We are looking at doing a local sit and went in person to meet the couple and dog yesterday. I had to figure something out w/ another sit I am doing around the same time before committing to it. I messaged him today saying it would work. He replied back saying before he sends the invite, he wants to be sure that we will be there early AM on X date and get them to the airport and at the end of the stay pick us up at airport at 4:47 pm on x date.
I was taken a back as this was the FIRST we had heard about the airport drop off and pick up. The airport is about 20-25 mins away from their home.
I’m not sure how to respond politely. My husband says we are house/pet sitters, not uber drivers!! If they pay us to do this then fine, but are we just expected to do this for nothing because they asked? Or more so demanded??
Help!
As you went to the trouble to meet them in person and there was no mention of trips to and from the airport I would also have been taken by surprise.
I suppose it depends how much you want the sit. Would you have use of their car while they are away?
I think I would withdraw the application as your husband is already feeling resentful and that’s not a good start.
It needs to feel like a fair exchange. Plenty more sits out there.
Does the sit included the use of the HOs car? If yes I would see this as a reasonable request but he should have raised it much earlier on. If it doesn’t include the car I would see this as a very tone deaf request and pass on the sit.
We’ve done this a couple of times when the homeowners were leaving us their car to use during the sit (and were happy to do so). No way would I do it in my own car though- I agree with your husband and would pull out of the sit now.
@Ybrik Being a local sit, it’s unlikely the HO has offered use of their car. Chauffeur service is not part of the deal and that expectation you will take to/pick up from airport does not sit well with me. Go with your gut and withdraw your application saying you no longer feel it is a suitable sit for you.
It seems this wasn’t discussed during your visit and it also seems it’s not a request but an imposition. Both things are strong red flags for me. I would stay away from this sit.
I also agree
The funny thing is that for me driving my own car to my local airport would be the situation in which I would feel more comfortable. I would not mind offering if a good rapport with the HOs had been established. But “I will only invite you if…” stinks of entitlement, even more so for a local sit.
It really depends on what you’re comfortable with, but it’s not something that you should feel pressured into doing. I’ve had a couple of experiences where I agreed to similar, and then spent ages worrying about it, which made the sit less relaxing than it should have been. Worst experience was when a HO leapt out of the driving seat at a red traffic light, grabbed suitcase from the back, and cheerily waved me goodbye. I didn’t even have time to programme my phone to navigate me back home - never again!
Successful sits are based on both parties understanding that this is a mutual exchange.
In 40+ sits on THS we’ve never been asked to take or collect hosts from the airport. We also do paid sits and haven’t been asked to do this there either.
If it’s a deal breaker for hosts, it should be clearly stated in the listing. If they’re leaving you their car to use, then it might be a reasonable request and something to have been discussed when you met them.
It’s best to avoid sits with red flags. An entitled host may keep adding demands once you’re there—like the one who booked their anxious dog in for grooming during a three-night sit.
Set your boundaries. There are plenty of appreciative, respectful hosts on THS, so you don’t need to compromise on what you’re comfortable with
Sounds like they think you’re in service to them. I’d avoid hosts like that.
I have driven hosts to the airport or airport shuttle stop, but they were hospitable and friendly, not entitled. And they loaned me their car.
I’ve even had hosts who loaned me their car and didn’t ask for a ride to the airport, because it was early. They never troubled me about it and called a ride share.
If you are not using his car, I would definitely pass on this sit. The reason more how he worded the request to you. It sounds like he is giving you an ultimatum. He said, before he confirms he wants to make sure you will drive him to the airport. Springs this on you in an entitled way. I can just see on the sit and he messages you to do this and that. BTW, can you pick up our cleaning for us, we forgot to. BTW, can you do this for us. Before I confirm a sit I make sure it will be an enjoyable experience for me. Any red flags, I withdraw.
We once did a sit in the South of France where we flew in and they flew out. We agreed to drive each other to and from the airport and have use of their car for 3 weeks. Perfect arrangement.
