Hi everyone,
I’m hoping to get some advice or insight from fellow members. I had confirmed a sitter for an upcoming sit on AUG 20th. We had a positive initial exchange, and after a virtual and in person meeting and date adjustments, I confirmed him through the platform. It did take 2-3 days for him to confirm the sit, and seing that he had not confirm i started accepted applications again, thinking he was unavailable, he confirmed at this very time when i had a few candidates.
I sent two follow-up messages (10 and 7 days prior to the sit) with no reply. I also reached out to TrustedHousesitters support, who kindly tried to contact him as well — but they also received no response at the time. Based on that, and on customers support advice, I had to unconfirm him and start looking for a new sitter urgently.
One thing to consider: He did tell us that previous to my sit, he had a previous sit, which at the time of this message it has been ongoing for a few days, and this is where it all gets strange : how come he is currently sitting and is not even replying?
Now, strangely, right after the unconfirmation, he reappeared 3 days prior to the begining the sit, replying to earlier questions as if nothing had happened — without addressing the missed messages or acknowledging support’s outreach. He didn’t seem to realize he’d been unconfirmed.
While I appreciate that he resurfaced, I have concerns about reliability and communication, especially with such short notice. Trust and responsiveness are essential, and it’s left me in a tricky situation.
Has anyone else experienced something similar?
Thanks in advance for your input — I really value this community’s experience 
I would start by reviewing his previous reviews to see if communication has been an issue in the past. You might see subtle mentions that weren’t obvious when you initially read his reviews. If no red flags surface, I would share your concerns with him and let him know that open and clear communication is a must. The sit he was on may have been in a location that did not have cell service or internet. However, if you do not feel comfortable, you may need to pull the plug.
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I’m a sitter, but if I was a homeowner, I wouldn’t be bothered pursuing any more communication with this sitter. I always feel the key to a successful house sit is great communication from the start. I’ve never encountered any communication problems with homeowners and this would be a definite red flag to me.
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Are you communicating with him only through the THS messaging system?
Regardless, I would not trust this person. All of the delays that you mention are a bit alarming.
In the future, always get the cell phone number and email address for your sitters. Much, much better just in case there are any communication issues. Plus, you could have CALLED the sitter.
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Sounds a bit flaky.. You’re likely not his first choice, perhaps not even second. He’s already shown you you’re an option, not a priority. With only a few days to go, better to put your energy into those who are actually interested. Second choice isn’t worth first effort.
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Yes only through THS, that was one mistake, i know. I could have called, although i did not have any number at hand, and took for granted that member support was contacting him by phone or other… In any case next time i’m asking forehand every means of contact prior to the sit…
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I read the reviews several times and it did stand out that in two sits communication was a point to be better at, although it did not stand out that it was bad at this point. Eventually confronting all the facts rose a red flag : no comm previous of the sit, appearing and reappearing, no followup messages and the conflicting fact that he is supposed to be at a sit, and not replying!
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In the end, I decided to pull the plug: I unconfirmed my sitter and found another one — just 2 days before the sit was due to start.
Confronting the facts, another red flag became clear: even after I took the time to write a thorough message explaining the importance of communication, expressing my concern that something might have happened, and mentioning that customer service had also tried (without success) to reach him… he still wasn’t proactive in explaining the situation or offering reassurance.
For me, that lack of initiative was the final sign. He could have suggested alternative ways to stay in touch (e.g. WhatsApp, video call, or email) or given me a stronger level of trust and commitment — but he didn’t.
It’s not an easy decision to unconfirm a sitter at the last minute, but communication and trust are non-negotiable. I still feel bad about unconfirming the sitter!
I wanted to share this experience here in case it helps others facing a similar situation : remember to ask before hand each and every communication method before confirming the sit !
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I would cancel the confirmation and find another HS.
In future,
- check their comms style and how it’s gone in previous sits via their reviews
- Always get a secondary or even tertiary contact detail so that in case it’s a system issue, you’re still able to reach them. (I always at least get a Whatsapp number during the vetting process)
- If i don’t get timely responses, I go with my gut and immediately find an alternative. I just had a no-show to the introductory call and even though this was a sitter with great reviews and I’m sure something important happened, the lack of comms and the fact that I didn’t hear from them until I followed up repeatedly didn’t sit right with me and I moved forward with a different HS
In future, I’d set expectations that I’ll check in leading up to the sit and from there, if I didn’t get responses after first attempt or so, i would just say hi, due to lack of response, i’m going to cancel the confirmation and find another sitter.
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Many choose to have a video call before confirming a sitter - then you have a mobile number and can also discuss all aspects of the sit with them beforehand .
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Don’t feel bad! The flaky sitter should feel bad. Maybe they will learn…
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