We don’t have liability insurance as sitters whichever country we sit in, just travel & medical. THS places the emphasis on hosts to use their home cover plus the THS company back up policy after that. If the insurance route isn’t going to work @bbz and the sitter isn’t responding, why not try and talk to the sofa company. You’d have to really fall hard to break any decent sofa and you say it’s pretty new. It might be under warranty or have had a fault? #worthatry
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Thanks for putting up the photo, it’s worth a thousand words. Totally get your frustrations with the situation and it does appear to have been unnecessary to open the window.
Not your intent I know but it does highlight the risks to both parties. Certainly if you broke something in an Airbnb you would have to pay for it and it seems they would have the ability to charge you for it. Not so for you and I can imagine it will put you off using THS in the future.
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I´ve done 80+ sits and not once did I have to climb a ladder to open a window. I find such a request very unusual (and also as it turned out very unsafe)
Really?
Time and time again you place all the accountability on the sitter, while you… what about yours?"
Yes. I appreciate the understanding!
Yes, I am doing that also and am in talks with them.
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I have stated very clearly that no one had to climb on anything, and I’ll lay out the facts again for clarity:
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The lower window handle is 137 cm from the floor.
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The upper window handle is 175 cm from the small step/ladder (which was visible in the listing).
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There is a second ladder available that allows the upper handle to be reached at about 130 cm.
All of this is completely standard for a Central European apartment, and all of it was visible in the listing photos. Nothing about my home is unusual or unsafe — it is simply a normal 1900s Berlin flat.
If a sitter knows they have specific accessibility needs or cannot open windows without risk of falling, that is something that should be communicated before accepting a sit. That is basic transparency.
Also, this was November, with daytime highs around 5°C, so airing out a room takes only a short moment. And if someone truly cannot reach the upper window safely, there are very straightforward alternatives:
a) Open the lower window and remain nearby so the cats don’t jump out, or
b) Place the cats briefly in one of the other rooms — and there is ample space (3 rooms + kitchen + hallway + bathroom) — and then air out the living room safely.
These are simple, common-sense solutions.
I cannot “take responsibility” for a supposedly hazardous home when my home is not hazardous. It seems like the conversation keeps shifting blame onto me, even though nothing about my setup is unsafe, unusual, or hidden.
What exactly am I missing here? I came to this forum hoping for advice on how to resolve the situation fairly and maybe some understanding for how frustrating it is. Instead, I am repeatedly being told that my very normal home is somehow “crazy” or unsafe — which simply isn’t true.
You posted this thread because you’ve got a problem with a sitter who is not acting as you would expect them to. As of now, they are unresponsive and not being accountable for their actions in regard to the damage. Whether that will change remains to be seen but it doesn’t appear likely.
Whether your expectations are reasonable or not is irrelevant. Some people don’t act the way they are “supposed to” regardless of where they live and what the laws are.
I’ve found that all people always take decisions that at the time seemed the best (or a good) option. If I don’t agree, then it is because I don’t understand the situation and the mindset they were in at the time. I can see why one looking after cats would choose the higher windows as it seems it was also suggested as an option.
Residing in another country in Europe I don’t think it would be a norm here to pay for accidental damage or use your liability insurance in a case like this. If someone offered, I think the norm would be to say it was no need to do so and reject the offer. If it was careless or on purpose it might be different. Very interesting reading this thread, as it gives insight in different mindsets and cultures!
As you haven’t had any luck, I would think like others have suggested that the sitter has reasons for this. Could very well be that the sitter is not financially able to cover or contribute, or maybe even does not have insurance. I’ve seen many cases where people lose everything they own in fires and haven’t even the very inexpensive insurance that covers belongings. If this is the case for your sitter, then even if you have a legitimate claim there will maybe be not anything to actually claim, as many countries have legislation that one has the right to keep the bare minimum assets (Chatgpt says it is called «judgement proof»?).
What could be a factor here, is that many people tend to avoid conflicts. Wording, suggestions and ways of communication can impact the probability of getting an answer and the answer itself. I think it is important to get results to be non-confrontational and seeing it as something you can fix together as a joint effort. If I want someone to do something for me, especially if I know it is unpopular in some way on their side, I try to show why it would be a good idea for them (as opposed to highlight why I want them to do it).
For instance
«I hope you’re well. I’ve been trying to reach you about the sofa — I know accidents happen, and I’d like to find a practical solution together.
If contributing isn’t possible for you, that’s okay; we could file a claim to your liability insurance as they will usually cover, I think. I will then have to pay XX, which I could find a way to do if the insurance covers the rest. Or maybe you have other suggestions for a solution? I really would like us to find a solution together, so we don’t need to involve THS or other third parties. It would be great to get this resolved!
I just appreciate an honest conversation so we both know where things stand. Could you let me know when you have a moment?»
Something to consider is if we want to «be right» or to «get a solution». Often these two are in conflict and can’t happen at the same time, unfortunately. In a locked situation like this it could be necessary to offer something to get something out of it (like offering to cover the deductible).
As a last resort, the mindset of how we look at a loss can also be important. Are we willing to pay for peace of mind, for lack of pain? Are we willing and able to throw money at a problem to make it go away? Sometimes just walking away from a problem can be the «best» option.
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No need, your facts are crystal clear and I understood them the first time
Falling off a ladder onto the couch and breaking it while trying to open a window is not an everyday occurrence. Perhaps the cat jumped on the window or ladder and startled her, or perhaps the window was closed very tightly and she needed to change her position and lost her footing, or perhaps the ladder wasn’t very sturdy. Or, or, or… it doesn’t really matter. She fell.
