Change of Dates - HO failed to share

Sitter Questions, Advice & Chat
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We know there are multiple posts about sits ending early, but most involve multiple days early. So we are listing here to get advice.

We are currently day 2 into a sit and the HO told us last night that she booked her flight to come home a day early and made a mistake on the dates listed on THS. The sit was supposed to end on a Thursday, even met with HO and stayed night prior and verbally said she would be home Thursday at 2pm.

She made a comment that she was an “idiot” and booked the flight for Wed instead of Thursday…so she knew at time of booking the flight and listing the ad that the dates listed were not correct.
She also said “Be honest with me.” (About what we wanted to do). We got the impression that she knew this prior, didn’t disclose and just hoped we stayed the night with her so she get home and we still be there.

Last night she said that she will contact the airlines this morning to see if she could change her flight to original date, but if she couldn’t then we could stay the night with her instead of being out of a hotel. (Have yet to get any response after this just an apology).

For reference, we usually book sit to sit and we’re planning on leaving her house Thursday to go to another sit that evening (all previously stated and confirmed).

We would not stay the last original night with her if she does come home a day early, we would get a hotel.

How would you rate the sit? 4 stars for communication and accuracy of listing?

Side note, the house wasn’t the cleanest. Floors left our feet black and she doesn’t have a mop. We have vacuumed as much as we could, but can’t get the tile and hardwood cleaned.

Also, she wanted us to sleep in master because that is what dogs prefer (we slept in guest the first night when she was home and moved to master). However, the sheets on master were not cleaned and told that they had just been slept in one night. (Granted she had an early flight on, but it was delayed and she didn’t leave the house until 8am). Could have at least stripped the bed? But she made it all back, duvet and 10 pillows to boot.

At this point, the dogs are awesome! They do sleep with us and need to go out around 3am to pee. Also, one of the dogs is on medication that was undisclosed in both the listing and welcome guide and was told upon arrival.

What would you do? Our thoughts are 3-4 star overall review. 3 stars communication and accuracy of listing and 4 stars for cleanliness.

This of course being dependant on if she does change her flight to come home on the original date, then we would of course just give her 5 stars and overlook the cleanliness aspect.

T.I.A

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I think your estimates sound accurate except for forgetting all and giving 5 stars even though you admit the cleaning is sub-par. Is the house suddenly clean now that the flight is fixed? Is the missing information suddenly included so now the listing was accurate? The problems still exist and should be rated accordingly even if one of them was fixed. I can understand bumping the communication one up a bit since the problem was fixed but you should still rate the others accurately.

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It doesn’t seem like a 5 star all round. Sounds as if 4 for cleanliness, 4 for comms and 4 for accuracy too (undeclared meds and the 3am pee call!) if she rectifies accomm/flight then you can say in the review she put it right but will give a clear nod all round that it’s important for it not to happen again. If you just give 5 stars then maybe she’ll just pass it all off on the next sitters and “pretend” it was an error. #noonelikesunwantedsurprises

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As others have mentioned “forgiving it all” for changing a flight back to what you had agreed to, kinda seems like a band aid for what should be clearly learned from in their position.

If you don’t help them improve by being honest, how do they?

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Completely agree with @CreatureCuddler, @Cuttlefish and @Ckone2541. Getting the flight changed would attenuate the impact on you regarding your final day and would prove good will on her part but communication, cleanliness and accuracy of listing would still not be 5 stars. If you feel the situation improves a lot perhaps you can give 5 stars overall and say the dates were fixed in the end but still give a bit of warning about the other issues.

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I have a related question. Something similiar happened to me on recent sit, ie sheets and master. I was suppose to be in the guest room, but she put me in the master. I arrived early morning of their day of departure. I assumed the sheets were clean, but there was no top sheet, just a comforter. And I asked, when I was washing sheets if she wanted comforter washed and she said no. It just made me uncomfortable. I would never have given a guest a comfortor without a top sheet. Right? What do you do with that kind of thing? Is that cleanliness? Is that hospitality, or lack thereof?

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I experienced the same thing - is this a case of differences on how a bed is made and how one put on the sheets?

