First I want to say, I’m new, but I love the idea of this website, and falling fast in love with the community I have been interacting with the last several days almost nonstop in the forums.
However I’m finding this extremely concerning about this post. First this appears to be a major complaint that a lot of members keep bring up, and asking about, and honestly it was a major worry for me even before I joined. As just browsing on the app before I joined, I could see where people supposedly stayed, but no review was left. So even before I paid to join, I saw this is already a major flaw with the system. I’ve gone though a bunch of different topics, and have read even this one from start to finish. Complaints have now been posted and coming in, for at least close to a year, or at least next month is one year mark(I’m sure way longer than that), and yet I can not find any word on the subject in News(Which I had to completely search for to find, but that is another suggestion for another day),blogs or anything for that matter. However in my very short time here, and having paid the premier sitter membership, now have a “Upgrade” button trying to upsell me on changing my membership to a combine one, when I do not have a “home” for people to sit. This makes me to believe that Upper management in the company, maybe even the owner cares more about profits than member support. Hey the company just scored a major deal in the USA last year, “In the news
TrustedHousesitters defies travel chaos and lands $10m to fund US expansion | Press Release, Oct 2021”
Which is wonderful, as that would bring in more HO, and Sitters. However yet going on March 3rd, No updates of status on something I consider major. I’ve learned and trust my judgement on post with and without reviews, because honestly unless there are several well typed out reviews, I don’t feel I can trust them. Just to restate what many people have said over and over again. There needs to be a blind review system, one similar to Airbnb. Where you have a limited number of days to leave a review, and can not see the other person’s review, until you have submitted one as well. I also agree with airbnb in the fact that the reviews need to be done in the first 5 days. The reason for this, everything is fresh in your mind, it just happen. Where as if you wait longer, other sits could of happen, things in life in general will happen, and yes some things will never leave your mind. However anything after 5 and you risk mixing wrong information into your review as well.
Also reminder emails to submit a review needs to happen again. Even with notifications or emails are turned off, users should still get this email. Reviews are important for everyone, so I would like to see more seriousness taken in this fact. Give Sitters the same rating system home owners have, because the same things they can rate us on, are just as important to us when going to a sit. Except there is needs to be a few rating in regards to pets(Temperament, walking, just to new a few).
Another suggestion when it comes to the reviews, should a sit be cancel, there should be a auto message added to the review sections, that states:
“Homeowner canceled Prior to Sit”
“Sitter canceled prior to sit.”
These types of messages would at least let us know, hey there is appears to be a history of canceling, or at least remove the “Maybe there is something wrong, because they didn’t leave a review”. There should even be a “HO/Sitter Did not leave a review after time has expired.” Help make it easier for us to decide whether or not, we want to apply, or accept.
There honestly is too much guess work on here, that I feel is completely unnecessary. The amount of money spent on both sides to join this website, and the fact that only sitters have background checks, and “ID” verification in the US(that’s another subject that appears is too heated to post about, and don’t want this removed, so will avoid anymore than that.(by the way I feel that is wrong to censor)) At least get the review system revamped. Until then, I know I’m going to be extra critical of pictures, and will have to have a video tour/chat prior to fully accepting a sit, because that appears to be the only full trusted method there(I’m sure I will still do this later, however I would really like to trust the reviews, as I do in Airbnb).
So to the admins I have interacted with and think they’re pretty dang awesome(They do a killer job on this forums btw), please spare me “It’s the top of our priority line, and we’re working on it”. Please let actions speaker louder than words. Actually move News from the blog, so it can be found easily, and make post on that about upcoming changes to the site, project/ideas being worked on and updates on them as well. All I do know, as much as I think this is the greatest idea EVER! I know I will be more inclined to not renew my membership at the 1 year mark, if something this important hasn’t been taken care of.