Hello forum! I have really enjoyed reading through many of the topics discussed here and have learned a lot since joining THS in 2019. This is my first post.
My partner David and I have separate accounts because occasionally we do house sits solo. We mostly sit together though and since I have been a member longer than him, I tend to apply for the sits. We have found I tend to get invited on sits more easily because I have more reviews. The problem is then he does not get the review even if we sit together. Would it make sense to have just one account and combine everything, if that is possible and then for solo sits, just clarify in the application that it will be just one of us for that particular sit? It seems complicated and I am hoping someone with a brighter mind than mine can give me some guidance. We are currently lined up for 4 sits in the UK but all under my application and profile. So once again, though he is very much a part of the animal care, I will reap the benefit of getting a review. Thanks in advance!
Hi @Doreen, your post is the first time I’ve come across couples as sitter that have separate accounts. All the sitters that we’ve had that sit as a couple and from time to time solo only have one account for the reasons you’ve listed. I would strongly suggest just doing it under one account so that you don’t lose reviews and yes being upfront in your application weather the sit would be as a couple or solo. However, whatever profile you close (I believe) those reviews would be taken down with the account. I’m tagging @Carla to see if she can assist you further with merging your accounts and hopefully not having to lose any reviews in the process.
Hi @Doreen. Your situation is so unique I just had to reply. 
As @Kelly noted, I haven’t seen a couple that each had a separate TH profile. If anything, it’s more expensive. But just some thoughts:
- With separate accounts, you have the distinct advantage of both of you having been verified and background-checked.
- The couples (and families) I’ve seen do have just one account. But I’m not sure that’s better than your current situation. For example, if you had a combined account, only one of you would still get any reviews. Suppose a couple has 20 reviews and they break up, so one person gets a separate account. TH is not going to copy all 20 reviews into that separate account. At least, I don’t see that happening.
- You say you get invited on sits more easily because you have more reviews. But how do you know? It could be because you’re a female, or they like your profile better.
- If David wants more reviews, then he should be the one applying. Or you could even apply using his account, just like other couples that have one name listed but apply as a couple. Just make it clear in the application/profile.
- If the issue is that you get more invites than David, then update your profile so it notes that any sits you do will probably be with your partner, David. And include a link to that profile. If I put on my PP hat, I’d want to know that. Then when they invite you, ask if they can send the invitation to David’s account purely because you want his account to get the review. If you word it carefully, it shouldn’t deter any PPs … at least any that would be a good fit for you and David to sit for anyway.
- For example, you could set up David’s account as the combo account (in terms of wording). Then if you get an invite on your account, just write back and say, “I sit now with my partner David and we use his account, which is this one (link), the same one as mentioned at the start of my profile [because you already did that]. Can you please send the invite there?”
- I guess I feel that since you’ve already got separate accounts, if the cost isn’t an issue, you may want to keep the two accounts. Again, being both verified is nice, and you can even leverage that and simply use that as the reason you both still have separate accounts. It’s enough reason in my book. As long as you word it properly, it should provide extra peace of mind for the PPs!
Thank you. This is all very helpful to hear. Good to know that the reviews will be gone on day David’s account if he joins my account. Lots to think about and weigh. I am very honest and up front when I apply about sitting with David and also ask them if they want to see his profile also. Thanks again.
@geoff.hom wow! Very thorough and thoughtful response. I’m going to go through all of your points again slowly and see what I come up with. I initially had him get his own account (I had joined 3 yes prior to him as a solo) because of the verification factor. I thought it would be an advantage to allow the pet owners access to his verification for further peace of mind. We have been together over 20 years so hopefully I don’t have to worry about a break up 
Thanks again, I will be mulling all of this over.
@Kelly Thanks for your response and your tagging for further clarification. It would be great if we could combine but still keep all of our separate reviews.
Hello, @Doreen You have some great suggestions and feedback here. As you have also sat individually I can see why you created two accounts, but as the others mentioned that can prove more costly and then you do not build up joint reviews.
There currently isn’t a way to be able to combine two separate accounts as the reviews are given by the owner to that sitter, for those dates and to their account. That’s how the system is set up and if you decided to no longer use David’s account the reviews would stay on his account as there is no way to merge them.
What you could do is reach out to those owners and ask them to provide David a reference on your account, they can state in the reference that the sit took place via THS.
You can then explain this in applications and future owners would be able to see previous sit feedback that way.
I guess you have to weigh up keeping both accounts, to keep the reviews and be able to sit separately, verses using your account and building more reviews as a couple, which I am sure you will quickly be able to do!
Any questions let me know, feel free to DM me and happy housesitting 
“What you could do is reach out to those owners and ask them to provide David a reference on your account, they can state in the reference that the sit took place via THS.
You can then explain this in applications and future owners would be able to see previous sit feedback that way.”
Yes, this is a solution I am thinking of doing. David just got a couple of sits for next fall on his own so soon he will have more reviews and this will be a moot point. I will also add a link to his profile when I apply for the two of us doing a sit and vice versa when he applied for the two of us doing a sit. It is a bit more expensive but we like the flexibility of going together or solo. We have been together for twenty years and it’s this sort of “elasticity” that really keeps us both happy and grounded. Thanks for your reply.
@Doreen you are most welcome and I think that is a great idea to share your individual links when you apply for joint sits, just so the owners can see all of the reviews.
I love how you have made this work for you as individuals and as a couple. It’s very inspirational for others 
If you ever need anything feel free to DM me. Happy housesitting to you both.
@Carla
Thanks for your kind words. We are in the UK doing sit # 1 of 4 over the next few months. Love THS. It’s so fun to meet great people and great pets. Thanks for all the work you do.
@Doreen Aw thank you for your kind words! Have an amazing time sitting in the UK, feel free to post a meet-up if you get any time as there may be some other members in your areas.
It was lovely connecting with you
Hi @Doreen
My husband & I have a joint profile as we mostly sit as a couple. Occasionally, due to family commitments one of us completes a solo sit. At application stage we make it very clear to the HO if it will be one of us & which one it will be. We have not encountered any issues & have been successful in these solo applications.