I read a post recently from a host who said there post had 5 sitters reply then get an automatic ‘sitters being reviewed’ added to their post. I was not aware of this before! Unless you sit on the computer all day and get in fast I think it is unfair that only 5 replies are accepted before being blocked!
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It might be helpful if THS actually explained how they benefit from the 5 application rule given that the majority of sitters and owners find it very unhelpful.
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@Liffy99 Moderators say that it’s only a small minority that are saying it has negatively impacted them and that those in favor of it don’t want to post about it. The help desk replies with how this has been positive , overall , for members. They tout it’s great success. I would like to see a poll/survey asking , straight away , if the change is liked by members. I’d really like to know.
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I feel your pain. I’m quite perturbed about this 5 application max. I really hope THS reconsiders this policy.
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Surveys are going out atm. I filled mine in today. It doesn’t specifically mention the pausing limit bit there is plenty of opportunity to express your opinion and feelings. Quite therapeutic really. Although I have sore thumbs!
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I had not realised that there now was a five applicant limit but feel this is far too restrictive. I have frequently been offered a sit when there have been 7 - 11 applicants or more. And I once missed out when an owner had over fifty applicants. I was one of the l.ast to apply, as only just spotted it. However a couple of months later when they needed a sitter again they contacted me first rather than open to all on the site again. They could not face another fifty plus. But there are all sorts of reasons why none of a mere five would be suitable. Not fit enough for powerful dog. Difficult as wanting to fly in from abroad, or a young single person living not far away, who they are afraid may want a party, especially if over New Year. It really is far too restrictive and definitely needs a rethink.
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Newby question relative to the 5-application limit. I’m curious whether the system would allow a rapid one-line application to be then enhanced with more info?
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Hi @LosGatos, yes, you can say anything in your first reply.
The overall issue is that after five replies the system shuts down anyone else from applying, and removes the sit from view. Last week I watched two sits in popular destinations actually get five replies in under five minutes, then the sit disappeared.
So if you are like us, who enjoy exploring new parts of the world based on what sits come up, this has 100% upended our selection process. To see everything there is no way to work, or sleep, and the site needs to be refreshed every few minutes.
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Yes, let’s see some evidence about the 5 limit . . . .
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Getting my reply in before this discussion gets moved to the closed thread.
Yes, we need a user survey that directly addresses the 5-applicant limit!!!
THS keeps on claiming that most members like the 5-applicant limit, and that the only reason that we don’t see any positive responses on the forum is that this silent majority are all too intimidated to post.
Frankly, I don’t think those of us who do post are all that scary. 
And I find it hard to believe that we’ve intimidated every single one of that supposed majority of THS members who like the 5-applicant limit.
I would like to pose a hypothetical question to THS staff: Let’s imagine just for a minute that the 5-applicant limit genuinely IS unpopular with almost every THS member. Just hypothetically, let’s imagine that. If that were the case, how would the forum reflect that? It would have a huge outflow of frustration and negative responses, of course.
Now, let’s look at the real-life situation as it stands: The forum has a huge outflow of frustration and negative responses.
So how can we tell whether the situation is A: That the majority of THS members like the 5-application limit and they are all too timid to express their opinions on the forum. or B: That the 5-application limit is massively unpopular?
The way to distinguish between those situations is to send a survey to every single member, and to post the anonymous results of these surveys openly. If there is a majority of THS members who like the 5-applicant limit, surely they would feel comfortable answering a private individual survey!
CAN WE PLEASE HAVE THIS SURVEY, THS?
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HO should have the ability to enable a “reviewing applications” shut down when they feel they have enough to move on then be able to open it up again if they want.
As a HO…I would prefer that option.
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There
Other options:
C. Many THS members are not members of this forum. If they were, they would express their opinions.
D. Many THS members don’t even know about the 5-app limit, so they don’t have an opinion (but extrapolating from the forum comments, their opinions would be negative).
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@Lassie
Yes, THS often references your point C, saying that since forum posters are just a fraction of THS membership, our opinions are not representative. And that therefore THS is justified in shutting down our forum conversation and discounting our frustration.
A full anonymous membership survey, sent to everyone’s email address, would address this issue. And would give equal weight to each person’s voice.
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An email to every member advising them of the major change with regard to the 5 application rule would have been appreciated in the first instance. That would have been a start!
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I do this now. A very quick “Hi, I am applying to your sit, more to follow” if it looks like it will disappear within minutes. If it seems less critical then I tell the HO I am planning to apply and then immediately “withdraw” so they can have more than 5 applicants. With nearly every sit I have a couple preliminary questions (usually about travel times and in-person handoffs) and ask those in my intro email.
Few, if any, HOs have been aware of the auto-p**se feature.
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Admin Notice Moved From: https://forum.trustedhousesitters.com/t/mobile-site-shut-down-my-application-saying-five-had-been-reached
The moderators have been answering and assisting with the original topic and there is a further update to post, therefore the off-topic comments have been moved.
This thread was left open and active in anticipation that members would take the opportunity to contribute to the 5 Pausing discussion with constructive and objective feedback which is exactly as it should be Whilst we want there to be an open and constructive discussion on this subject this thread is an example of why that is currently unable to happen.
Whilst those participating are asking for objective feedback about this topic, the combative tone of these comments does not encourage or welcome those who may share different views to participate for fear of being shot down, would you want to step into the line of fire on a public space?
There have been many requests for a channel to leave feedback regarding the 5 pausing. THS has answered that request by providing a survey to all members who are actively using the platform. In the survey is a section for free text where members are able to leave as much feedback as they choose and we would encourage you to complete your survey when you receive it.
Thank you
The Admin Team
I would like to add that if a forum member is reading the “anti 5” posts…it would be helpful if they would post what benefits some are experiencing, which would be good to know AND perhaps a happy medium can be had.
I don’t accept that people reading these posts are afraid to chime in.
That creates a problem for communication and not a solution.
And, posts are monitored so there is a built in buffer.
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I JUST found out that owners can only receive a maximum of 5 applicants then their posting is «paused» and THEY have to UN-pause it. That is ridiculous! And although I understand there is a need to offer some sort of a pause or cap of applicants in order for the owners not to be drowned, it is quite unfair to sitters who are not on here regularly, unfair to owners who will have quite a reduced choice of sitters from such a small amount allowed at a time and may or may not know the application has been ‘paused’ or how to un-pause it AND it means that owners will wait to post closer to their sit dates because of this.
Please rethink this rule. Offer at the very least 10 or maybe 20 applicants or even offer the owners a «pause» button THEY can CHOOSE to activate and de-activate!
Please re-evaluate this «feature»
Carole
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Hello @Damselfly we have moved your post here to keep all content on pausing in one place and also because it was moving away from the posted topic.
thank you