You know that sitters can become ill and cancel right before or on the first day of, or even during a sit too, right?
(And there is another very practical point: what if I had not seen the message before leaving?)
Then make sure to check messages before you leave. If I have a flight I check to make sure it isn’t canceled before I head out.
I would say that being ill is a consequence, wouldn’t you?
I think my fellow TH members have already covered everything. I’d just like to add another option in case you don’t want to, or don’t have the money to, pay for a hotel: Couchsurfing dot com (I don’t know if I am allowed to mention this.)
Membership costs around $14–$20 per year. You stay in someone else’s home for free, and afterwards you can review each other. It’s generally as much about meeting people and potentially making new friends as it is about finding somewhere to stay, so it may be a little challenging if you’re more introverted.
We used Couchsurfing many years ago and thought it was great. That said, you could also end up in a Paris apartment where people party all night! It’s therefore a good idea to read the reviews carefully, depending on whether that sounds like your idea of fun or your worst nightmare.
Always have a plan b. Sitters do this to homeowners too. It’s terrible but it happens.
I understand your frustration - we are sitters and had to cancel a repeat sit because my elderly mother-in-law went into intensive care and passed away. The owners were very understanding and they had to have a back up plan. Having said that, and hearing your story and others, when we decide to start flying to locations in Europe from Canada to expand our housesitting adventures, we will most definitely get the premium coverage - read the fine print - have a plan B and get extra coverage if we need to.
Couchers dot org was built by former couchsurfers who got sick of the venture capitalist org that bought took over. couchers is still free, I think.
Everyone - both sitters and HO - need a plan B, and one they can invoke at the 11th hour.
It’s definitely distressing when it happens, but it is a voluntary exchange and not an iron-clad contract.
mbss said: “I also find it worrying that, because the sit did not start, I apparently cannot leave a review. This means that future sitters may have no way of knowing that a confirmed housesit was cancelled literally on the morning it was due to begin. I completely understand that emergencies and illness can happen. At the same time, a confirmed housesit is a commitment on both sides, and a cancellation on the first day can have a major impact on the sitter.”
I’m still wondering what you expect to achieve. You acknowledge that emergencies happen and people get sick, but it looks like you still would like some compensation for the cancelled sit. What kind of compensation are you looking for? You obviously hadn’t already incurred travel expenses when the sit was cancelled; you were planning to drive the three hours from Lisbon to Porto but hadn’t left yet.
I disagree that a cancellation for sickness or an emergency is grounds for posting a negative review. The host gave you a good reason for the cancellation, and they shouldn’t be punished because they got sick.
I’m sorry that this happened to you.
I’m also sorry to see that you got so many replies having a go at you rather than supporting you. I don’t have a solution for you I’m afraid, but I hear what you are saying and I agree, it’s a vulnerable position to be in as a sitter.
Some hosts would have a sitter in mind and try to help them even if they were ill. I know I would if I was the host.
I was recently about to do a cat sit which got cancelled about 2 weeks ahead of time. I had already booked an international flight and made plans around this sit. Thankfully, it was only for 5 days and I booked an Airbnb instead. The host showed zero interest in helping me and that upset me a little as well. There was a serious reason for cancelling, but again, if the host was me I would have been more concerned for the sitter and tried to help in some way. We are all different and not all of us have huge amounts of empathy.
Being a member of THS is definitely easier if you have lots of money (some members here call this a “Plan B” ).
Writing in this forum about any issues requires a thick skin, and being prepared to encounter lack of empathy, and often if people post a problem and are clearly upset, others respond that is was all their fault and they did everything wrong. It’s not a caring kind community to support others, sadly. (there are definitely some kind and caring people writing here though) That’s why I don’t post here about problems I have on sits, because I know I’d most likely end up feeling worse.
These are my thoughts, too.
The host may or may not be ill. It’s a bit odd that she was still messaging you until shortly after midnight last night - that in itself is unusual, and doesn’t signify an organised host. Is this someone new to the platform? It suggests she may have simply got cold feet about the whole deal but, equally, she may indeed have come down with an illness, as she claims. The end result for you is the same, regardless; no sit.
I agree that both hosts and sitters face this vulnerability and the bottom line is, unless one has paid the additional sum for premium membership, it’s imperative to have a plan b.
That’s fair enough, as any review is to state the experience in a factual manner. I don’t think it would necessarily be detrimental to you, and it would give a heads up to future sitters that no alternatives were proposed by the host (not obligatory of course, but definitely considerate). I’d also mention the midnight messages on the evening prior to the sit start date, since that’s something I’d consider a red flag.
It must be said though, if you had fallen ill overnight, would you be offering to fund alternative pet care for the host? Likewise, if the host invited you still to stay, would you really want to do that, with illness in the house?
I think that would depend on whether the host has the sit cancelled through THS. I don’t think the can cancel it themselves because the sit has already started according to the system.
@mbss, you will know that in five days. You may be able to leave a review and it doesn’t have to reflect negatively on you if it is an empathetic, factual review. Perhaps it would be a good idea to have someone else read it before you post it.
If it is showing as current on your dashboard, you will still be able to leave a review. It could be both benign but informative. ‘This sit was cancelled by the Homeowner early on Day 1 due to illness. Fortunately, I hadn’t yet departed from my own home’.
At which point, they would probably complain to THS and get it removed anyway.
Were the host taking a flight or just driving?
@belluca The actual ‘staying on someone’s couch’ part is free, of course. But keeping the platform running, safe and functional still costs money, so there is a relatively small membership fee. According to AI, it starts at around $20. This might be a useful option if you’re travelling on a tight budget.
That said, all things considered, I personally think the cost of a Premium membership with basic insurance is ‘dust in the wind’ compared with the price of just a few nights in an Airbnb. But that’s just my opinion.
(Moderator: you may quote me on that. 
)
@mbss, welcome back to THS Forum.
Sorry to hear of the last-minute cancellation.
Such a cancellation has happened twice to us. Both in international locations. Sucks, but it happens. Each pet parent had their reason. But at a certain point, their reason doesn’t matter at all - simply that they cancelled.
Each time, we had to pivot plans. Stressful. But unavoidable.
Suggest contact THS Member Services on Urgent Phone Line. If you are a Premium member, suggest read Sit Cancellation Insurance coverage very carefully. Terms are quirky. For example, unless approved otherwise by underwriter, alternative accommodation must be within 20 miles of original property listing.
I used Couchsurfing many years, so I know the model, thanks. Couchers does not charge a platform fee (and Couchsurfing didn’t until it became a tech startup a decade after existing)
In this case a review can probably be done.
Good luck proving that! It’s sort of related to why most courts don’t consider infidelity in divorce cases. Too tough to prove!
Unless it’s a British show. Then they’ll confess everything at the end.