Recently became a parent member only to discover most of the applicants cancel for a variety of reasons. It’s frustrating to see so many applicants apply then cancel before I even confirm. After reading other Forum discussions, I do not feel confident that a sitter won’t cancel last minute. I have a very desirable upscale home in a Beach community on the Gulf Coast. The term is 20 days which I thought many sitters preferred. Plenty of applicants that don’t seem sure about their plans. My listing is very thorough and clearly states what’s expected. Why would they even apply??
If a sitter withdraws the application before you confirm, that is absolutely normal. As a sitter, I usually apply to a few different places, and some of them may overlap. If one of the sits is confirmed, I will go ahead and withdraw the others that overlap with the confirmed sit. So, my best suggestion is to contact the sitter and confirm with them as soon as you receive the application, if you’re happy with them. Good sitters get booked faster than you might think. I’ve also experienced many hosts who didn’t respond for ages; in that case, you can’t blame others.
If they change their mind and withdraw their application before you confirm then it may be a mismatch or you could be responding too slowly and they are being snapped up by other HOs who are quicker to confirm them? 99% of sitters take their commitment very seriously and don’t cancel (2.5 years of full time sitting across 17 countries and we have never cancelled a sit!) If they simply withdraw their application then that’s not cancelling, that’s changing their mind or finding a better offer. Is there a pattern? Are you being given a reason? You can add your listing to your profile if you’d like feedback from experienced forum members on here.
We have never cancelled a confirmed sit but have withdrawn many of our applications, the most common reason is that the home host was too late to respond to us.
It is normal that we have multiple applications for the same dates in the pipeline.
Hi @Wandered - it is important to understand that your potential sitters did not ’cancel’ before confirmation.
They withdrew their application.
Unfortunately the only way sitters can ask any questions about the information in a listing is to apply and ask. If for any reason it is not a good match they withdraw their interest and that is quite normal.
It only becomes a cancellation when both of you have confirmed the dates and they are showing on your dashboards.
Cancellations for both sides should only be for extraordinary circumstances and if that is it not the case should be reported to Membership Services.
Here on this forum, one reads about the problems. Last-minute cancellations are not common but they do happen (people can get sick etc etc) so it is always good to have a plan B.
If you need to be very certain you would need to hire a sitter via a company that could send a replacement.
The forum is full of horror stories that don’t reflect common experiences in reality. Most sits on here work very well. I have done over 40 sits and only about 4 were less than lovely.
I have been a sitter for nearly 2 years now. Had 2 bad experiences but nothing as horrific as some of the forum stories. Had to cancel once for important reasons, but let the owners know 2 months in advance.
You need to be patient sometimes and realistic about your expectations. Plus it can be good to stay humble. An amazing house is not a guarantee that you’ll find a good sitter. Some people might jump on the profile because of the house but then other things might put them off. It’s important to communicate in a respectful manner and make sure that sitters have a good experience too.
Applying doesn’t obligate any sitter. It’s totally OK to withdraw at that point, because everyone is trying to find matches and work out plans.
Only after host and sitter confirm a sit do they both have an obligation.
Personally as a sitter, I withdraw automatically if a host doesn’t reply promptly. Whatever the reason for their slowness, no sitter is obligated to wait. I sure don’t. (But I’ve never canceled a sit once I’ve committed.)
If you end up with many sitters withdrawing their applications, your pace might be too slow for them. You can go at whatever speed you like, but others don’t have to wait for you.
There are enough prompt hosts out there to make waiting a while unnecessary. I’m booked up monthly through October 2024 via THS and Nomador, for example. And I could easily get more sits, but I don’t sit full time and don’t sit during year-end holidays.
These aren’t confirmed sits, people withdraw applications all the time particularly if the HO doesn’t respond fast enough. Responding as soon as you get an application will mitigate this issue for you.
Of course applicants can cancel if you don’t confirm them quickly, the same as you can reject anyone that doesn’t fit what you need. It’s as simple as that, you need to be quicker.
If we apply for a sit and the pet owner doesn’t get back to us within a day or two, even just a personalised acknowledgement, we simply presume we just aren’t the right fit for them. We want owners that read our profile and think we’re right straight away. We want owners that have the same energy, vibe, instinct, and gut feeling as we do.
Also, if we chatted with a pet owner who feared WE may cancel, we’d actual remove our application, as we just don’t give off that vibe in our profile, or in life in general. We’ve never cancelled any sit once it is confirmed. I understand people have hang-ups, but I would have thought by our profile alone that no-one would think we were the sort to let anyone down.
I know there are a lot of bad stories on this forum, because people only seem to post when they have a problem, but I have to say, there is a HUGE number of people who think this site is pretty amazing overall. We love this site, we love animals, and we love the owners we have met along the way, many many many of them invite us for repeat sits.
You seem to have a desirable place from what you have said about the property, no idea about the pet scenario. So if an applicant doesn’t write you a personalised message, specific to your profile, even just a small one, then reject them to free up your 5 limit thing, and if there is one that you get a really good feeling about then contact them really quickly and if they seem great then confirm them quickly too. You’ll know-know when you’ve found the right sitter.
