I’ve been accepted for a sit and the HO has asked if I’d like to stay longer, which I am very happy to. I was thinking about asking them to change the dates but they’re a first timer and I’m pretty sure they won’t know how. I just searched to try and find out how to do this and came across this very helpful post by @Marion
Can anyone kindly confirm that this is still the process - the HO changes the dates, the sitter has to then confirm and then the HO has to reconfirm?! Because if so it seems ridiculous. I can understand why the sitter has to confirm the new dates but why on earth would the HO who just changed the dates have to reconfirm?!
I will probably not ask the HO to change dates as it seems I’m likely just to end up with an unconfirmed sit!
It would be up to THS to explain the logic behind the steps and you will not see that happening. It is wise that the dates for your sit are accurate on the THS platform. Lots of posts where the dates weren’t amended and avoidable issues arose.
Thanks again! I agree we’re unlikely to see THS explaining the logic behind these steps but it would be nice if the ‘help’ article actually included all the steps. Sitters shouldn’t have to keep badgering HOs to update their sit simply because THS has made the process so opaque.
If (for whatever reason) it doesn´t work to extend the current sit, the host can invite you to a new one, starting on the day of the current sit´s departure.
p.s. Only a week ago, I was in a similar situation. The host relisted and offered me the sit. I had to accept the offer
Hi @LauraT I think it would only officially be a THS sit, and therefore subject to THS Ts&Cs/insurance etc., for the dates that have been confirmed via the website. It might be worth making the effort now to correct the dates, just on the off-chance that anything goes wrong whilst you’re on the sit and that’s something that you need to rely on.
Another point to add is that if a booking fee has been paid this is refunded when the owner ‘unconfirms’ the original dates but immediately taken again when the new dates are confirmed. It threw me a bit initially when this happened to me.
@LauraT you will loose access to the online Welcome Guide when the sit officially ends - so if that will create a problem it’s worth getting the dates changed .
You can try contacting THS via live chat ( ask to speak to a human ) explain the situation and send them a screenshot of the messages where the hosts asks you to stay longer and ask THS to amend the dates .
Thanks for all the replies. The point about the booking fee is interesting, it seems that a date change for the THS system is essentially cancelling the existing sit and replacing it with a new one. Hence the refunding and re-paying of the booking fee and the need for both sitter and HO to reconfirm.
I am now paying booking fees as this sit took me past my renewal date and the HO is new (and not a premium member) so will also be paying them. This adds an extra layer of irritation knowing that we will both have our fees refunded and retaken. It also means setting up a second sit for the remaining dates is probably out of the question.
I’m not overly concerned about it not being an official sit for the extended dates. I understand there is a risk but I’m not really convinced THS would be much help in the event that something goes wrong, especially as I only have the basic membership.
Regarding the welcome guide, as I mentioned, the HO is new so doesn’t have a welcome guide yet and from our discussion, it seems they are making their own rather than using the THS one so losing access to the welcome guide wouldn’t be an issue in this case.
Nevertheless, I agree with the consensus that it would be best to have the whole sit official so I will discuss with the HO and perhaps follow @Silversitters suggestion to ask THS to amend the dates, as this sounds like the simplest option.
Of my sits that changed their dates, half changed the dates in the system and the other half didn’t; I didn’t push for a system change, and everything has worked out fine so far.
@PV592 You have completed 2 THS sits so far according to your profile. Maybe some of the date changes are for sits that have not yet taken place?
A date change could affect, for example, your ability as a premium member to claim reimbursement for accommodation costs in the case of a cancelled or curtailed sit. It is worth thinking carefully about the impact of not changing dates on the THS system, and what your plan B would be.
For context, as I was quoted from another thread by the OP, while I did point out the clumsiness of the process, I never said it wasn’t worth making sure the official dates were the actual dates for reasons that other people have stated here.
In that thread which happened a while back, I was simply ranting a bit about the process and how it often fell on sitters (who don’t work for THS) to make sure the sit was “official” for the correct dates.
As that previous thread was written around a year ago I think, I have no idea whether or not THS has made any changes or updates and have no idea about the fees and any impact with that.
Looks like @PV592 does have sitter premium membership. Be aware that inaccurate sit dates would be a very easy reason for THS to cite in denying cancellation coverage associated with premium membership.
@LauraT I was just about to suggest you keep it simple and ask the HO to create a new sit for the extended dates. That would also mean you can give and receive 2 reviews instead of one. We have done this a number of times. However after I read you are now paying fees you’d have to decide if it would be worth the extra cost to take that route.
