Welcome to the forum @GAThrawn it’s good that you have linked your profile and asked for feedback-
Your most recent review says that you did not turn up to do the sit that you had confirmed you would do and did not communicate to the host that you would not be coming . Is that correct ?
It is. I had a personal crisis happen unexpectedly so I asked a friend of mine to fill in and then I didn’t come back for 3 months. There was no way for me to talk with anyone during that time. I am always reliable, normally, but don’t know how to convey that after the review. And nobody ever asked me about that review either.
@GAThrawn I’m sorry you had a personal crisis. That happens from time to time. It probably would have been better to explain the situation to the homeowner so that they could cancel and repost the sit. Having someone fill in for you who was not on the original application is usually a no no unless you explained to the homeowners and they agreed to the substitution. 5Star reviews on this system are important. If it were me, I would probably reflect on what I could do to improve as a sitter, read through questions and answers on this forum, delete your account and start fresh. We have over 10 five 
reviews and still get declined all the time. Your 1 star review will continue to haunt you. Good luck
@GAThrawn It sounds like you got off to a bad start. I am not able to see your profile but as others say having only 1 review with 1* is definitely not in your favour. It would be hard to come back from that.
I would highly recommend you to start again. Cancel your membership and create a new profile. Ask some friends/colleagues etc to write you some lovely references which will help you get off to a good start. Do not mention your previous experience with THS to future hosts as it sounds like you are now out of your personal crisis and that was an exceptional time in your life. You sound like a good person and everyone deserves a second chance. I wish you all the very best 
@GAThrawn I am genuinely sorry to hear that you had a personal crisis , it can happen to any one of us at any time . I’m glad to know that you feel ready to take on the responsibility of caring for someone’s home and pets again .
I suggest that before applying for anymore sits that first you take time to give some thought about how you would handle a similar situation if it were to happen again? With hindsight it’s good to look back and see if you might have handled the situation differently so that the hosts were not left in the lurch without a sitter.
It would be perfectly understandable that you would need to cancel if a similar situation arose . The code of conduct does allow for sit cancellations for unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances- which covers your situation. However you still need to inform the host so that they can make alternative arrangements.
You could do this by either contacting the host directly to explain so that they are aware and can arrange for another sitter to come . Alternatively you could contact member support who would assist you with informing the host that you were unable to do the sit .
If you had cancelled the sit in either of these ways - you would not have received a 1 star review which says you did not turn up and didn’t tell the host that you wouldn’t be coming .
I’m not sure that THS will allow you simply to set up a new account to hide the bad review as others have advised you to do . Maybe they would ? I’m not sure .
Going forward, you could look for last minute sits , close to home . When applying be honest about the circumstances around the 1 review ( the host can see it anyway ) . You could even write a reply to the 1 star review apologising to the host and saying that going forward you would handle the situation differently… Honesty is a quality that a future host will notice .
Hopefully you will find a host who looks beyond this bad review and is willing to give you a second chance - something we all need in life .
Thanks. I actually have 3 total reviews and the others were much more positive. And sadly I did not even get a review from my most recent sit where the couple liked me and the relationship I had built with the dogs that they let me live with them for the entire winter! I put in my app that I will answer questions, I just feel uneasy being the first one to mention that one event. My app could also seem too generic and then they just skip me without even seeing my profile. But I won’t give up!
Your profile shows two reviews by home owners and one external reference.
Home owners won’t care about the external reference.
That leaves two reviews: the single star and the other one that is also critical.
Realistically, your chances of getting sits are very low.
Agree with @pietkuip on your reviews being problematic. Also, identifying yourself as staying at a hotel might put off some HOs, because many value stability in sitters.
Your profile says you work as a vet’s assistant. If so, how about seeing whether you can volunteer to do sits for clients or otherwise do sits off THS. If you do them well and can persuade those folks to write recommendations for you that specifically refer to the same criteria on which THS sitters are rated, that might help you rehabilitate your record.
yea, that type of a reaction was definitely uncalled for.
