Hi.
Newbie here.
For my first application, I did not get any answer. Now, there is one starting on august 1st, the owner is reviewing applications. Should I expect a reply either way, accepted or not?
Thank you in advance, Yves
Hi @Yves - welcome!! Unfortunately, many owners do not respond to all applicants or are slow to communicate with them. Some people are busy. Some are new to THS and figuring out how to use it (maybe they don’t have notifications turned on. maybe their plans are not firmed-up yet and they don’t want to start talking to a sitter before they know their plans). Some are just inconsiderate.
This has been discussed in several other posts – I suggest taking a look through those comments:
Some sitters withdraw applications after ~48 hours if there’s been no response.
You are not obligated to anyone you’ve submitted an application to. It’s ok to apply to multiple sits over the same period, especially if one owner has had a few days to respond but has not done so.
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Hi @Yves. Almost anything is possible. If the homeowner invites another applicant and that applicant confirms acceptance, you will get an auto-generated email from THS advising that you didn’t get this one (assuming your notifications are on). Sometimes the Homeowners will also send a brief message in the THS inbox letting you know they have decided to go with someone else.
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You may never get a reply so don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Apply for several sits at a time, if you get accepted for one you can then withdraw your application for any that overlap.
It may take a while to secure your first sit but keep an eye out for local, last minute sits, even for a night or two, that way you can get some experience and reviews under your belt.
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Some owners simply do not reply at all. They should get repeated reminders from TH until they do. One was almost four days ago now and still showing as unread. Yet it had low applicants, in fact nil when I applied. Other owners will snap you up within an hour of application. They are the ones I like. 
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I love this type of owner. No fuss, no appointments for video calls, just a quick yes please, you sound perfect. 
Obviously there may be a few questions before I accept but it sure beats all the waiting around for video calls and ‘interviews’.
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Hi CathyCat,
Definitely. The last one sent their phone number immediately with reply and I was chatting immediately. I hate it when having to make appointments for a phone call or WhtasApp video. and it is a couple of day later. I have had about three immediates this year and one I accepted without a call or anything. If in a location I want to be in and there are fantastic reviews that is enough for me. And it was a fantastic sit. I just hate it when you see your message has not even been read after several days. Also if they have been read and then still no reply at all. It kind of maskes you feel good when a quick off the mark owner says they didn’t want to let me get away.
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Going to jump in on this thread if that’s ok!
Do people think 48 hours is an appropriate timeframe to check in with a HO who immediately read your application but still hasn’t replied?
Thanks!
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I don’t think I’ve ever sent a follow up message. To be honest if a home owner is not going to reply in a prompt and mannerly fashion I don’t want to sit for them. Good communication is a priority for me. If I don’t get a reply within the recommended 72 hours I withdraw my application.
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Fair enough! I understand this mindset, and lean towards it. Sometimes if I really like the look of a sit I follow up though. On occasion the HO has been apologetic and from there on in responded promptly so sometimes I’m more flexible - really depends on the sit
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We would follow up once on an application if we were super keen @rr12345 and yes, probably around the 48 hour mark. We recently did it with a host in a country where there aren’t many sits & the dates were perfect. The HO was a bit too relaxed/slow for our normal style but actually it all worked out brilliantly in the end. Sometimes patience does work! #everydaysaschoolday 
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It makes me really wonder what HO are looking for when they read an application and you still haven’t heard a peep in several days. I have over 20 positive reviews too.
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Sure, all that matters is if that is what YOU want to do.
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Published dates for a sit does not mean that a THS sit will take place, either. They might cancel travel or get family or friends to take care of the pet.
I have currently a 7+ months application unanswered. I applied to two sets of dates - the first set has passed and the second coming up. Both unanswered. So it seems they didn’t pick a THS-sitter for the first set either, as I haven’t gotten the auto-answer. They have however recently published an additional set of dates!
Hosts I would never sit for. Inconsiderate of others and entitled with poor comm.-skills. 
I just haven’t withdrawn for research purposes 
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Oh, I love this!
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Yes—please keep us updated!
(Of course, we have to acknowledge that something awful could have happened to the HO, rendering them unable to respond. Not likely, though.
)
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Thanks to all. Theses answers help!
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A good host will reply either way, but if they dont, then in my opinion, they are not the type of host id sit for any way.
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Hi RR12345, I chased up one after three days jsut copying and pasting previous message with a short not above saying just in case my first message did not come mthrough etc. I then had an immediate reply with apologies and was offered the sit. So sometimes it can be worth a chase up. However there is another I have applied for and after five days shpown as npot read. I snet a chase up in the same way as I had previously. that was three days ago and still not read. Yet it was njil applicants when I applied. they have another couple of dates, one well in the future and than one said reviewing applicants, yet it stated that over a week ago. I wonder if those applicants, who are supposedly being reviewed have also not heard anything|? It does make you wonder if some owners really do want sitters, or are happy for them to vanish in search of other sits, where the owners will reply.
I don’t use the TH app at all, so I don’t know the answer to this: If a sitter posts an application on the website, and a HO/PP reads it on the app on their phone, will it show in my Inbox as having been read? Or vice versa, for those who apply via the app. It is just so hard to believe that messages in their Inbox go days without being read.