I disagree that this should be an expectation. Outdoor cameras are allowed because they are typically the HOs home security system. They shouldn’t be used to monitor sitters. I expect that hosts are enjoying their holiday and not checking their cameras every time I open a door. It’s creepy to think of hosts monitoring sitters like that.
I’m a good sitter, I’m never doing anything I shouldn’t and I go above and beyond. But, the more I read about inappropriate camera use, the more I think it may be time to stop sitting.
I think I get a lot of sits because I walk the dogs more than asked, and because they have the ring camera, I get good reviews about how I take care of the dogs.
I forgot to add that one time they used an outdoor camera to tell me to bring the garbage bin in since neighbors told her it was out. I knew it was the camera. I took a picture of the street and all the bins out. Told her the previous day was a holiday and they hadn’t come. I was so annoyed.
Since I dont see any homeowners chiming in to answer your question, I guess the answer is no. I think the majority of sitters do what they say they will. Sorry you had a bad experience.
I have definitely seen other threads where hosts mentioned seeing unauthorized visitors and long absences, no walks through outdoor/ring cameras. I can’t link to a particular thread. Often when this happenes, there are sitters who have feelings about how the sitter was caught out. It’s absurd to say that no sitter has ever messed up.
Personally, as a sitter I accept that outdoor ring and backyard cameras exist. I want to be told about them and know where they are. I accept that some pets may have tracking collars. I accept the possibility that homeowners may be constantly monitoring, but I seriously doubt that most homeowners are frequently monitoring just as I accept that most sitters aren’t messing up. If a homeowner was contacting me and saying things that implied monitoring, I’d be creeped out and would definitely mention it in a review. I have had homeowners text to tell me there is a package on the front porch and to bring it in, or other type reminders that indicate they may be looking in from time to time. Not a problem.
I’ve done sits with outdoor cameras and take that in stride. Doesn’t bother me that hosts might look in from time to time — I do that at my own house, depending on the alerts and how long I’m away, and I never have anyone from THS sitting. But if I were sitting via THS and a host tried to micromanage me via or because of cameras, I’d enforce boundaries in a friendly way for starters. If things escalated beyond that, I’d handle as needed, but I doubt it would ever come to that.
I do expect some level of surveillance when there are outdoor cameras as I am aware that neighbours can report on my visible routine. I am not at all bothered by this. I do follow what has been agreed and I am confident that I won’t be micromanaged. If I were, I would mention that in the review.
I am happy with there being a ring doorbell on the front door however I wouldn’t expect to be under surveillance whilst I was on the sit. I would feel that way if the owner contacted me to discuss my movements. I am trustworthy and would not apply for a sit if the responsibilities didn’t match what I was looking for.
I did have one sit that a day into the stay I realised they had 2 internal ring doorbell cameras in the main living area. I turned them around and advised the owner I had done that. They told me that they had forgotten to mention them and that they were programmed the come on 10pm - 6pm. I still left them both facing the walls.
Surveillance is very much part of contemporary life—from self-checkout to seatbelt cameras and beyond. I tell sitters about the driveway camera and where to turn it off, but if anyone did turn it off, that would raise serious concerns. What are you doing (or not doing) in the driveway that you don’t want me to see?
In any case, in my close-knit community, my neighbours are monitoring things, with less objectivity.
Turn that statement on its head: why do you want to see what your sitters are doing in the driveway, whilst you’re on holiday?
So why tell sitters where to turn the camera off - implying trust - when to do so would cause you ‘serious concerns’? Isn’t it better to be straight with people and tell them you’ll be leaving it on and occasionally checking? Then sitters can make an informed choice about what they feel comfortable with.
Transparency and trust on both sides makes for the best sits, in our experience.
I don’t care what the sitters are doing, but we have had problems with juvenile vandalism, and I have had to check deliveries, services, etc in the past. The sitters need for privacy should be balanced with my need for security. I don’t monitor but I do need to be able to check the recording if there is a problem. We both need to be “comfortable”.
Lack of trust .. totally agree with you.
I really dislike being checked up on but then I’ve nothing to hide and cameras can provide the proof that I’m doing as good a job as I said I would.
Sure it’s unpleasant but in my experience few trust a sitter totally. I’ve had hosts return before time and send a visitor half way through a sit too.
I welcome them in as I have nothing to hide. But yes I don’t do a repeat sit for them! Their loss.
This makes sense and it’s completely within your rights.
What I find more difficult to understand is why tell the sitters how to switch off the camera instead of explaining that it’s an important security element for you so that both parties can make an informed choice.
You seem keen to assume the worst of homeowners. We have a conversation about security: the driveway camera, the external lights, the key safe and door locks, the gates, local crime … In a strong wind the movement of branches can set off the camera/lights which can be annoying, hence the information on how to turn it off.
I have a vision of myself telling a cowed sitter - there’s the switch for the security camera, but if you touch that it’s a one star review.
I’m not worried about external cameras. The dog has a tag so the owner knows where it is and how far it’s been walking and when. It’s always on a lead, as stipulated, so it shouldn’t ever get “ lost” as such.
I’m glad they know what a great job I’m doing. But there’s less trust
With technology and more factual recording.
We just returned from a trip and I looked at the outside camera a couple of times to see my dog out on the patio in the morning. However, the day before we came home I sent a text to the sitter about something…didn’t hear back and then called several hours later. He was stuck in traffic at 7:00 p.m. and when I checked our garage camera I found he had left at 10:00 a.m. I was horrified that the animals had been locked in the house all day and immediately called neighbors to let the dog out. When we spoke I told him how upset I was after he had assured us he only needed to work outside of the house a couple of days a week and 6 hours max.
When we got home he was gone so I had no chance to talk to him about the sit. Since that time we have looked at the outdoor cameras. The sitter was gone regularly and much longer that agreed upon, didn’t walk the dog, didn’t take trash out, didn’t water plants, didn’t close the chicken coop at night etc. Very disappointed! Now I have to leave a review. By the way, I did a very detailed Welcome Guide with all of the info, invited him out pre sit to meet and show him around, offered to have him spend the night before our sit so he wouldn’t have to spend the night in a hotel. We made sure he was aware of the camera’s too. There are people who will do the bare minimum, if we find out then we have a responsibility to make others aware, as much as I hate it, I have to leave a negative review.
Leave a factual review. No need to feel badly about reviewing accurately if someone has neglected your pets and home. You’re doing good sitters and other hosts a service by helping to weed out bad sitters.
