I have applied to several sits for the last 6 weeks. Most hosts reply reasonably well. But the exceptions are frustrating. I am now (28th of January) waiting for 18 days for a host to READ the application (still states ‘unread’). The sit if for September, so no need to rush, but not even reading my application (and maybe other’s too) for a sit that has been in ‘reviewing application’ status for as long as i applied, is not acceptable. Yes, i would normally simply cancel my application, but I want to find out how long this host is going to continue with this behavior. Now, I am aware that there could be personal reasons that hosts are not able to reply. But 18 days is quite long for even that reason. If the host ever replies, I am curious to see if I get some sort of explanation or excuse. So this is also a bit of an experiment…
TBH a person who is “urgent” to book a sitter for a situation that in months away sounds a bit odd.
Yes, keep us posted…
I love this tip! Thank you for sharing!
You are entitled to do whatever suits you but it would not suit me. I have been with the site for 7 years and had 21 sitters, all who have been wonderful (except one) and I have 5 star reviews (except one).
Over that time we have accepted sitters before video calls were the thing, not even a phone call, we trusted our instincts and the reviews and the information they gave on their profile. So far we have done well. However, we have noticed that sits do go very quickly so I make sure to acknowledge applications with a note to say I will be back in touch in a few days, or the weekend, or whatever.
The problem I have found, lets say this time, 2 people apply, neither are an ideal fit but knowing they can go quickly, I arrange to have a video chat with one. The next day another person applies and even before I have a chance to respond they say they are not waiting for me (not even one day??), well good riddance. Then the perfect application arrives on day 3 or 4 and I have to cancel my chat with applicant no. 2, causing disappointment after getting up their hopes.
The turnaround seems to be so quick and it is a very big decision to let someone into your home, trust you with all our possessions and our pets without having a chance to do due diligence but jumping to make a decision and then regretting it. Also, if only one or 2 people apply we want to give others a chance so we have a better choice, at least wait until you see we have had our quota of 5 (which I hate by the way).
Please allow us some time to think about things, where you are coming from, do you have other sits on the same continent i.e. lives in New Zealand coming to Europe with a good plan of the journey, do you seem to be well organised and have plans in place. Previous reviews etc.
A consequence of rushing a homeowner might very well be someone being booked and then turned down a few days later all for the sake of a bit of breathing time. Obviously, I would never offer a sit unless I was very sure and I have in the past taken down my offer and used a different method (friends, cattery etc).
It almost seems as though sitters think they have owners over a barrel and can make demands. No you can’t, it is my home, my decision and I will take my time even if you decide to go elsewhere. BTW if you made that demand in your original application you would be rejected straightaway.
It’s good for all parties to know what they prioritize. THS is a place to find matches, after all. It makes sense that not everyone will match.
Personally, I’m fine with slower hosts passing on me and finding matches with folks who are open to their speed (or lack of).
As a sitter I totally agree with you wanting to take your time reading reviews and having a bit of email chat or a video call, I’m all for establishing if it would work for both parties.
I think the main issue is the length of time it takes for hosts to respond or acknowledge the applications. A one line to say thank you, I’ll get back to you after we’ve taken the time to apply would be appreciated that same day or within 24hrs.
I’ve had the same experience of others, application is read that day and no reply for a month, that’s unacceptable and disrespectful.
@frenchlife - I am a sitter with 11 years experience and I totally agree with your comments.
It is a very important consideration for the host and a big commitment for the sitter and neither should feel rushed or pressured into making a quick decision.
Yes we may miss out on opportunities but we are all individuals and should be able to move at a pace we feel comfortable with.
Keep us updated
Yes, I thought it was odd too
Excellent suggestion and will definately use in the future.
Thanks, everyone found it very helpfull
Hello everyone!
I’m just popping in to let you know that I’ve moderated this post and removed quite a few replies from members concerning word choices.
We’re all individuals and have our ways of expressing ourselves. Word choice is a personal matter and can often reflect our background, life experience, and cultural influences.
While it’s natural that we have differing interpretations, it’s essential to approach these differences with empathy and understanding. Critiquing or correcting someone’s word choice could make them feel like their contributions to a discussion are being minimised. Language is fluid, and meanings do vary depending on context and personal interpretation.
Can we shift our attention back to the substance of this discussion and the ideas being shared? We should engage with each other’s views keeping the kindness and respect guidelines in mind.
Should you disagree with someone’s word choice, I encourage you to approach the conversation with curiosity rather than criticism and bear in mind that the person might not be open to the discussion, which is their right.
Our community thrives on diversity whether it’s opinions, experiences, or even word choice.
To anyone who’s had a post removed, you’re not on the naughty step, I just wanted to clean up the thread and help get things back on topic. If you feel I’ve missed anything feel free to drop me a DM or flag up any posts that you think shouldn’t be here, and the team can take a look.
We don’t like having to close posts unless it’s necessary, so I hope that we can get things back on track, as this has been a really interesting discussion.
Thanks, everyone.
Jenny 
I apply for any sit that catches my eye and is in the right place and dates. Then I forget about it. If they take their time and my dates are still free we have a match. If I’ve accepted another sit before they reply, sorry.
However, the good thing is I have now a contact with an excellent sit and if the next dates posted overlap within a day or two I can still speak to them.
My experience has been the opposite effect. I can’t give hard figures as I never bothered recording before, or since, but definitely feels like I get more of applications taking longer to be read or even never read, replies to an application even just t o acknowledge they have it and are doing their process, many more sits that I don’t even get an automated rejection which indicates it just never takes place or no sitter ever gets confirmed.
I know there are supposedly stats that show it’s been a roaring success but I did a stats course at university so if nothing else that taught me to never trust stats without being able to see the data 
THS presumably is seeing the data and their business depends on their ability to manage growth. I’d expect that that’s more scrutinized than ever, since management has been bought out by a private equity firm. If things aren’t working as hoped, it stands to reason that they’d change course. But whatever they do, they don’t have to share data with users, no matter how unhappy they are with changes. And if they mismanage and run the business into the ground, shrug, it’s their company.
A stats course was required for everyone even when I went to college decades ago. And yes, stats can be manipulated. But ultimately for a business, they’re seeing their own stats, revenue, etc. If any company lies to themselves, then they deserve to have their business fail.
An update on my end: I quickly booked up for most of 2024, so am not applying for more sits unless something randomly fits in that’s irresistible.
I’ve got sits monthly through September via THS and through October via Nomador. (I don’t sit full time and don’t sit during year-end holidays.) And once I accept a sit, I’m committed — I wouldn’t cancel unless I were incapacitated or such.
From what I’ve experienced, it’s pretty easy to get sits unless you’re focused on the most popular locations, which I can take or leave. Many of them, I’d rather visit without sitting responsibilities anyway.
Thanks for sharing this; I am definitely going to try it! I’ve had similar experiences where I ended up finding beautiful sits with people who communicate well.
It just feels nice and respectful.
Oh that is wonderful!! Congrats! I need to check out that site too.