My first experience as a home owner has just finished. It was a two week sit by a couple with five star reviews. I was happy to leave my pets and home in their care and rejoiced in THS enabling me to go away without worrying about my cats being fed and loved while I was away. I had previously left the cats for neighbours to come in and feed, but wanted sitters to stay longer for my people-loving pets.
The sitters left my cats for 15 hours at a stretch one day and 10+ the next day. I know this because my Ring doorbell sends me an alert. Contrary to what the sitters implied I was not snooping on them.
I left the sitters a five star review, although I marked them down by one star on each of two categories. This reflected an overall 5* Review.
Why is it, therefore, that the sitters marked me down to three stars on âhospitalityâ only, five stars on every other category, and my overall review is 3 stars? This doesnât look good to future sitters.
Did you ask them why they gave you the rating they did? If not, why not ask them?
Did you look to see how they rated HOs prior to you?
The amount of overall stars is not calculated automatically, but is up to the sitter/HO to choose @Invicta567
So, the amount of stars in each category do not affect the amount of the overall star rating.
@Invicta567 well did you ask them why they gave you a 3* review? What does the review say?
Thereâs surely more to the story here
How you have rated them doesnât effect their rating for you. There was something they werenât happy with - ask them what, and then you could reply to their review (nicely along the lines of being your first sit, learning experience, will ensure future sitters are happier), and learn for next time. Itâs worth looking at their reviews for previous sits to get an idea of whether there was a genuine issue, or they are just really picky. If it turns out they are being unreasonable - eg âHO didnât provide our food for the weekâ then Iâd consider a factual but firm response to the review.
I recently did a first time sit and knocked him down a bit in a couple of categories (but gave 5 stars overall). The issues were down to being new and not really thinking enough about the preparation for a sitter and our experience. I did offer him feedback privately, which he responded well to.
@Invicta567 only your sitters can answer that for you . Hospitality covers many aspects sitters are asked to rate if they felt welcome and comfortable in your home .
So if you genuinely would like to know the specific feedback from your sitters a private message to say that âI am disappointed that you didnât feel welcome and comfortable in my home what could I have done better to make you feel more welcome ? â be willing to take on board their suggestions , if they are valid .
For a general discussion around what sitters feel contribute to feeling welcome you may be interested in reading this thread : How to rate the hospitality category
For the amount of time that your sitters left your pets alone at home itâs good to put this in your listing and welcome guide that the cats canât be left for more than x hours .
Also you must mention your ring doorbell in your listing . Then only suitable sitters happy with these arrangements will apply to sit for you.