions and provide information missing from your adā
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