Do you allow sitters to have other guests stay in your home?

I had a first for me this week, relating to this topic. I received my Welcome Guide for an upcoming sit, well in advance of the sit, and it clearly set out their position on whether you could have visitors, and the timeframe (as in daytime only or overnight). I had no need to have that conversation before the sit was confirmed as it wasn’t something I would be doing or asking for. If it was (and never has been for me), I would have addressed it before accepting the sit. However, I was impressed that the homeowners added that in the Welcome Guide. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before. Clearly communicated, and no awkward conversations for the homeowners. :clap:

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I think THS need to crack down on this and and need to have a rule that states that no other person other than the applicants can bring someone else to say durinf the sit as they are not covered by insurance. Also, if the sitter is having someone stay or even just visit, they really should say this in their application so the owner can make an informed decision

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What insurance is this I don’t have any?

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As a sitter, I have had several homeowners state they were okay with us having people visit ,and stay over ,unprompted. We have taken up the offer only twice–once in Bali ,and once at a sit a few hours from my family, where my sister and niece came for the weekend. The place we are most likely to gather with people we know is in NJ where we are from, and if we are doing a sit there, I tend to meet them for a meal or go to them so I can do something out of the house.

The comfort level with this will vary and I think most sitters understand that some owners may not want that. If I were to ask someone to have a visitor and they said no, I would totally understand and wouldn’t be bothered by that. If someone asks during the application and you say no and they try to push it (which I know people have done) it isn’t a fit.

For people asking others to stay long term, or have them come and go multiple times during the sit,etc…like one of the previous posters mentioned, is not something I would ever think about doing. The experiences owners have shared on this forum about some things the sitters have done, said or requested, is very eye opening and surprising!

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Our next sit, back in Scotland, actually suggested our grown up child could come and stay for a few days. I was flabbergasted but gratefully accepted this wonderful offer.
We actually asked a home owner a couple of years ago if unexpected overseas relatives could come stay with us. They wholehearted agreed and we all had a fantastic time. I tidied up very carefully after they had gone and made sure everything was clean for them coming back. Gestures like that are very much appreciated.

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We normally have my mother-in- law come visit once a year from Greece. We have been thinking to start asking on applications if the home host would have any objection to her coming and sharing the joy of pet sitting with us for a week ( we normally have one month sits) - I’m sure there will be many that will not want three adults to sit for them and I totally understand that, However,we may drop lucky with a home host that won’t mind.
If you don’t ask - you don’t get

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Yes I think it isn’t a problem if both parties agree and obviously I would do my best to have all the bedding towels and their home clean and tidy before I leave. As I’m a senior lady and my friends are the same don’t do wild parties anymore

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We have been offered to let guests stay with us in a a spare bed room, but we prefer not to do that and never ask HOs to allow other people than ourselves to stay overnight. There’s just too much that can go wrong (at least in our own anxious minds ;). The HO knows us, has our details through the platform and knows that we have liability insurance. Some HOs are also so polite that they would perhaps accept a request that they’re not really comfortable with (really depends on the culture).

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We are both HOs and sitters. It is essential that you discuss this topic during the interview. We recenty turned down a sitter who, even though it was clearly stated in our listing that no overnight guests are permitted, she did not like that she wouldn’t be permitted to have someone else (who is not vetted by THS) stay with her for the duration. Sadly, we declined her application even though she seemed like a good soul.

Our listing states: “Overnight guests are not permitted. Day visitors are OK if you ask about it in advance during the video interview. We will consider it based on case-by-case circumstances. :slight_smile: Day visitors would also have to refrain from smoking inside and must be totally respectful of the cats. Thank you for understanding!”

Do the sentences (quoted above from our listing) sound reasonable?

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@KenandMary1998 It’s nice that you’re so clear about it, mainly.

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I think I will add that to our listing as well. Never even thought of it before until this latest experience.
I have to say though, that some potential sitters don’t really read the listing carefully as we have had applicants with small children. I make it clear in the listing that our home and garden are not child friendly. Anyway, besides the point. I like the idea and I will add something suitable to our listing.

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It is very understandable and very reasonable.

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I once had a pet owner admit to me in the initial conversation that she puts a random question at the end of her listing to find out who actually reads all the way through rather than look at the pretty pictures. I thought that was an excellent idea.

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I had an application from a solo lady for my latest listing, who in her application stated that because of the type of sit it was (we are sort of a min-smallholding), she would be bringing her partner with her. We would understand why, it is more fun and easier doing that sort of sit as a couple. However, her profile was hers alone, and did not include him, and she stated that it would happen, rather than asking if it would be ok. I raised this politely with her, and said that we really would need to know more as he was not a TH member, but she replied simply with the fact that she would take responsibility for him. If she had perhaps used the opportunity to say something about him then we may have been open to discuss, but she did not seem to think it was anything we needed to know before agreeing. I did try asking again and got no info on him, so sadly it was a decline.

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That is interesting. I have to say I haven’t thought of that. I am not sure if it is a joint application that both sitters have to pay the THS sitter fee. Perhaps THS can make this clear for me. I can see that if it is a sitter and a partner I would want to see a profile for both.

I make this very very clear in my profile. I do not want any guests visiting my apt. Communication is key and I like to be very upfront about this

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Hi @Debjm59 a joint membership requires one email address and one membership fee.

Couples should complete a profile which includes information and images of both sitters and in the case of new members, both sitters should add references. There are some couples where one partner will choose to sit on their own occasionally, they should make this clear in their profile (these are all suggestions, not rules) so that owners are completely aware.

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As a sitter, I would never invite a friend or relative to stay in the HO’s place overnight.
That being said, I have done a repeat sit and know the HO reasonably well, and because the sit was 2 hrs away from my home base in an area where my accountant (who is also a friend) lives, I did invite her to join me for a cup of tea one afternoon, but did not ask the HO, as it was just a casual visit by someone I had known for many years.
Reading all the replies to this post, in future I would clear a ‘cup of tea’ visit with the HO, just so we’re all comfortable with that.

Different scenario.
On one house sit I did, the HO said she had two boarders staying in her home who were young students and wanted me to be at the house (no animals to look after) so the students wouldn’t have any parties while she was away. Ostensibly I was to be a ‘baby-sitter’, although the students were away most of the time, and one had an extra job.
The awful thing was, though, the day before the sit was due to begin, the HO rang to say she thought another student may arrive while she was away, and that it was OK for them to use her room.
She did not know this new student (nor did we) or anything about them, if they spoke English, how long they intended to stay, etc. We were extremely upset but had committed to the sit, so couldn’t very well back out the night before she left for her trip.
Luckily the extra student never eventuated, but it was a very uncomfortable few days and I would never agree to ‘baby-sit’ again while doing a house sit.
Pets, on the other hand, don’t tend to have unwanted parties!
Georgi

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Hi @Georgi … Just one point on the “Different Scenario” was this a THS sit?

As we do have a strict policy of no third parties (especially student parties) in the home during a sit.

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Hi Angela,
No, the first story was via another agency, and the ‘Different Scenario’ was a direct booking via a friend’s sister, so we thought it would be ok.
But it wasn’t. As it was the very first sit we ever did, I had NO experience, but I soon learnt the ‘ropes’!!

I hope my experiences give others an insight into what can happen.

cheers,
Georgi

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