TBF, I’d probably also be annoyed if I’d applied for a sit, and then only found out after the fact that you’d only wanted a pair…that’s something that I would want to see in a listing so that I don’t waste time applying for something I was never qualified for in the first place.
I, too, often get canned responses or no message at all…I don’t think this is that uncommon, tbh and it’s pretty frustrating, as I always respond to what’s reflected in a listing.
Although one thing I will say…if no effort is made in an app submitted to me, I usually match that energy in my responses. When people have clearly taken the time to review my listing, I will make a sincere response back with feedback.
@GAThrawn you say ‘sadly’ the last host has not reviewed you. Why was that? Did you actually send a review request & did you tell them how important they are for you?
I’ve now seen your listing. Unfortunately the second review- about the bedding- also does you no favours. But don’t give up!
I would now suggest try to get very local short, last minute sits, where you can perhaps meet the host in advance. This could reassure them and help start you on the path to better reviews. Good luck!
I’ve noticed it more lately. I always write a long application letter, reference any of their requirements and how I think I would fit into this. And I just get a canned decline message.
I’m still new and have only 5 5star reviews, but I think it’s rude to not write a personal note back, when there was clearly a big effort made. It sort of reminds me of the situation where you go to lunch with a potential employee and watch how they treat the waiter. Some people are very rude to those who they think they don’t need.
I just had it today, where I responded to a sit with very specific requirements. They had no applications. The applicant had to speak perfect German (this sit was in Spain), they had to have had experience with large properties and only cat owners/lovers need apply…i explained that I live cats, but that the past 20 years I’ve owned dogs, but owned a cat before for 14 years. I’m German, have owned lots of properties and I really thought this was a good fit.
Obviously not. Declined. They still had 0 applicants, so, it’s obviously about me. But I probably dodged a bullet. But it did bother me that they didn’t give a personal reply, when they already limit themselves with their requirements.
I’d rather get declined quickly than have this scenario:
I applied for a sit abroad. A couple of days later, canceled my application, because it hadn’t been read.
Weeks later, owner msgs and says they’ve > just < had a chance to review applications and wonder whether I’m still available?
Note: Last-minute airfare for even the most inconvenient flights (including multiple stops) would run into the thousands, in USD.
LOL, for the same price, I could have zero sitting responsibilities by buying airfare and hotel on my own with a bit of planning, and go during much nicer weather.
The HO had asked for someone familiar with their city, which I very much am. Plus, I speak the language fluently, which I’d also mentioned in my application.
SMH. Happily, I’m now at the airport for another sit, one where the HO is decisive and thoughtful.
That’s really odd @Varinia and you probably dodged a bullet. As you hit all the requirements precisely, I’d be interested to know why they don’t want you? Only as it sounds as if fluent German speakers in Spain, cat lovers and property management of large places were key and they won’t get that many sitters ticking all three those boxes. Just my nosey brain would send another message asking why you’re not a fit 
UPDATE - four of the five previous sitters haven’t left feedback. That’s a big red flag 
@Varinia We’re in Spain right now and have been monitoring sits here all summer. I think I know exactly which sit you are talking about! My hubby & I too meet all their requirements- re language and experience & we are also already in the country. But we’ve consciously avoided it. The sit keeps popping up so I guess they are declining most people. Their tone- the main requirements written in capital letters- was an immediate red flag to us. It looks like they’d be complicated hosts! So if it WAS this sit you got declined from then I think you dodged a bullet! 
@cuttlefish just saw your update- looks like you found the sit in question!!
While I’d love to know why, I won’t ask for something they should have offered on their own. They also had a requirement that the person be above 30. I have a feeling that they’re very picky and I’m sort of glad now that this didnt work out.
I just looked and they do have 1 application now,
Oh yes 
#detectivecuttlefishattheready
Oh, I don’t know where to see this. That’s a really big red flag.
Yes, that’s the one. I agree, they did come across as demanding, but I applied anyway.