I just wonder what is considered ‘good manners’ after the completion of a sit, especially if you leave the home before the home owners come back. Do you give them a courtesy call by phone a day later or so? Or do you write them a text message or email to ask whether they were happy with your services? Or do you just request a reference review via the email form on this website, without asking them in person prior to that? Do you leave a thank-you letter in their home, or even a good-bye gift? What works well and what can appear awkward or intrusive? I am interested in what other sitters usually do, and in your experiences.
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If I’m not going to see them before we leave, I write them a recap of our time with the pets and how things went, and include anything I think they might need to know. I let them know how much we enjoyed staying in their home/area and how much we appreciated being chosen for the sit. I always send this message in through the THS inbox so there’s a record of it, even if we’ve been using email or WhatsApp to stay in contact during the site and I try to send it off for them to read just before they start their journey home.
As well as cleaning the house, we replenish any food they left for us, and usually leave a small thank you gift on the kitchen counter.
As soon as I am able, and def within 24 hours, I write the feedback and post it. And I give them a day or two to do the same before I politely let them know I’d appreciate a review as soon as they have the chance.
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I write a paper message and leave it in the home along with flowers or a house plant - thanks and I enjoyed the sit, maybe something about the animal or something that was special about the house or the area.
Then a text later that day or the next repeating my thanks and asking that if there are any issues, please let me know. And a request for a review.
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If we have seen the home owners at the end of the sit, I skip the follow up message and tell them and thank them in person. I do the feedback as soon as I can, and give them a few days before I message to ask if they’d be able to do a review.
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Got it, thank you all! So definitely not a voice call by phone (strange that people are nowadays so over-sensitive about using phones the traditional way 
), but a thank you and feedback request in writing a day later. I will copy that!
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I honestly don’t think there’s anything wrong with giving a voice call, it’s just not my thing, especially when we are travelling and they have just returned home and are tired and/or busy unpacking etc. There may be times when a voice call is a perfect choice. You do you! 
We would write a longer message on WhatsApp to say goodbye if we had to leave before they came back. Sometimes we cook a lavish meal or make a cake.
If I leave the home prior to the homeowners arriving back, I ask them to contact me when they have arrived home to ensure they are back with their pets. I usually leave a little gift - a homemade cake or flowers, card. I usually wait a few days and then ask for a review but sometimes I will provide a review prior to the homeowners doing so.
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Most sits I’m usually present when the owners return home to do a quick handover. If not, I write a “welcome home” note or card about anything relevant to the sit. Depending on the sit and time of arrival home, I may leave a meal prepared but certainly replenish the staple foods.
If I don’t see the owners I ask them in the note to message me on their return to let me know they are home safely and pets were fine.
As to the review, I mention in my note I would appreciate a review or I ask them in person. I usually allow a couple of days for this to happen before requesting it through THS.
From reading what other experienced sitters have written, it would appear that most of us are not being sent the Day 1 and 3 “prompt” emails from THS re completing review/feedback after the completion of a sit @Angela_L and @Ben-ProductManager. Perhaps it is only new HO/sitters who are receiving it.
Hi @temba the subject of the emails is also on this thread https://forum.trustedhousesitters.com/t/does-ths-automatically-prompt-a-home-owner-to-leave-a-review these emails are being sent we are trying to establish why there are issues with the delivery for some members.
I’m aware of this thread @Angela_L as I have contributed to it. I raised the issue here where several experienced sitters commented on requesting a review in response to replying to Romana, therefore indicating that they, too, have not been receiving the “prompt” emails, adding to the members who have already indicated no emails being received.
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Hi @temba I will ask @Therese to once again follow this up when she is back online, I believe one of the issues is establishing the reason why some members are not receiving the emails.
Great question! When we started sitting, we decided to do something a little different. We, of course, take several pics of the pets we are caring for, and during the visit, we have one printed out and place it in a frame (4"x5"), which we leave on the counter along with a thank you note for allowing us to be trusted with their precious babies.
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Wow! That’s quite a lot of effort. Do you carry your own printer with you when travelling?
I, for my part, put such pictures on my Facebook page and invite the home owners - already prior to the sit - to join this page, which is for friends and family only. Some do and get the whole picture, some don’t and miss out. Their choice!
Hi @temba … Thank you. We are still investigating this as to why this is happening to some members. Please bear with us in the meantime. As you also have a number of confirmed up and coming sits, please can you let us know if you receive these after your completed sits, as this will help us too.
Kind regards
Therese
No, we just go to the local pharmacy that prints individual pics. Easy peasy. Just something extra that owners seem to love.
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I used to receive reminders to post feedback but havenlt seen one for as long as I can remember. I’ve completed a few sits this year and not received any prompts. Hoep that helps
Hi everyone. Most often I leave the sit before HOs arrive home. I always leave a little something for them…a basket of fruit, a bottle of wine, a candle. I make sure I replenish any food item I may have used and I always endeavour to leave the home tidier and cleaner than when I arrived.
Approximately the time I expect them to arrive home, I’ll send a quick text or whatsapp message “Welcome home! Please let me know if everything is in order”. I often will do a short video montage of photos and video I have taken of the pets during my stay and forward that upon the HOs arrival too.
I complete feedback within 24 hours of the sit. I don’t ask for a review, especially if I have already sat for the Homeowners 2-3 times prior, but they often will provide after seeing the feedback I have left for them.
To date I have kept in touch, via text, with all but one of the homeowners I have sat for long after the sit. They will often text me directly to check my availability before booking their next getaway. I feel very lucky to have become part of their extended “family”.
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