And, it must have been quite a fall, a very unexpected one at that, as she couldn’t control it. Yet nowhere in this long thread do you express any sympathy, understanding, or concern towards the sitter. All I can read in this long thread are accusations, excuses, and justifications as to why you are right and what the sitter should or should not have done, what´s normal in Germany, while you refuse to even try to take other points of view into account.
It is rather unusual to break a couch. Could you ever consider that perhaps your couch was assembled faulty or was simply a so-called ‘Monday job?’
Of course, I have no idea why the sitter is unresponsive. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if she is overwhelmed by all the accusations and doesn´t know what to do.
P.S. I’m not sure if it still applies, but some years ago German companies refused to pay sick compensation for colds and similar sicknesses, claiming it was the employees´ responsibility for staying healthy and not exposing themselves to possibilities of getting infected
p.s.2 Imagine if this accident happened in the US
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This solution suggested by THS seems fair and reasonable . It is how many insurance policies work - the sofa that is broken was not brand new - (you already had a years use of it ) you now get a brand new sofa minus the deductible .
“You must first contact your own underlying insurance to provide us with a copy of your certificate of insurance/policy schedule. We also need written confirmation from your insurers that your attempted claim would be declined or has been declined. “
From this information it would appear to suggest that you don’t need to make an insurance claim , you just need to get your insurance provider to put in writing that the policy you have with them does not cover this damage caused by a third party. Then submit this to THS with your claim .
This is insurance term is not unique to THS , it’s very common with most insurance policies . Otherwise dishonest and unscrupulous people could make duplicate claims from multiple providers for the same damage and get paid out twice ( or more).
You can request that the sitter pay the deductible or half of the deductible if you feel that the damage was caused by misuse.
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This was eye-opening. I’m in the US and sit in Europe every year for a couple of months. I had no familiarity with Personal Liability Insurance, so I googled it. It doesn’t seem to be readily available in the US. So, I checked to see if home owners insurance typically includes it, I was relieved to find that to be true. Now I just need to check my policy to make sure I have adequate coverage.
@BBZ it doesn’t seem to me that you have an unsafe situation. Rather, it appears that your sitter was very clumsy. Had I been sitting for you, I definitely wouldn’t have bothered trying to open the top windows. And, if I had done so and fallen hard enough to break a piece of furniture, I would have been embarrassed at my clumsiness and offered to pay for the furniture.
This certainly points out the importance of understanding exactly what kind of insurance both the homeowner and sitters have. And, how important it is for each to understand the potential risks that they are willing to take.
I was offered use of a home owners car at a sit in the US. But, their deductible was several thousand dollars. So, I declined as that was just more risk than I would be comfortable assuming. Had it been the more typical $500 or even $1000, I would have done so.
I am a home owner and pet sitter and have not encountered this situation. I’ve only broken small things such as glasses as a sitter, and experienced the same as a home owner.
The broader European context appears to be more a northern European context. You have not indicated whether your sitter is German and therefore knows and shares your expectation of what is normal and expected in your situation. As a non-German and non-Dutch, I have no knowledge of or understanding of personal liability insurance as you have described. It is a bit surprising.
You are expecting your sitter to behave as though they are German or Dutch. If they are German or Dutch, your expectation is reasonable. Otherwise, not so much. What happens in Germany when another German does not comply with the social norms you reference?
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Hope it can shed a bit of light 
Just did some research, and the following applies (in short):
The primary question is whether the damage resulted from negligence or a purely accidental event.
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German Home Insurance (Hausratversicherung) will generally decline any damage claim caused by a third party (like a sitter). (This seems to be the reason the OP would rather see the sitter take all the blame.)
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It must be proven that the accident was caused by the sitter’s negligence. If negligence is proven, the sitter’s Personal Liability Insurance (Privathaftpflichtversicherung) should cover the cost of repairing or replacing the damaged couch, provided the policy includes coverage for "rented or borrowed property.
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If a sitter is not a German national or resident, nor is he/she a holder of an international insurance, a claim might need to be filed with their insurance in their home country or where their policy is based. Good luck with that. (This apparently takes forever and is very costly)
NOTE: Apparently, some premium travel insurance policies offer a limited amount of personal liability coverage for covered trips abroad.
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Thanks for that.
I find this issue interesting and educational because the legal and social framework is different enough that it has been hard to unravel @BBZ’s insistence of the sitter’s responsibility. I think I understand enough now to better get their point: laws in Northern Europe explicitly put financial responsibility for damage on the sitter, that liability risk is mitigated by nearly universal cheap personal liability insurance which, in turn, created a strong social expectation that the sitter will take financial responsibility using their liability insurance. I’m now very curious whether the sitter is German. If not, that explains how and why there is the disconnect between host and sitter. It is the same reason for the disconnect between host and some commenters on this forum.
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OK, let’s just take a second - I’ve had to hide a couple of posts.
This is an unfortunate situation which is yet to find an outcome. The main thing is nobody was hurt, but there’s still a broken couch - not a small item.
The difference in cultural perspectives, as well as insurance norms, is an interesting read. As others have mentioned, I’ve learned some things.
@BBZ I’m sorry this happened and on your very first sit. As others will tell you, the unexpected can happen, but it isn’t the norm. It sounds like you’re speaking with the right people at Trusted Housesitters.
Everyone else - if we aren’t offering helpful advice, thoughts or questions, can we step out of this thread.
Thanks all.
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Thank you Mark
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