That’s a preference and how you do it which is fine. Trying to fit everyone in a box is a problem. Why not a simple checklist for both sitters and homeowners for topics to discuss before confirmation on video chats/phone calls/ or even a messaging chat or email series that covers handover at start or before? And handover after (could be a text or a video or in person as ageed.).
Might be nice if there was even a prompt before confirmation: Did both parties have a discussion about the sit and logistics? Yes / No. And maybe make the actual communication mandatory.
Back in October we had a repeat sitter in our home. This was during the shutdown and a nationwide weather crisis. The sitter would be leaving our house around 1 and we’d be back around midnight which was cutting things close because we don’t free feed our cats, but it woudn’t be terrible.
Because of all the craziness, the sitter decided to change her flight for an ealier one and she let me know. I decided due to concerns about our own flight being delayed to ask a neighbor to come in and give our cats supper. Problem solved. (Our flight was delayed by few hours so that was prudent.)
Pet parents should be aware that sitters are travelling and can’t always change their plans, so they need to work out a “delay” plan. Of course it’s ideal if someone has plenty of room to extend the sit.
We didn’t have what ifs about delays discussed in advance because we both knew each other and trusted each other. The timing of the flights were agreed. Homeowners need to have backups plans if the sitter is delayed. Sitters need to make sure the homeowner has a plan so that they can leave.
And this is why not every sit will work for every one. With a dog sit I can defintely see the difficulties. I can imagine a situation where the homeowners have to leave to get to the airport or get on the road and they absolutely want the sitter there.
There are things THS needs to “standardize” to scale up, but some things like arrival times and departure times for sits can’t always be one size fits all and parties have to work it out.
A high percent of cat sits are remote handover and handover upon leaving is a message and maybe “notes".
Ideally dog sits shoud involve non remote handovers and enough communication around leaving to know the dog won’t be left too long. EG: “We’ve landed and our on our way home.”
Not trying to be a gloomy gus but I get the feeling the changes to come will be the ones that no one wants or is asking for initiaited by people who don’t understand the site, while basic stuff that hasn’t worked for years like differences between ghost content on app listings vs web listings will never get addressed.
We don’t have ownership. Agency is the ability to workaround or to leave.
I don’t have an issue if you need them the night before, but then the sit starts the night before. And you have a place for them to stay. I applied for a sit recently, in a one bedroom apt in LA. He had to leave at 4 am, and wanted me to arrive at 3 am. He was looking for a sitter that could come at 3 am. Even when I declined and withdrew, he messaged me and asked again. Now 3 am is unusual. But 7 am is more than common.
I know peope hate to read these days, but there should be some kind of homeowner best practices/guidelines or a video with sections that goes over stuff like this keeping in mind that this is how the exchange works and how you make your home attractive to unpaid pet sitters.
There are also shoud be a similar something for sitters.
I remember seeing stuff in the forum especially fro veteran users saying THS didn’t need rules or this stuff because it was “common sense.” I don’t think there is the same common understanding anymore. It seems like the new management is trying just to standardize rules and practices which won’t work because homeowners aren’t innkeepers and pet sitters are budget-conscious travelers and not employees. Being considerate of the other party and understanding their needs is paramount.
I think it would be great to do a video showing “An attractive sit vs an unattractive sit” using the same home and pets.
I love the idea of a video! So much easier than blogs nowadays!
@Jenny - I bet you can get some HO and Sitter volunteers to make a video that can than be posted to the website of best practices from both sides (after review of course)! Just a suggestion!
I’ve noticed that newly-listed sits now include ‘sit essentials’ which specify required arrival and departure times for sitters. Could this be linked to the new handover expectations?
I suspect it’s related. Why else amend the wording of handover requirements, if not to marry up with newly added listing requirement for timing of arrivals and departures?
I think neither is particularly going to change the necessity for communication (and possibly compromise) on sitter arrival and departure times, or handover agreements.
** I’ve just noticed there’s a new thread to discuss this new listing requirement. Thanks for the comment.