Another time in Spain we agreed a sit 3 months ahead & we would be driving our own car there. 3 weeks before the sit they casually mentioned their wish for us to drive them to the airport and pick them up at 1.30am on the last night! In their car. We were really annoyed at that entitlement- not just the late request/expectation but the antisocial hour! And 50 mins each way to the airport!. Not even the benefit of use of car as we had our own. They knew exact travel plans when we confirmed the sit so they could easily have brought up the airport run then, but did not, so we felt put on the spot. We cancelled the sit, explaining we were not an unpaid taxi Service etc! They were shocked! Said all previous sitters were happy to oblige (people pleasers clearly!) And that they were always happy to pick up sitters from the airport!! (Thats a totally different thing!) Seems they just wanted a free driver so they could avoid paying airport parking for 12 days- which in Malaga is super cheap!!
And just recently we spotted a (potentially) interesting looking long sit in France- several months- staying in the Guardian house of a mansion- where the HOs would visit for several days every 4-6 weeks. Part of the deal was the sitter had to do airport runs for the HO (in HOs car)- 50 mins each way. But they must have their own car for all other purposes!! One previous sitter mentioned that he hadn’t like that part as the HO flew in more frequently then they’d anticipated and it was clear he resented it.
If you’re not comfortable with doing the airport drop off/pick up just say so. Sounds like they have expectations that were not discussed and just assumed you would be their taxi. You don’t have to, so just say no. If it’s a deal breaker for the home owner then you have dodged a bullet.
We offer to pick up the sitters at the airport, train station or bus stop and we’ve had sitters who offered to pick us up at the airport with either their own car or their rental car. So everything is up to discussion, but we would never expect anything.
Some are very independent and don’t want to be picked up and we never require sitters to take us to the airport, but accept when they offer to do so.
As we usually leave in the evening and the German railway isn’t too punctual anymore, we are very flexible and it happened that I picked up sitters at a completely different and further away station than planned.
We only own a Mini Cooper Electric and, as it is still complicated in Germany to charge it without using charging cards (not credit cards!) linked to the owner’s bank account, we don’t offer it to sitters. Here you need to know which card should be used at which charging station to get the best price and I wouldn’t expect foreigners to know where to use which one. As the range, especially in winter, isn’t the best and it also depends on how you drive, I don’t want to worry from abroad if the sitters get stuck somewhere without the possibility for quick charging and not getting back home. But I say clearly in my listing that the use of the car isn’t an option.
If it was a desirable sit and/or I couldn’t find anything else then I would just bite the bullet and provide the transportation and not worry so much about it. People don’t always understand what’s acceptable and reasonable, it doesn’t make them bad people.
If we’re using their car then yes we are happy to drop off and pick up however they need to reciprocate picking up and dropping off for us. Often we/they simply leave the car in the car park with keys hidden and send a photo of location, as we’re often flying out on the airplane they flew in on! Jersey is a small Island.
Who’s vehicle are you expecting to use? We did this on our second house sit in London, it was a nightmare, we hate driving in the dark so we’re out of our comfort zone, it was in the hone owners vehicle though so if we are asked now we refuse and just say we aren’t comfortable doing it.
We did however take a home owner to the airport in cyprus, it was a 3 month sit and she was letting us use her car for the whole of the stay so we thought it was fair to take her.
It seems the host is trying to pile on additional perks for themselves. I agree with your husband. You can respond politely by thanking the host for considering you but, on reflection, you don’t think the sit is a good fit.
Unless, of course, you really want this particular sit. Then it becomes a question of how much you’re willing to put up with to get it. Only you can answer that.
But be assured that chauffeuring hosts is not a normal part of the exchange; as hosts, we’ve made arrangements around airport pickup and drop off but only if it adds convenience for the sitter. Otherwise, we’re chauffeuring sitters around, not the other way round.
It’s best to avoid sits with red flags. An entitled host may keep adding demands once you’re there—like the one who booked their anxious dog in for grooming during a three-night sit.
