I just had the oddest sit application experience. I applied for a sit and the homeowner wrote a 3 paragraph, very long response on more specific details on the sit, and how much I would love it. She gave me 2 phone numbers as she prefers using whats app, etc. She then said she wanted me to decide by noon the next day. I replied an hour later that I absolutely would want to do the sit. She did not respond or read my response the next day. I awoke the 2nd day to a simple ‘decline’. No explanation whatsoever. I was so bummed but came to the realization that I lucked out not sitting for such a rude person. I do not like the accept/decline option either. One sentence is not too much to ask for.
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Wow, that is strange!
I would ask for an explanation, to make them understand that this isn’t done!
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Thats is very Rude
Maybe it was a warning 
if that was the attuide
I did. As my kids told me- “I got ghosted.”
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That is weird but I’ll add that, as HO, when I “accepted” a sitter last month the other applicants automatically received a message that they had been declined. I was shocked as I had planned to respond personally with kind notes! It seemed abrupt so I followed up with personal messages. Chances are this HO was sharing lots of info with several sitters and took the first one that accepted. Then BAM everyone else got the “declined” message. Take heart, I doubt it was personal, and they may not even have realized it happened.
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Thanks, It is good to know the homeowner’s prospective.
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Oh, that’s really interesting to know!!
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Yes - as a HO, I would like to know what the automated messages say, and my hope is they are a gracious decline. It is a very nice service for TH to provide an automated way to let a large number of applicants know that another sitter has been selected. It’s often not a “No” to the applicant as much as it is a “yes” to a certain applicant. In a recent case, we chose to select someone who applied several times before for a sit in our city - and we wanted to accommodate. It worked out great!
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See, I think that unless a sitter is a full-time sitter, he/she/they would not necessarily have that calendar updated.
Hi @pdr and thank you for taking time to understand and use the options to create the best of outcomes, something we ourselves as sitters always try to do.
There’s been several lengthy discussions in other threads about this particular standard message, which after feedback was changed to “sorry, this time it’s not meant to be”. But of course a more personal rejection can be sent by the owner if preferred.
What comes through strongly here in the forum discussions for all members is that good communication is very much appreciated and valued on both sides.
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Goody!
I (as a HO) did not know that an automatic message is being sent, also I’m still not clear about when exactly - once I confirm, or only when both sides have confirmed (which can be days later)? Also, can this be disabled?
Maybe @Vanessa_A you have detailed info?
Elmar.
It’s at this point I’m going to tag @Therese who will be able to confirm the exact details when she’s back online this morning. I know the message can’t be disabled (good suggestion for future consideration though), but she will be able to tell you the when 
Here’s an explanation from the help desk page on the website which might go some way to explaining the process:
As a sitter, I now just accept these messages without getting hung up about them.
However, a HO had to cancel a sitting this month due to Covid. He was so apologetic but couldn’t believe the brutal system for cancelling on the site and that I would receive the usual decline message which was obviously not suitable for a HO cancellation.
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Referencing @elmi4711 statement, “I (as a HO) did not know that an automatic message is being sent, also I’m still not clear about when exactly - once I confirm, or only when both sides have confirmed (which can be days later)? Also, can this be disabled?”, prompts me to return to a suggestion that I posted earlier on this forum – can THS develop some sort of a flow chart or article clearly showing the step-by-step process for the HO and the sitter?
(@Therese )
As a sitter, I’m still somewhat in the dark about the steps that a HO goes through to acquire and confirm a sitter and then to reject the other applicants. It also seems that HOs aren’t informed about how the process works from the sitters’ side. We click buttons and somehow stumble through the “process” but it’s not very clear what’s happening on the other side. Clarity would help with some of the concerns about communication that I see raised on this forum.
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@Mary-Kay @elmi4711 Thank you for this, I have asked our tech team if they can give me an exact indication of timing as and when emails are sent out, prompted by the actions of homeowners and sitters. I will post this once I receive this info. Kind regards Therese
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Thank you @Therese ! 
Would it also be possible to have a flow chart or article on the THS website clearly outlining the entire process – from posting a listing for the HO/applying for a sit for the HS to the review stage? For example, I’ve noticed that many forum members, myself included, do not understand the process by which a HO submits a review and the prompts that they receive from THS.
Having a flow chart or article on the THS website would make it easier for forum members to direct new members to that resource when they have questions about the process.
Thanks for your consideration!
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@elmi4711 @Mary-Kay Just to follow up as to when the decline message is sent out to all other sitters. The automatic ‘decline’ email goes out to sitters when both sides have accepted. i.e Owners confirm, and then Sitter confirms.
With regards to any other email prompts, this may take a little longer, but as soon as I have any information, I will post this. I hope this helps in the meantime. Regards Therese
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I had exactly the same scenario happen a few months ago and thought it was also rude. Just this week while on a house sit, I received invitations for three different house sits. There was just an “invitation” with no personal message. I could have easily just hit the “decline” button but that’s not how I operate - I find that rude. I politely sent a message thanking the three homeowners for the invitations but at the same time declining. Never got a response from the three homeowners.