I need to cancel a sit due at the end of September. However I am not getting this option on the app when I open the sit. I’ve sent a message to the HO but want to make sure she has received it.
Is there anywhere else I can cancel this sit?
Thank you in advance for support
Sits should only be cancelled in exceptional circumstances and it needs to be done from the HO side.
How long is it since you messaged the HO?
If it was through the THS messaging system you should be able to see an indication in green when it has been read.
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To cancel a sit you inform the HO that you won’t be doing the sit and give your reason which needs to be exceptional circumstances (not simply that you’ve changed your mind or made an error not realising distance between sits- I read your other post!) the HO then cancels the sit from their side and this releases you from the sit. I’m assuming you exchanged and communicated via WhatsApp/mob numbers and had a video chat before confirming the sit, in which case I’d start the conversation there.
The HO might complain/open a member dispute if you’re cancelling for a minor reason. THS might start to watch you as a result. Apologies if you need to cancel for a very serious reason and I’ve made any unfair assumptions here. Best wishes.
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This is five months from now.
A sitter does not sign over their life to the HO by confirming to a sit. For my job, I could quit with two months notice. Did not need to give a reason, did not have to apologize.
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HOs trust that their sit is confirmed and make their own complex arrangements accordingly. They will also have said ‘No thank you’ to other sitters, who will also have made other arrangements accordingly. It’s the law of unexpected consequences rippling out from a sitter changing their mind…
Also I’m simply stating the THS recommended process, or am I wrong in this in which case please do advise me if I’ve misunderstood it?
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Five months notice gives the HO plenty of time to find a new sitter.
It is the drawback of using THS instead of paying a company that can send a replacement.
I think you have misunderstood how things work in practice. In theory, it does not depend on time, but in practice the THS protections will only pay out for cancellations less than two weeks before the sit.
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No, there are no misunderstandings; in fact, you understood it quite literally. However, we are not machines programmed for months and months in advance. Therefore, a bit of flexibility would be appreciated.
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It’s more about ethics though and trust isn’t it?
If a sitter is booking confirmed sits and cancelling them willy nilly how can any HO feel any trust in the system? TSH would be wise to monitor sitters who exhibit this careless approach to confirming sits.
Yes if it’s last minute within the 14 days window there’s the fall back of premium membership and making a claim, and yes 5 mths out it’s easier possibly to get a replacement and go through the whole process again….
As a HO who used sitters (not TSH) over many years we booked a long way in advance, and expected a high level of commitment in the agreement.
The straw man argument of a work contract doesn’t apply here as I could cite instances where more than 2 mths notice to quit is required (Headteachers, Doctors….)
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If they committed then they DO need to give a reason. We have sits booked until March 2025 and those HOs have booked international flights, acomm and more with that in mind. A new job is one thing, a flaky sitter that doesn’t know what they’re really doing so messes people around is another entirely. #notgoodadvice
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I was teaching at a university. Same standards as almost everywhere in Sweden. They had to pay me extra to make me agree to finishing the course.
And sure if people want they can invoke “ethics”. I had an HO cancel on me five weeks in advance now with “our needs have changed but definitely next time”. Am I going to make an issue of this with THS? No, of course not, it is not something they can do anything about.
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I completely understand what you’re saying however flexibility in a HO response to an exceptional (as in an unusual/unexpected occurrence) issue for the sitter is perfectly acceptable and would be understood by any reasonable HO but for myself anyway minor reasons and therefore unacceptable would be simply: finding a better offer/changing travel plans/changing your mind due to other priorities.
‘Changing your mind’ for really good reasons in my opinion might be: reading poor HO reviews that have appeared since the confirmation, a repeat sit when the first sit had significant issues that were unresolved, and of course all those horrid life events that occur unexpectedly like health for oneself or family.
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Which nobody can check.
You really think people cannot cancel a sit when they found a new job? A real paying job?
We all agreed to the T&Cs and Code of Conduct when we joined.
In my view a commitment is a commitment and would never cancel unless there were extraordinary circumstances.
We even travelled to a sit on the day my Mother In Law passed away as the family had flights booked. Looking back I can’t believe we did that but our intention was to arrive and give them a couple of days to make alternative arrangements.
My word is my bond and it doesn’t make any difference if the sit is a week or several months off. Just my take on things.
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It’s called manners. If you say you’re going to sit then do it. If something else important comes up then fine but don’t mess people around just for the sake of it. #mannersmakethman
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Is anyone going to actually answer the OP’s question or just discuss right from wrong? Asking for a friend 
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@ziggy, was just wondering the very same thing
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@pietkuip there’s no Forum on Nomador 
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I thought I had @ Ziggy - my first post after the question was asked 
Am I missing something?
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@Twitcher, no not missing anything, not pointing any fingers, yes you answered 
Just trying to lighten up to avoid conflict which was starting but I’m not the Forum police hey
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@Karen65 only the Homeowner can cancel the sit from their dashboard. So if you are not getting a response from homeowner you can ask THS to try and contact them as they have alternative contact information.
Here is THS policy on cancellations https://support.trustedhousesitters.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360001746237-Can-I-cancel-a-sit
@BonnyinBrighton sits can be cancelled for less than exceptional reasons but only if both parties agree to it.
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