I’m finding it a bit frustrating looking for sits and more than half the listings on a page are shown as ‘reviewing’ so it’s not possible to apply for them. They are just taking up space on the page. Is it possible to add a feature to the filter to hide such listings? Or even just not show them at all because it doesn’t serve any purpose. Does anyone else have any thoughts on it?
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I get all notifications for my saved searches at :48 past the hour. Clearly HOs don’t all post at the same time, so I’ve taken to checking randomly during the day, which is dreadful. We’re heading to the UK this spring and have confirmed one sit and are looking for others.
With the new 5 app limit, and the 8 hour time difference, it’s REALLY difficult to find the right sit.
I ended up deleting my France saved search after I got 5 notifications overnight (12:48, 1:48, etc) and only 1 was still available by 7:30 when I got up. And now seeing “owner is reviewing apps” sits in the search is SO dispiriting - all those Italy sits we missed being able to apply for cause I was asleep…. I’d like to see the app protocol being 24 hours OR 5 apps, whichever comes last. Then at leave sitters in any timezone would have a shot.
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A post was merged into an existing topic: Saved Search emails arriving too late
5 votes have been moved.
I can really understand your frustration- the time differences really makes a difference. The good thing about the UK is there are always so many sits there so you have a much greater chance of finding something suitable even if the first choice does not always work out. But in countries with much fewer sits its a genuine problem. I really don’t understand why THS does not drop this 5 app rule- it is so extremely unpopular and its really not clear to anyone what positive function it serves.
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I was trying to add my tuppence worth to the subject of the 5 sitter rule - from an HO point of view. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find how to join the discussion in the thread I was reading. In the meantime, I will post here….
The 5 applications max allowed before my listing is paused has driven me up the wall. It is a complete waste of my time, and from what I read, of sitters time too. If THS is going to put a limit on the number of applicants, PLEASE increase the number to at least 15 or more. Better still, get rid of the rule completely.
As HOs, our particular requirement is for long term sitters. There is no doubt that nowadays many sitters have invariably replied in haste to our listing and either dates don’t fit, or they haven’t properly digested our requirements. Even worse, the sitters are often inexperienced. For a long term sit, we need sensible, experienced sitters. We really do.
So I try to compromise then, when all the juggling gets too complicated, I end up having to decline perfectly good sitters for one reason or another (ie no car when this is essential, dates don’t fit, need a visa etc - all smallish niggles which could perhaps be resolved if there was more time to sort things out) So another five applications, pause, unpause, pause and by now I’m worried that sitters think I’m being rejected as a potential sit when in actual fact, the sitters aren’t totally suitable. I’m actually quite flexible on most things but in trying to find the best fit, I now feel I’m being forced to compromise.
We’ve been with THS for over 7 years. It always worked so well in the past. I would end up with two or three excellent sounding sitters. They usually had read through my listing and requirements, had had the opportunity to work out if it was worth the travel and whether dates would fit. Then a video chat so both sides can meet and assess. What wonderful people we have had the privilege of finding. Now it all takes so long.
The thread I was reading (and have now lost), seemed to be written by frustrated sitters. I just want all you lovely but frustrated sitters to know that as a Home Owner, I am very frustrated too!
PS. We eventually found our sitters for later this year. They seem to be charming and tick all the boxes, so we’re very happy and excited about them.
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Why is it almost impossible to reply to people’s comments because anything negative (mostly the unpopular 5 rule) has been moved to a closed thread. Please reopen that thread. Its a form of censorship.
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Me too. I don’t understand why THS are continuing with such an unpopular rule and move negative comments to a closed topic. I’m sure people will just stop renewing and go elsewhere.
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@Wildcolonialgirl & @musketeer In answer to your questions regarding the closing of the Pausing Applications Post … If you need any additional clarity please feel free to Direct Message me.
Thank you.
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Disappointing to see the censorship by mods of posts about the ‘5 application rule’ which seem now to be automatically moved to a closed thread. What’s the point of a community forum is the community can’t comment further? None of the comments are abusive. Makes we wonder what the motive is.
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Hi I have Direct Messaged you @BJane and refer you to the previous Admin Notice for clarification.
Thank you
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@Ben-ProductManager good morning and HNY.
Having read the issues that members are having due to the pause feature negatively impacting on their ability to find sits for various reasons; time zones, sleeping, working, notifications delay etc, could I please ask if THS are actively monitoring these issues and complaints and if so, are there plans to collate the information and review the pause feature?
If so, could a survey specific to the pausing and not a general one be sent?
To me, it seems you have many customers that are unhappy and that, as a business, I’d like to assume that THS are concerned. Your customers satisfaction and brand reputation seem to be on the decline, I can’t imagine that THS would want this, especially when one of the biggest issues could be easily tweaked - owners setting the numbers of applications they want before pausing.
Many thanks.
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Hi @Daisy999 thank you for your comments and observations which will come to the attention of the Product Team. We have moved your post into this thread, which is specific to your question and one that has been discussed at length.
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@Daisy999 wrote:
I can’t imagine that THS would want this, especially when one of the biggest issues could be easily tweaked - owners setting the numbers of applications they want before pausing.
@Ben-ProductManager ,
This is a good idea. Why not allow individual HO to choose the number of applications they want to receive before the listing is paused?
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I have been a sitter with THS for 5+ years and have over 30 5* reviews. My husband and I are nomadic and like to do sits in our home country US, as well as internationally, and look for long sits (2 weeks plus). But we also prioritize travel to where we want to be- so often rent when we don’t find something that works. In the last 6 months we have been frustrated with sits going away so quickly. We often debate a sit, the timing, the location and think it over instead of jumping in within a second, and now we wake up to find the perfect sit is already gone. I finally returned to the forum to see what’s going on and I learned about the 5 applications and pause. My opinion is that it makes people make decisions too quickly about applying and it’s unfair if you are in a different time zone. I can’t be waking up in the middle of the night to check for sits and make a snap decision like that, and it’s a shame. My husband and I recently talked about trying different sitting sites to get more options and I think this is the main reason we are experiencing this difficulty.
I just wanted to post my 2 cents worth since I missed the initial discussions.
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Hey All,
I have been with TH since 2016 - but I am noticing that the site has a different look and feel. When I log in to check on available sits I will see “reviewing” on all available sits in the area.
Maybe its just me?
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Welcome @Heya12 - a lot has happened since you were here last and too complicated to explain.
Use the spyglass at the top of the page and search for ‘Conclusion of Pausing Application Test’ and all will become clear.
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Agree if very few listings reach 5 applications why the limit? We have the opposite problem. We posted a listing on Jan 11. In total we got 35 applications over the next two days and reached our 5 applicant limit multiple times. We were constantly having to hit the decline button to keep our listing open and didn’t have the time to send declined applicants individual messages.
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I’ve just post a response to Timshazz. We just got 35 applicants in two days. Certainly wasted plenty of time having to constantly monitor the app and declining sitters to keep our listing open. Also we’ve talked to sitters who were unaware of this policy and wondered why new sits were reviewing application so quickly.
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At the recent holiday social event for THS members in my area (great idea, thanks THS) I was surprised and somewhat dismayed when I was told that THS currently allows an HO to receive only 5 applications, and must reject all of those applications before getting more. Is this correct? If so, I think this is a disservice to both HO’s and prospective sitter applicants. I feel quite capable of deciding myself when to pause applications! I personally like to have about 10 (or more) sitter applicants before choosing, as it may take a couple of exchanges with several to determine who’s the best fit.
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