You are missusing the platform. This is neither nice or fair to anyone cause you had bad experience. On that way this platform will die because of selfish people.
Hi @KerstinAndFrank. Thank you for your comment, however, I have to disagree with you.
The way sitters apply for sits has changed completely. Before this new rule came into place, the most important things to consider when applying for a sit were the contents of your application - make it personal, mention the pets names, describe yourself well etc - now, none of that matters, unless you are quick enough to be one of the first 5 applications submitted.
Now, the single most important thing to consider when applying for sits that are of interest to you is SPEED - do not waste time reading the listing too deeply, do not waste time writing a well-thought-out and informative application - you can do these things later.
We are full-time house sitters, we love the lifestyle and want to continue doing this in the future. The only way we can be sure to make this happen is by being considered by as many home hosts as possible… In order to do this we now use our 3 message system
1st message - send a single letter to lock your space in the first 5 applications
2nd message- send an explanation of why you are doing it this way
3rd message - send your application
I am sorry if you think we are selfish in doing this, If doing our best to be in the first 5 applicants is selfish then so be it.
As I see it, I have shared my method to everyone on this forum to copy if they wish - I could of course have kept it a secret in the hope that others would not think of it.
I would not call that selfish at all, I would call it extremely gracious, thoughtful and about as unselfish as it is possible to be
Unfortunately, Colin is correct. I used to be meticulous in checking all of the details before submitting an application. Now, it feels like a race to submit something … anything … before an interesting listing disappears. Colin* is not misusing the platform. Rather, Colin has been forced to change his behavior because applications are now paused by THS.
Pausing applications doesn’t benefit HOs or sitters. THS, however, seems to have identified it as a possible strategy to induce sitters to apply to other sits that do not receive as many applications. Sits going unfilled is a problem for THS, as evidenced by the “where have all the sitters gone” forum thread and recent marketing promoting THS as a way to have an inexpensive vacation.
By pausing applications, THS hopes that sitters will apply for other sits. For us, that’s not the case. We select our sits very carefully. If we’re unable to apply for a sit because it was paused, we would prefer to stay home rather than apply for a sit that doesn’t match our dates, preferred locations, preferred pets, etc.
*Even though I used Colin’s name, I feel he is representative of all THS sitters and the strategies we have adopted as a result of THS pausing applications.
No, not at all. This behavior is not ok. If you have a problem → complain to THS. But to “reserve” your spot is like putting a towel on a sunchair before breakfast at the hotel pool. It is like filling up your plate at the buffet and don’t leave something for the rest.
You don’t like what THS is doing with the technic they are using? You are free to go somewhere else. It is not up to you to bend the rules so that you get most out of it and spoil the situation for others. Thats not how communities work and thats for SURE not the way HO’s get the best sitter. This is how communities get divided.
Sorry to get to you like that, but thats on so many levels wrong.
No. Absolutely not. I don’t behave like that and I’m still booked for 1 year already.
This is a society problem in general. Everyone tries to get more than others and no one cares if the others get less because of that behavior.
Do I like the pausing feature? No, I don’t. But everywhere you go you will find features you don’t like. There are rules you don’t like. Everywhere. If everyone is now bending the rules for their own benefit, we get into serious trouble. This the society we live in. If everyone would consider to take more care, everyone would have his part.
And to be honest. What are we talking about? We are talking about “famous spots”. Luxury sits a.s.o. I can see lots of sits you can take but perhaps they aren’t in San Francisco, New York or don’t have a pool and home cinema.
Just saying. I will not respect this behavior as given or normal.
Why do people do this “elbow mentality” from their jobs into an alternative lifestyle where we all wanted to get away from that and live a peaceful life?
Unfortunately this is one of the many unintended adverse consequences of the auto pause feature … and an example of why we should all (or most all) be raising our concerns with THS and asking THS to undo the change… I think your right that this is not good for the community and Colin is right that it’s the logical and near inevitable consequence of the change… whether it’s a place holder application or just a fast one, it’s about speed and quantity over quality … It’s all just so unfortunate and so avoidable if only THS would come to recognize that! Come on THS, don’t take a great system and community and diminish it with this change!!!
We will keep this thread open so that members may continue to express their thoughts and opinions, however as Admins we retain the right to ensure this subject stays on topic without inappropriate comments or personalized attacks on any member of our community or team.
Just dipping in here with a gentle reminder in case this latest discussion has the potential to become personal. Thanks all.
@KerstinAndFrank Congratulations on being booked for a year! That’s a fantastic accomplishment.
I’m in agreement with you about society and rules - it would be hard living in Switzerland if I wasn’t!
