My sit ends tomorrow and I learned today that the owners will be home late tomorrow night. I have a drive home of about 4 1/2 hours and I don’t know if they expect me to be here when they get back. They did have us come the day before they left. Of course, I will ask them. But since we’re communicating via WhatsApp text, I don’t want them to take anything the wrong way. I have no complaints; they’ve been wonderful. But I was expecting to be home tomorrow at some point- I have a pet of my own. Any suggestions?
Greetings @rniver
Welcome to the community, thanks for bringing this question!
Just explain you have to be home tomorrow, you have a 4-1/2 hour drive and that you are leaving at XX:XX. Make sure the dog/cat/pets are let out/fresh water and feed them early if necessary and have then confirm your plan. Don’t ask them…tell them.
Keep it simple! Hope that helps!
Please update us on the end-result!
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This should have been discussed with the owners before starting the sit. You’ve learned the hard way. Good luck
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Always discuss your arrival and departure times before you agree and confirm the sit
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I’ve come home after many sitters have already left. You could say something like “I hope you won’t mind if I leave a bit before you arrive home as I’ve got a long drive ahead of me and pets waiting at home. I’ll be sure to leave your pets with food and water and tidy the house before I go. If you have any concerns about this plan please let me know. Hope you had a great trip!”
You might mention if you can stay until their plane has taken off or whatever indicates that their travels home are in progress before you go. If they’re as nice as they sound they will understand. Good luck!
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We just returned from a sit where the homeowners’ flights were delayed and they said no problem with leaving early - they were totally understandable - I’m sure and hope they will be for your benefit 
I was a bit concerned about leaving early but got an over the top glowing review!
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On almost all of our sits, we time it so that we are gone before the pet parents come home. Before confirming a sit, both parties know what will happen on arrival and departure day so that there are no surprises. Plus, I ask if they have an emergency backup in case their return gets delayed.
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Thank you. Great advice for this first-timer and they were very understanding.
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Yes, very helpful - thank you. They responded positively and it seems all is well.
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Times of our arrival and departure are always discussed before accepting the sit, to ensure we can meet the PP’s requirements. We have to factor in travel times, so it’s an imperative.
Is this sit for cats or dogs?
@rniver , Id suggest contacting the PPs via WhatsApp and asking them to confirm expected time of return, then if it’s later than will suit you, ask if it’s okay with them if you walk, feed and settle the dogs / feed the cats , then post the keys and make tracks at --o’clock, on the proviso that they let you know as soon as they get home, so you know all’s well.
Good luck with it!
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I may bring it up then, but when it is far in the future the details are not usually hammered out when I confirm. I will ask when I need to know, for example because of the sit before or the sit after. Estimated return times may change during a sit.
I really don’t see how asking that kind of questions (or telling them one’s schedule) can be “taken the wrong way”. If they do, such people should not be on THS and use a paid service instead.
Sit ends at the time agreed between both parties .
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Great, so glad it worked out.
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I think arr and dep times should be stated with dates. Then you know if you have to overnight in a hotel-- if traveling distance and have to be there early – like my sit coming up. Or have overlap, with sit ending and sit starting. I am interviewing for 2 sits in Dec, relatively close, but starting and stopping same day. So that is always a question I ask.
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Ageed. It would make things much more clear.
Liked @TravelMan advice on this one. The HO neglected to verify the times as well, so it was a 50/50 drop of the ball. But for the future, the times are not dictated by the HO, both parties have input. I actually set my arrival / departure, with some flexibility.
I realize that I am a bit “old school” (but not old yet 
!), but I like to keep a paper calendar for certain things. It helps me to see the flow of my life better.
Writing down many things about Sits on my paper calendar helps me a lot! Of course, start and end dates, and then the exact timing of my arrival and departure. I put notes about the Owner’s arrival and departure there too.
I also note “garbage day,” “cleaner coming,” “gardener coming,” “street cleaning-move car,” “fish tank guy coming,” “pool guy coming,” “water plants.”
I agree with @pietkuip that if a Sit is agreed months ahead of time, the exact details are not yet known. It is good to reach out periodically to the Owner, and during the month or two before the Sit begins, get down to the nitty gritty details. It really is helpful for everyone involved. Win win!
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Congratulations on your first sit! This is one of many reasons why I developed a Memorandum of Understanding template that I send to all homeowners before our video chat (and suggest you do the same.) That way you can discuss everything during the video chat and follow up in writing.
Also note that simply agreeing to a sit through the trusted house sitter platform does not mean anyone has actually signed an agreement. Be sure to read through the Terms & Conditions | TrustedHousesitters.com for clarity. I’m telling you this because I didn’t realize this until at first and most of the HOs I’ve talked to didn’t know either.
I would suggest not to do that. It is likely to get you declined.
Of course one can summarize in a text message what was discussed and agreed in the video chat (write clearly: dates with day of the week, use the 24-hour clock or morning/evening, not just am/pm), but don’t call it a Memorandum of Understanding. This is not a nuclear arms reduction treaty!
has not be our experience.