Thanks for all the comments. I realize my opening thread doesn’t have all the facts, but I believe I have.a valid concern. I am responding within on day and giving a thorough description in the listing. And no the applicants have not been confirmed, but it is disconcerting that applicants are cancelling at this rate already. THS forum has way too many posts regarding sitters, and some HO cancelling for my comfort. Too bad, the concept started out beneficial to both sides.
I have received some honest helpful answers on here as to “why would they apply” if they are not sure they can fulfill the requirements. It seems like THS needs to have a section where people can see who canceled and eliminate those after 2-3 cancellations and the 5 applicants rule needs changing. Also, I signed up thinking that the vetting process was more thorough and it is not.
I don’t want to sound argumentative. I’m a combined member, but I have sitters more than I sit. I’m in a popular area, but sometimes it is frustrating. An application looks great, but then sitter withdraws because plane fare is too high, or they took a different sit that worked out better with the dates, or something else. That’s just the way it is. The sitters are equals and they are making the best decisions for themselves, just like I’m making the best decisions for me as a homeowner.
It is a process. Five applications. The homeowner gets to immediately rule out the ones that won’t work. The sitters who are still in the mix get to ask questions and decide if this will really work out for them.
Also it’s true, you do have to do your own vetting. And the sitters also have to vet you. So sometimes it’s just not going to work. As long as those decisions aren’t made after both sides confirm, it’s not a problem.
If you want to be able to just “choose” someone who will immediately “accept,” than this probably isn’t the site for you. If you want to find the right sitter “match” then it is definitely worth it.
You mention your desirable location but not about your animals or what is being requested of the S/G. Perhaps the what is being asked is too much in the applicants opinion and doesn’t feel equitable. So once they apply, liking the location, then review the posting again or after speaking, decide it feels like too much. Agree, most people prefer longer sits and also agree, that sounds like a lot of people withdrawing their applications.
Personally, I’d rather stay in a clean comfortable home with easy to care for animals and lovely HO’s than a high end home with a long list of needs and chores and a entitled HO. Not saying you are these things, but just noting, the perfect location and type of home aren’t primary for everyone.
Unfortunately, I can only agree with you. I just came back to this platform and things seems to have changed from the last time I was in (5 years ago). I can understand that, people need to comfirm quickly but I also need to make sure we’re a good fit.
Most of the applicants I got were from USA, I am in Europe, it’s normal that my replies will be “slow” for them, but come on…got 2 very excited applicants and both canceled from one day to another. What made me more sad is that one was because they were looking for some place more “tourist places to go”… I mean, the photos in my profile, the description in the listing, all clearly says I live in a remote area! Why did she applied in the first place?!
I am sorry to hear you have not been having a good experience and this part of your latest response stuck out to me and I think speaks to an important issue of which people need to be aware:
THS, while it is much larger and has many more features than all the other house-sitting sites, is at its core the same as all the rest: A platform to connect people seeking a service with those willing to provide it, and the site is not personally vouching for anyone who joins on as a sitter. Anyone can sign up so long as they can provide ID and in the case of US sitters, pass the background check. Beyond that, there is no sort of vetting. Essentially, there is really nothing special about a sitter here compared to one you would find on another site.
I think most people are aware of this but with THS having all these bells and whistles, being so large,etc…I think it can sometimes give people the impression it is something it isn’t. While they may adopt certain terms and conditions and implement certain policies that can address potential problems, like not allowing overlapping bookings to avoid pets being left alone, most of what happens is largely out of their control. Many of the most common problems are things they really can’t do anything about. And personally, I prefer they minimize involvement in the process and stick to the original intent of the service as much as possible.
@Wandered
I am not sure if you are aware that THS suggests that sitters apply to more than one sit at a time .
So if a sitter does not hear back promptly they are likely to have already been snapped up by another homeowner . Once they have confirmed a sit they then withdraw any applications for the same dates .
Sitters that do this are not cancelling ; they are following the TrustedHouseSitters guidelines.
You are still getting confused with cancelling and withdrawing.
Cancellation of confirmed sits is rare, withdrawal of applications is common.
Once a sitter has applied for a sit, they will often continue to look for other options. You waiting a day to respond, in my opinion, is a day wasted!
Trusted housesitters is a great concept and works well for many people, however it’s not for everybody and I’m getting the feeling that paying for your sitters will be a better option for you.
Withdrawing an application is NOT a cancellation. It’s only a cancellation when the sit is confirmed and that should only happen for emergency situations.
As others have mentioned, an application is not a commitment. When I apply to a sit I am expressing interest in the sit. The next step would be a video chat. I would not accept a sit without a conversation with the host. There have been a few times that I have withdrawn an application after that chat because it did not feel like the right fit.
We have to apply for multiple sits if we want to get a sit. When I apply I have no idea if I’m ever going to hear anything from the HO. If they have 5 applicants, I have a 20% chance of getting the sit. And sometimes I never hear back from hosts at all, some listings just sit in reviewing status until the dates pass. Why would I pass on applying to other sits?
This is a matching platform, hosts don’t just choose a sitter from their applicants. Sitters choose the sits we take. It’s a process and the application is only the first step. There is absolutely nothing wrong with withdrawing an application.