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Is there a duvet cover? Top sheets are rare in some areas of the world because people use duvet covers. If there is NOT a duvet cover and there is also no top sheet, that’s gross.

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This sitting sounds awful on so many levels. Even if she does change the flight, she has caused you unwanted stress.
As a sitter I would rely on your truthful review and, with that in mind I agree with @CreatureCuddler @Cuttlefish and @Ckone2541
Dont forget, your review is blind until she has written hers

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Thank sweet baby Jesus for blind reviews.

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If she just had a sheet + comforter that’s one thing. If she left a comforter but no sheets :woozy_face:… That’s a lack of hospitality and cleanliness. Also, you shouldn’t have to arrive to a sit to clean- major :no_entry_sign:.

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no duvet cover. I had assumed there was at first, then realized there wasn’t

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ew. then yeah, that’s nasty.

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Update: The HO changed her flight with no problem at all and enjoyed told us it was free due to her ‘air miles’, so she is now coming home when she is supposed to.

With that said, the dogs do still have to go out about twice between midnight and 7am. But other than that, they are absolute sweethearts! We will be leaving the house cleaner than we found it, but are still thinking 4 stars for cleanliness and accuracy of listing. Just because the meds, midnight outings and we did have to clean quite a bit upon our arrival. She even mentioned that the place wasn’t as clean as she would have liked it because her sister was just visiting. ?

Would you give 5 stars overall if the dogs are great and just 4 stars in the individual categories or 4 stars overall?

PS. @Huronbase I would have assumed the sheets were not cleaned and just go ahead and washed everything as shown on directions or by knowledge. If she didn’t want the comforter washed, she should have specifically stated that in the welcome guide or verbally. No need to ask what you can and can’t wash if you are allowed to sleep in it!

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I wouldn’t give 5 stars overall when the home is dirty, the bedlinen slept in and with undisclosed pet issues (getting up twice in the night to let the dogs out? No thanks!). It’s not a refleflection on the dogs, but on the transparency of the pet parent.

For us, 5 stars overall means we’ve encountered no problem issues which weren’t disclosed in the listing. 4 overall would represent one significant issue (which would be disclosed in the review and with star(s) docked appropriately. More than one significant issue and it would have to be a 3 star overall rating.

Please be honest and warn other sitters of these issues.

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This is not a 5 star sit. Too many issues for that to be true, none of which were disclosed so it’s up to you to be honest in the review.

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Of course, this is up to you. But do you think this sit is at the same level as your five stars sits. Would you tick all the boxes for what can be considered an excellent sit?

I think you feel relieved that you don’t have to change the date of your departure and want to thank the owner for changing the ticket. I completely understand.

From the information you have provided, I would rate the sit with a general 4 stars and 4 stars for cleanliness, pet behaviour and accuracy of listing. I would explain that the dogs are lovely but have to be taken out twice in the middle of the night, that you only learnt about that and the medication after accepting the sit and would give some specifications regarding cleanliness. I would also thank the owner for fixing the dates.

If you feel better giving 5 stars, it would be OK as long as you are factual about some issues and rate the specific categories lower. Up to you.

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You were on the right track here, IMO.

By contrast, five-star ratings would misrepresent the sit you’ve had and potentially allow other sitters to walk into sits with a host they might otherwise avoid.

To me, I’d rather not sit at all than sit for someone who pulls stuff like this.

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We are definitely relieved that we didn’t have to change our departure date (Especially given it would have been $200 for a hotel that night on such short notice). We agree with you all saying that it should be a 4 star sit due to cleanliness, pet behavior and accuracy of listing.

The HO actually texted us today asking if we are getting enough sleep…randomly out of no where. This just proves to us that she knows that the dog needs to go out multiple times a night. Which was stated to us that he might need to go out once upon our arrival of the start of the sit.

And yes, we do not feel like it is a 5 star sit…especially compared to our past sits that have been 5+ stars! Lol. We feel like at best it is a 4 star, but wanted to see what others thoughts, so thank you all!

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That is gross. In many parts of Europe they don’t have a top sheet traditionally however one would assume with any new person/guest that the comforter would be cleaned in that case.

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