We’ve recently finished a 3 week sit - it was really cold in the house and I left a few days early as I couldn’t work properly because it was bitterly cold.
My partner stayed on and left everything in order as usual.
I received a text message after the sit and the HO was really annoyed that I hadn’t told her that I’d left early.
She kept saying that she hadn’t been informed.
I didn’t think it was an issue for sitters to split up.
Should I have said something?
If it had been me, I would have let the HO know why just out of courtesy @paws4you. There are occasions when this could be necessary or sitters split if sits overlap by a day or two. I usually check it’s okay with both HOs and have not had any issue but it’s only been two sits where this has happened.
I didn’t have the heart/courage to say. I just couldn’t deal with the cold any longer.
But I will next time.
4 Likes
I’ve been turned down for sits because I sit solo. So I do understand that some HOs are looking for more than a single sitter.
Probably would have been nice to let the HO know and explain about the cold. The HO might have suggested you turn up the heat?
2 Likes
Did you not feel able to communicate with the host about the cold?
It probably would have been best to inform them why you were leaving early. Maybe they would have offered to adjust the heating? No sitter should have to freeze. I feel for you! We had a sit recently where it was too cold. The hosts were about to leave us without any heating! We asked about it just before they left & they reluctantly put it on for us but on a rather low level and not in the bedrooms (as we discovered later!)- we didn’t say anything more but we did put the oven on- with the door open- a few times when we needed more heat.
1 Like
We met the HOs the day before the sit & everything was fine- the house was warm.
But at the start of the sit, the HO asked us to be mindful of using the gas heating too much due to cost of living etc & then they left to go to their tropical destination.
So I didn’t feel comfortable at all asking & the temperatures did drop considerably- which was unusual.
I know now - I should’ve raised the topic of heating.
It’s a learning curve - I’ll never do a UK sit again in winter in an old Victorian home.
2 Likes
Sorry to hear you’re not getting sits as a solo sitter - hope it changes in 2023!
I need to ask more questions about the home & not just the pets.
Thank you for your response.
Our hosts too were heading for the tropics. Yet they were willing to leave us without heating- during a cold snap in October -because they were only planning to start using the heating in November!!
The cost of living crisis is real- for sure- but if the hosts can afford a tropical holiday they can also absorb a little extra heating cost if needed for their sitters to be comfortable caring for their beloved pets at home- after all the cost of kennels/cattery would be far more!! And the pets need the heating too!!
Some sitters offer to contribute to costs of more heating but I would never agree to that. The hosts are already saving by having sitters. And like you we would always now check the heating situation thoroughly before doing a winter sit!!
8 Likes
It must be just me but if a homeowner decides to holiday in the tropics and I choose to housesit in the UK in winter, that is entirely their perogative to holiday wherever they want. To say that if they can afford to holiday in the tropics etc etc etc is really not nice. How do you know they hadn’t saved for a year for that holiday or they hadn’t experienced something bad and needed time away in the sun? How would they have known there was going to be a cold snap? Whatever, they are entitled to holiday wherever they want to holiday. You chose the sit, then didn’t discuss heating with them when the snap came, but not happy when they question your leaving early.
I come from the tropics in Australia and sat for a month in Scotland in October and froze my butt off but that wasn’t the owners fault, I put extra clothes on and rugged up. I used the heating sparingly. So despite my accepting you really must have suffered, please don’t assume that the owners even knew how cold you were as you say you didn’t even contact them to let them know you were leaving.
They asked you “to be mindful of using the gas heating too much” which is quite different to saying “please don’t use the gas heating”. I am sure they wouldn’t have minded had you used it sparingly during the cold bouts. Energy costs in the UK are in the extreme and I totally get why they asked you to be “mindful” - they didn’t ask you not to use it.
Communication is the key to everything when house-sitting, they probably would have said of COURSE use the heating! At the end of the day, regardless of why we are there, we are still guests in their home and I treat it accordingly.
7 Likes
I’m getting plenty of sits. I don’t mind when the HO takes the time to explain to me that they would prefer a couple because of multiple animals or someone with different experience. I got turned down very nicely for a sit that includes a pair of salt water reef fish tanks. And they had an applicant who had that experience.
But sometimes, people are willing to take a chance with you - my first full-size horse sit (outdoor pasture horse), my first miniature horses (not much harder than cleaning up the yard after a great dane or other giant dog.
tom
4 Likes
How did they know that you had left early?
Am I alone in thinking it shouldn’t have been an issue your leaving the sit early when your partner stayed to the end of the sit? I agree with some of the comments that you could have communicated with the owner regarding the heating but can’t understand why she should have been upset that you left. Often couples split up at the end of sits for one to start another.
5 Likes
As a HO I would feel blindsided if one of our sitter couple left without mentioning it, however wouldn’t have a problem with that person actually leaving if I got the heads up. At best it is rude not to keep the HO informed at worst it looks secretive and under handed.
As a sitter, my husband and I wanted to do 2 sits that overlapped by 2 days, with one staying behind and one going to the new sit. We checked in with both owners about this and they were absolutely fine.
Communication is key in having successful sit experiences for both owners and sitters.
6 Likes
Lokstar yes, thank you
I sent a follow-up text to make sure they were happy with everything and said I was sorry that I hadn’t been there to say bye etc.
1 Like
I wouldn’t want a HO to feel blind sided or disrespected. It certainly won’t happen again.
It’s good to hear a HO point of view.
1 Like
I agree with you, @Smiley. Our feeling is, as long as there is no gap in pet care, and it’s the same sitters (or one of the two) that continues pet care, so as to avoid disruptions, why is it an issue? A team means we can split up if we must. Obviously we don’t split up a lot, and may do for overlap days, but one extreme example, in line with the original poster: We once had to split up, with hubby staying on, because my allergies were so severe that I could not stay in the house - I could hardly breathe and my asthma inhaler didn’t help. I had to find and pay for other accommodation. I didn’t want to stress the home owner with this information. There was nothing they could do and we had the situation covered in our own way, no impact on the pets. Sometimes we have to do what we can! Okay, communication might have been better in @paws4you’s case, but we’ve all been there. So we learn.
1 Like
Update:
The HO gave us a 5 star review.
Thanks for all of your responses. We are recent to THS and we’ve had amazing sits and met lovely HOs balanced with just a couple of wacky sits.
I’m in awe of sitters & HOs who have been doing this for a long time.
The forum has been really helpful.
8 Likes
Thank you for the update @paws4you this discussion only underlines the need for full and open communication … Thanks to everyone for your contributions, this conversation can now be closed.
“All’s well that ends well” 
3 Likes