Being a stickler for rules, I scanned the THS website and couldn’t find any “rules” about how sitters should apply for sits. Therefore, sitters who send place-holding applications aren’t breaking the rules. They’re adapting to a situation created by THS. That’s why rather than chastising a sitter for finding a way to submit an application (which is why sitters pay membership fees), I prefer to question THS about the short and long-term implications of pausing applications.
Since there is a rule about civil conversation on this forum, I’m going to wish you a pleasant day and end my side of this exchange here.
The quick one-letter or sentence response to lock in a spot before the 5 pause takes effect is an unfortuante result of the 5 pause.
THS just needs to tell us the rules and everyone can use them in the best way possible.
Is a one-letter response unethical? Maybe. But it’s also pretty smart and using the rules.
Is pausing applications after 5 unethical.? Maybe. But it’s also VERY dumb!
I mentioned “tell us the rules” and that’s something THS really needs to do!
The pause after 5 test was not disclosed in advance and from reading the THS posts apparently was only done on some listings.
What?! Only on some? How was THAT determined?
As far as telling us the rules so we can use them, here’s one example. It was only after wondering why we weren’t quickly getting alerts about sits matching our searches that I learned searches saved using the app get notices faster than those saved using the website!
So, now YOU know that secret handshake!
Until recently, we didn’t know you couldn’t see captions for photos except on the app! We spent time on the PC and website and then had to spend more time going to the app to see if the photos had any captions! This was not disclosed anywhere by THS!
Another secret handshake!
What other seceret handshakes are out there that we don’t know about that are hurting homeowners and/or sitters?
Considering the responses in this forum, it is truly shocking and appalling that THS is still “testing” the 5 pause and will be even more so if THS decides to keep it!
Pet-sitting network has secured a $10 million Series A from Rockpool Investments. The funds will go toward the company’s expansion in the US, with a focus on California.
Another “secret handshake” as you call it, is being able to see ALL past sitters on the APP, whether there are comments or not, vs the website, where you only see past sitters who have left comments.
For us, past sitter comments are very important when considering a potential sit. While we are most likely viewing potential sits on the website, having to take the time to check the APP for past sitters without comments before applying is now, essentially, impossible. Taking that time would likely mean we would not be one of the first five to apply.
As @Mary-Kay stated, we are all having to adapt to a situation created by THS.
I disagree with this analogy. Claiming a deckchair that you don’t intend to use for a few hours is unfair if others want the chair. Claiming a space among the first 5 applicants, when you fully intend to use that space as soon as it is available, is different. There is no requirement that sitter applications have any text, never mind a detailed one, so a one-letter application doesn’t break - or even bend - any rules. Every sitter could do this, so the playing field is still even.
People have complained to THS repeatedly on this forum. Many of us are long-term members with many sits and great reviews.
This new rule has changed everything. People are not all looking for sits in prime locations with great amenities as you presume. Some people are looking to sit in a specific region to be close to family or because they are traveling already in a specific area.
Without the pause in effect, we all had the same opportunity to apply, with the pause and time zone issues this is not now the case.
(I’m repeating Tarheels post here to make sure it’s clear what I’m responding to:
UK’s TrustedHousesitters picks up $10M
October 19, 2021
Pet-sitting network has secured a $10 million Series A from Rockpool Investments. The funds will go toward the company’s expansion in the US, with a focus on California.
Very interesting and the first I’ve heard of that. A quick online search found several entries with that info.
I’m a retired stockbroker and find this concept very interesting.
Invest in a successful comapny.
And then make changes to screw it up and cause clients to leave!
Except we can’t, actually. I’m always looking for sits in Italy and France and if the home owner posts them in the morning, I don’t see them until I wake up, and they are often gone within those first 8 hours or so. So I can’t even stick a quick ‘get-in-there-first’ message.
I totally understand why some people are doing this now, but to be honest, it’s going to make it even harder to put in an application because people will be grabbing one of those first 5 spots before they have even had time to research the sit at all. They may not even want the sit but the five spots will be gone and the home owner may very well be tempted to choose one of those first five and not even open it up to more people. Sigh.
@Kelownagurl completely agree with you. This is happening as HOs don’t fully understand the pause process and that, even if they decline one of the first five applicants, or if one of the sitters withdraws its application, the HO must then unpause its listing in order for it to again go live and allow more sitters to apply.
Some HOs have developed a workaround, cumbersome as it sounds as per an earlier post on this thread, to have as many applicants as they so choose. But I wonder how many HOs are now choosing from the pool of first five applicants as they don’t understand the process and believe that’s the only applicants they have to choose from.
There is limited Forum Admin cover this weekend therefore this thread is temporarily closed and will re-open Monday. Any new topics referring to this subject will be closed and merged here.
We are around of course, just in less numbers.
Thank you for your co-operation, patience and understanding.
