I’d really appreciate some advice from more experienced homeowners. This was my first time using TrustedHousesitters for a sitter, and unfortunately, it hasn’t gone smoothly.
While I was away, my sitter informed me that she accidentally fell onto my couch while opening a window and heard a crack. I appreciated that she told me straight away, but when I returned, I found that one half of the couch had completely sunk — the internal frame is broken and can’t be repaired.
Since then, she’s been mostly unresponsive, and I also noticed several other issues: the apartment was left in an unclean state, with what appeared to be cat feces stains on the wooden floor, food residue on kitchen tools, and a puddle under the kitchen cabinet caused by a disturbed washing-machine pipe connection.
THS support told me that their Home & Contents Plan only applies if I already have home insurance and make a rejected claim first — but since I didn’t cause the damage, my own insurance wouldn’t cover it. I also don’t want to file a formal claim to get a rejection, because that would negatively affect my insurance record – as my insurer confirmed on the phone.
The sitter stated she has a Premium membership (which includes third-party liability coverage), but I’m still waiting for clarity on whether it applies.
Has anyone dealt with something similar? Am I crazy for expecting that if you accidentally break something, you should help fix or replace it?
This is something you need to work out with your sitter . THS is just an advertising platform where sitters advertise their services and hosts advertise their homes - neither are employed by THS .
We are sitters and if we broke something from carelessness or misuse we would take full responsibility and offer to pay for the damage .
If something broke through normal use or because it was already old and worn out or because it wasn’t fit for purpose then we would let the host know what had happened but wouldn’t offer to pay for it .
If it was an accidental damage and for a large amount of money we are told that THS provides hosts with the home and contents plan that they can make a claim .
If the sitter causes property damage deliberately , by reckless behaviour or through misuse and doesn’t respond to you , you could decide to raise a member dispute . It won’t get you your money back but THS will investigate the evidence you provide and give the sitter a chance to hear their side of the story . They may decide that this sitter shouldn’t be on the platform any longer .
I’m not sure I understand this part - does your home contents insurance not cover having guests in your home ?
Sitters are not required to pay for damages that occur during their sit, even if it’s caused by their own carelessness. In an ideal world they’d offer to pay, and it would be up to the host as to whether they would accept payment. In reality that doesn’t often happen.
If that was the case then homeowners insurance wouldn’t cover damage in the case of fires, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes and tornados or even a driver losing control and crashing through their living room wall, because the homeowner didn’t cause it.
Thanks for sharing your view — I understand what you mean about normal wear and tear.
In this case, though, the couch was only about a year old and in perfect condition before the sit, so it wasn’t a pre-existing issue or age-related. It broke when the sitter accidentally fell back onto it, as she explained.
I’ve been trying to resolve it directly with her, but so far she hasn’t wanted to take real responsibility or contact her liability insurance.
I completely see your point, but personally I think it’s reasonable to help cover or fix something that’s clearly in good condition if you accidentally damage it — even if legally you could get out of it. It doesn’t feel very respectful to leave an owner to deal with damage that happened during a sit.
I’ll look into the dispute option — thanks for mentioning it.
Thanks for your reply — I think there might be a bit of a misunderstanding about how insurance works here in Germany.
The “homeowners insurance” you’re referring to doesn’t really exist in the same way here. What we have is Hausratversicherung (home contents insurance), which covers damage to your own property from things like fire, water, theft, or storms — but not damage caused by a guest or third party.
So it doesn’t apply in this case, because the sitter (a third party) caused the damage accidentally, and my insurance is telling me her (the sitter’s) insurance has to pay.
That’s why I’ve been trying to resolve it directly with her or through her own liability coverage.
Had a similar case with a 6 month old settee. I contacted the retailer and they sent somebody to inspect the settee They replaced the settee, saying that a settee should cope with a person climbing on the back of the settee - in your case for your sitter to reach a window. It is now over 10 years old and I stand on the back of the settee to dust away cobwebs.
@BBZ, really sorry to hear of your experience on first-time usage of THS. Very bad luck indeed.
We’re experienced housesitters rather than homeowners but offer perspective.
Insurance coverage for furniture damage by guest. We are unfamiliar with German house insurance policy terms then we believe that equivalent insurance policies in UK, Canada, probably more would cover related damage
Furniture warranty. @Trainer raises a great point. If furniture has warranty then it seems quite possible that breakage from modest fall by single person may trigger warranty claim from manufacturer or retailer as appropriate. We’d do this first.
Housesitter communication. Housesitter may perceive that your insurance company may cover damage. Suggest speak with THS Member Services (website chat, phone number or email support@trustedhousesitters.com). Explain situation. Per THS data, ~6000 pets are being looked after night by housesitters so THS must have encountered furniture damage previously. THS MS can get in contact with housesitter
Agree with @Silversitters - if THS MS proves unfruitful then consider raise a “Member Dispute”. This is a formal protocol that collects information/evidence from both parties; assesses situation; makes decisions as THS deems fit. It would escalate issue within THS to obligate contact with housesitter and collation of their perspective. If relevant, weblink below states protocol and information requirements
Carefully read terms for THS liability for owners and pet parents for relevant damage. Must confess that we have never read this in detail. But we have carefully read the Sit Cancellation Insurance and it contains quirks. Better to understand coverage and quirks so can credibly engage with THS & housesitter re potential claim.
This sort of issue seems extremely rare. Can’t recall many, if any, THS Forum threads on related matters.
Hi, I’m in the Netherlands so we’re ‘neighbours’. Here in NL everyone is expected to have a personal liability insurance. This insurance covers accidental damage to someone else’s belongings, property etc. So in this case the sitter would file a claim with their personal liability insurance.
Have you inquired with the sitter whether they have such insurance? (in some countries in Europe such as NL it’s pretty much standard to have such insurance). If she doesn’t respond, you could raise a member dispute with THS and let them inquire on your behalf about her/his personal liability insurance.
I was wondering that too. If the sitter could only open the window by standing on the couch then that is potentially hazardous. If there were no other windows in the room that could be opened (& we don’t know if that was the case) then that would be of concern.
There is another window in the room, and I provided a ladder for her to use for the windows, specifically stating this in the welcome guide. She said she used it and fell back off it onto the couch.
I checked in to hear if she was okay before anything else, which she confirmed she was fine.
Yes, that is exactly what I have been trying to do. She ignores my inquiries about her personal liability insurance and just reminds me that legally in the contract with THS she is out and fine. Which I understand is the case, on a personal I-trust-you-with-my-home level I was still hoping she would takle more accountability in it all and hence tried that way.
From the postings on this forum it is clear that some sitters can afford to be accountable while plenty of others do not have the financial resources to hold themselves accountable. As @Silversitters posted, the consequence of this unfortunate accident is something for you to work out with the sitter. Being ghosted by a sitter under these circumstances should not come as a surprise. THS will be of no help in that regard.
While you do not want to submit a claim to your issuer, that still looks like the best option for making yourself whole if the sitter ghosts you. It takes your insurance declining your claim or imposing a deductible/excess before THS coverage comes into play.
