There is a listing in CA where under responsibilities it is stated there will be a $50 a day fee to go toward utilities and property taxes. Would never apply but wondered if that is allowed. It was not a long sit.
2 Likes
They can charge for utilities, not property taxes, so you could report them. No normal housesitter is using $50 of utilities daily.
4 Likes
$50 a day fee? That’s a hotel, not a house sit. I hope there weren’t any pet care responsibilities included in that offer!
7 Likes
Two large dogs to care for.
1 Like
Unreal. I always loved the equal trade ethos of THS, it’s really disappointing to see listings like this that don’t respect the barter approach.
5 Likes
I will be curious to see if they get applications.
it’s under “home and location” AND “responsibilities”. They have 1 x 4*review. No profile pic.
“due to the economic situation” they would like the sitter to contribute.
I don’t know if property taxes fall under the “utilities” category that can be charged, but for now, they have 2 applicants.
For 60$ I can get a cheap airbnb in Encinitas…not a nice one, but a place where I can sleep all day and vacation without having to go walkies.
Their doggos look like good girls.
3 Likes
And no above-and-beyond deep cleaning at the AirBnb!
No stress about stars!
5 Likes
It’s a 6 day sit, so $300 for the privilege of taking care of their dogs.
3 Likes
@mam1996t After seeing your post, I’ve reported the listing, to be reviewed by staff.
Although I don’t think it’s ideal that members have to police listings, I think it’s just as important that the idea of unreasonable charges - by owners or sitters - not seep into the current structure of TrustedHousesitters.
16 Likes
The reason why I no longer use Couchsurfing, because they wanted me to pay to host travellers in my home!! Do others a kindness, and pay for it.
This seems to be going in the same direction. People take care of pets, and don’t get paid, but instead they pay - in order to do some work! In what reality is this acceptable??
I hope it gets removed.
9 Likes
Why do I get the feeling the sitters misunderstood and think they’re getting paid. Oh yeah, maybe because THS is now advertising “sitting jobs.” 
2 Likes
THS has been pretty consistent about housesitters not getting paid, and owners not charging – except maybe sometimes for “utilities” not property taxes. However, there are sites where fees for either party are negotiable. I’ve got to say that by advertising “jobs” and by both sitters and homeowners sometimes mixing in paying people for help running Airbnb or other asking sitters to contribute to some expenses, things are getting lost.
3 Likes
Last year a homeowner asked me directly “How much would like to pay for this sit?” I politely declined, emailed her a link to How it works and canceled my application. The dates were removed shortly after and that HO never posted another listing.
Btw I just saw another California listing where the 1st sentence was " Please note this is not a paid gig." The sign of times I guess…
2 Likes
In the United States, we can claim payments for property taxes on our tax returns and get a tax break for that with the IRS (and sometimes the state/jurisdiction). It’s not smart of them to put that in writing…
And in fact, usually the property taxes are folded into the mortgage payments so the jurisdiction gets paid on time. Lots of violations here. Can’t see that THS would really want to be a party to tax fraud in the United States.
4 Likes
So sitters have to pay to watch their pets? Disappointing
2 Likes
Hopefully no one will apply then. Report them to THS
1 Like
@Snowbird Good job, thank you for doing that.
2 Likes
Two Four applicants so far.
So true! I get that the main job of Trusted Housesitters is to match people, but given the membership fees, and the company’s desire to expand, there really has to be company responsibily for maintaining its own code of conduct and culture. I’m giving these members the benefit of the doubt and going to believe that they didn’t realize they were doing anything wrong. This in itself is a problem as people should be aware before they sign up and pay a membership fee what the membership rules are.
6 Likes