I completely sympathise with your position as we had a similar situation last year with a house sitter that also oversold their experience and our pets were not happy when we returned home. We decided for all of the reasons that you have stated not to leave a review at all rather than risk negative feedback. There should be a process for discussing an unsuccessful house sit with someone at THS
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Serious question: How do you know/how can you tell?
I can tell right away! Especially our tomcat would be overexcited that we are back. He used to run around and up and down the stairs for hours. At the same time his fur felt oily, which only happens when he is stressed.
When someone is often around and he can have as many cuddles as he wants and when he can snuggle up to someone in bed, he doesnāt even notice that we were gone.
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The goal of TrustedHousesitters is to introduce a workable review system which is fair and credible and works for both sides of the sit arrangement.
This conversation is about the review system and contains valuable feedback, suggestions and ideas for the Product Team, who are currently researching the subject of reviews and working on this very complex project and we would like to thank everyone who has contributed in a positive and constructive way.
This is a gentle reminder that the topic is not about discussing on sit situations between sitters and owners, those are for the Membership Services Team to manage on a closed one to one basis. Members can express their views on the current review system without revealing specific details about individual experiences.
While giving examples of why the current system may not have worked for a specific sit arrangement might be helpful feedback please do not go into specific detail or include personal details about those involved there are privacy issues around sharing other members details, even when the circumstances may seem justified.
This is an open and public forum with both sitters and owners as part of our forum community and we need to protect memberās privacy. Including details that could identify the members involved could compromise a memberās position.
There is always two sides to every situation and when only one is presented in detail it creates an unfair balance. Please be kind, respectful and balanced in your views and narrative, even if they differ from those expressed by other members.
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Good point about cancellations being flagged if more than once. There do suddenly seem to be a lot of last minute cancellations, although we may just know about them now because of the existence of the forum.
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@Val I just realized - a full year later - that this is my review youāre referring to! That was my first THS housesit and I didnāt know enough to be wary of what I wrote!
Iām in a tough situation now where Iāve had a rough sit and need to review her (to warn others)but sheās just told me today that she wonāt review me until I review her first. It may not be too big of an issue - I think she stands to lose a bit more out of a poor review than I do.
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I still very much would like this!! It would alleviate a lot of my anxiety during and after a sit.
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sbwade, a homeowner who refuses to review you until sheās seen your review is a HUGE red flag that others should be aware of. I agree she has more to lose in this situation than you do. I would include that detail in my honest (but as kind as possible) review. Very matter of fact, just the facts, and this is one of the facts: Homeowner told me she wonāt review me until I review her first.
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@Val Oh, thereās been red flags from beginning to end on this oneā¦ A real learning moment for me to trust my gut.
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Can we please remind everyone that this thread is about the pros and cons of the current review system and NOT about individual reviews between members or on sit issues.
If any comments contain personal information, references to other members or links to listing or profiles of other members they will be removed.
Thank you.
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ā„ The review system is a top priority for next year.
The first quarter of 2022 is over already. Any updates, @Ben-ProductManager ?
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Hi @MissChef this is a very large and complex piece of work across a number of teams, when there are any relevant updates Ben and the team will share with members, it is as Ben says a top priority.
Iām sure youāre all working very hard, and I know that the management team has just come back from that business retreat, hopefully energized, refreshed and with lots and lots of ideas!
I just happen to notice that itās the 1 year anniversary JUST of this threadā¦ with over 170 posts and 16 votes.
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Thatās why I thought it would be a good idea to close off threads earlier, although people could still read them. Itās just that some of the same things are repeated by people who havenāt read from the beginning and, who has the time to read a yearās worth of posts? 
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Uhh,ā¦ what? i guessā¦this under-employed chef who is currently at her own house, petsitting a 6-month old puppy that wonāt sleep (through another service) ā¦but your dates are a little off Iāve been reading forum posts since Halloween, when this thread was ALSO only 6-months old 
Kaizen isnāt a bad word, itās a way of life!
Insomniac canine in a rare unblurred photo:
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Retired people who only recently discovered this great forum who want to learn from others experience 
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Iām retiredā¦.
@sbwade I really empathise with you. We too had a horrible sit experience recently -really terrible hosts- and had to involve THS in it. We really wanted to write them some damning feedback to warn others off but we knew they would retaliate with a terrible review of us which would have been totally unjust. In the end we agreed- through THS -not to review each other at all. Better no review than a bad unfair one that ruins your reputation.
The review system needs to change otherwise people are afraid to be honest. If all goes well its easy to write great reviews both ways but thatās not always the caseā¦
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Hi Angela,
Thanks for that. Are there members who are involved in a focus group on how to improve the review system since it is such a valid priority for everyone? If so, is it an equal balance of types of members? Knowing this might help all of us.
Does your note about relevant updates being conveyed here include Ben notifying us about the new option for HOs to anonymously āvoteā whether or not theyād invite the sitter back? Or is that meant to be secret from sitters?
Also, is that part of this ālarge and complex piece of workā (which it certainly seems to be) or just something extra for HOs with no intention of providing the same for sitters? If so, can someone from the ānumber of teamsā working on this explain that decision to the members?
Thank you and thanks for being our conduit to the team.
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HI @KellyC the team have applied the necessary strategy to look at this complex piece of work, including member interviews, surveys, external research etc., and of course our valuable forum feedback.
To address your point āSomething Extra For The HOā There would be absolutely no point in introducing a review system which favored one side of the platform over the other and as previously posted when the teams involved have any relevant updates they will inform the community.
Thank you.