@Cleeflang i don’t see your requests as unreasonable for long sits at all. If someone wanted me to mow their lawn on a 4 day sit, I’d think differently. Making sure those things are clearly lined out in your listing will insure that anyone unwilling or unable to perform them don’t apply.
I may be a little bit odd but I actually enjoy doing a little yard work while I’m sitting as I always found it to be therapeutic.
Dan and Nan
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@LizBCN I totally agree with you. There has been much discussion on several different threads about the mutual exchange of pet care for accommodation which is at the heart of what we do.
When some homeowners start adding extra responsibilities and some sitters start to expect more than pet care (such as use of a car and a fridge full of food) it starts to become complicated.
Also when members start advertising all the extras they do such as leaving cards, gifts, meals etc it can become the ‘norm’ and people can become disappointed when it doesn’t happen.
I realise members have a choice and are free to do as much (or as little) as they are comfortable with before, during and after the sit but for me you can’t put a price on the following:
A sitter arriving to a warm welcome, a clean and comfortable home and well behaved pets.
A sit as advertised.
A homeowner being able to relax knowing their pets are in safe hands, that the sitter will follow instructions and let them know how things are going.
To arrive home to find pets and home as they left them.
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Thanks to everyone who gave me feedback. I have listed these responsibilities in my listing - except for the mail which I’ll add the next time I’m looking for a sitter. I’ll also check out the ‘informed delivery’ that someone mentioned. So far, I’ve been lucky enough to find excellent sitters who are fine with what I’ve asked of them.
I like to think of sitters as guests in my home. And, I like to think the same when I’m sitting at someone else’s home. I want my guests to be comfortable and make sure they have a clean comfortable space. And, I would expect long-term guests to do things to help around the house, exactly as I would as a guest in someone’s home. When I’ve had long-term guests (not sitters), they frequently offer to help with housework, pet car, yard work, errands, etc. And, I do the same, doesn’t everyone?
Obviously, with ‘strangers’ it’s somewhat different. Perhaps it’s easy for me to have this mind-set because (knock wood), I haven’t had any negative experiences. I couldn’t agree more with everyone that says that communication and clear expectation setting is the absolute most important aspect in house/pet sitting. But I think having an open mind on the good intentions all round is also. Important.
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Everyone has different values, as you say and different standards. I have been very happy to accept hundreds dollars worth of tips from owners because I’m an experienced sitter and I know what specific value I bring. What I offer isn’t just a friendly person in your home - I have professional experience. So why on earth would I decline appreciation, if it’s freely given to me? I did a phenomenal job to such a degree that I was tipped without asking - good for me. I feel, respectfully, what’s sad is when sitters try to shame others for their choices, not realizing that, as you said, we are all different. If some are happy to not be tipped and will work hard doing free work like lawn-mowing, that’s your freedom of choice. It’s simply not something I enjoy or would ever do for free - I have an online business that is thriving and I don’t do this as a retiree. I don’t like feeling like the “help”. If others choose not to offer these additional services for free because they joined this site based on the idea of “pet sitting” exclusively, that’s very fair. This article by THS Dog Sitting Rates Explained | TrustedHousesitters.com defines the site as a free exchange platform for pet-care, not a free platform for pet care plus gardening etc. Choosing to offer this additional service is your personal choice, however, it is important that owners don’t come to expect this for free from everybody - as honestly, it’s outside the bounds of what even THS has sold to them. And I don’t appreciate other sitters who are willing to do this, even subtly shaming others for not choosing to oblige these requests. You do you, without making others out to be “less” for choosing not to oblige these additional requirements, similarly there’s absolutely no shame in a job well done that inspires a HO to choose to tip or pay for additional personal favours. In fact, I welcome that respect, while never demanding it.
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Agree 100% with all you’ve written so eloquently!
Thank you. I don’t expect them, but I don’t feel guilty for accepting gifts and/or tips. I have received some surprisingly lavish gifts from homeowners who appreciate how well I care for their home and animals, and they value my experience as a seasoned "Woman of a Certain Age"™ and what I know how to do, proactively, to prevent issues from happening.
Oh, your pipes didn’t burst over the freakishly freezing temperatures? You’re welcome. And you know how your dishwasher leans out from under the counter when you pull out the top rack? Yeah, I fixed that. The power went out, and all your clocks needed a reset? I got you.
I have been asked to perform “non-emergency” tasks that are above-and-beyond the default* scope of the assignment. Sometimes I would agree to do them, sometimes not. It depends on the HO’s attitude, and how they acknowledge these additional tasks, that take extra time and effort.
Scope creep occurs when the scope, deliverables, or features on a project expand from what was set initially, often without accounting for the additional time, effort, or expense.
* default = pets, mail & houseplants, and of course, clean up after myself.
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Oh yeah. Exactly this! I don’t think it’s out of line to expect that the TH homeowner community should strive to avoid making sitters feel like servants.
As an in-home fine dining chef, I was literally cooking for and cleaning up after people in their homes, and they paid me for it. If THOSE folks could avoid making me feel like the “help”, I certainly expect the same when I look after a person’s pets and home.
The agreement is this is a fair exchange, without obligation of financial compensation either way. My own personal idea of a fair exchange is that when I incur expenses getting to a home, the HOs don’t have to pay for a kennel/cattery. What I get out of it is that I get to spend time in an area of my choosing, and once the “defaults” are managed, I have free time to enjoy myself.
If someone doesn’t agree with this, IT’S OK! Your personal idea can be different, and that’s for the best, as I’ll take the sits I like, and you can take the sits you like.
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I’ve seen a THS listing for a small holding with additional guest lodges .
In addition to looking after the pets and livestock there is a daily requirement to drive a tractor to take guests from the guest lodges to feed the animals.
These seems excessive to me and I would have thought would be contrary to the THS third party policy - is it allowed ?
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This is not allowed as it involves other people on the property.
@Debbie-Moderator …… I will DM you the link
I wouldn’t want to mow the lawn and clean out the pool filter thingy. I think if a person has a gardener they can do the whole place not just a bit. But hey we are all different. I would not choose the sit. Others are happy to do it and would apply. Luckily we are all different.
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Yep, thank goodness for that. I deliberately choose to do the backyard myself, because: 1) its more expensive if I include it in with the front/side yard maintenance, 2) my back yard is very small and i don’t want the lawn service to have their big mower in my back yard, worrying about grass in the pool, and/or plants/flower beds getting mowed over, and, 3) it insures that I get at least that much exercise every week.
Bottom line, there are certain things that are necessary for a ‘home owner’ that I would expect for someone who is going to take care of my pets and my home. I’m glad that THS is comprehensive enough to include people who understand that.
Edited to comply with posting guidelines.
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@Cleeflang , as long as you are clear about the responsibilities in your listing, mowing and cleaning the pool basket are permissible and you should be able to find sitters willing to do these.
Personally, I will clean the pool basket, add chlorine and vacuum or skim the pool but will almost certainly not use the pool. I haven’t mowed a lawn in about 15 years and would be a little hesitant to try unless you showed me how your mower works but would probably pass on it.
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We are called Trusted Housesitters, we obviously expect to care for the pets, but also expect to do normal household stuff too.
What is the point in the HO going off on a few weeks holiday and stressing about coming home to a jungle of a lawn?
We like to think that they have come home to what they left but had a relaxing holiday in-between
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