I had withdrawn my application. They asked again. Should have left it, but I said I’d do the sit. I finally received the welcome guide, the tone of which was off-putting. Medication had already been mentioned, which I am fine with. Even the fact that the cat is prone to diarrhea and throwing up I could have coped with, as I’ve taken care of sick animals before. But it feels like an attempt to hide the situation since I had to ask repeatedly for the guide. If they had been open and up front from the beginning, then I could have chosen whether or not to agree to take care of a sick animal. Also, they said they have an indoor camera where the litter box is. No point in saying it must be turned off, as I have no reason to trust them now. I contacted TH member services and cancelled. The next few TH sits i have are with people I know. I’m really not sure after those sits have finished.
I see that the “auto renew” I turned off a month ago is NOT actually off, still gives a renewal date. No way I’m continuing after this year.
@Maggie8K and everyone else who says Get the Welcome Guide first is absolutely right. Why withhold if everything is above-board? I see where giving the benefit of the doubt has gotten me. Feeling really bad that I chose to cancel, feeling bad for the sick kitty. A no-win situation.
I’ve really noticed a change the last few months. We’ve always had a lower success rate as a family of 4, but thus year it’s been virtually impossible to secure any sits let alone responses e enfrom people who state family friendly clearly. People also seem to be going with the first application they get and then not confirming immediately. I am rarely the first applicant because life!
. The only sit we have secured was for one i had to pull out of last year due to m childs ill health so had already had a call etc. It’s really quite frustrating, as we have so many good reviews, if I can’t secure any for half term or summer I may not renew our membership.
I am noticing the same thing! I’ve been a sitter on TH for a little over a year, in the beginning, when I had very few reviews, I did not have this issue at all, H/O’s always replied promptly to my applications. Now I have 15 STELLAR reviews, all 5 stars and lots of wonderful comments, yet starting this year I’ve had several h/o’s who took forever to even read my application. A few never replied at all and I eventually got the dreaded “your application was rejected” message. And most recently, I had a Zoom interview that lasted almost 40 minutes, she did say she had 2 more people to interview, and then 4 days after that I got the canned application was rejected message. No personalized message from the h/o at all. I know I shouldn’t let it get to me, but that one really stung. A simple “Thank you for your time but…” is all I needed, sheeesh!
I’ve read in the news lately that travel is way down in the US. Maybe that’s why there’s less sits available? I’m not sure why HO’s post trips when they don’t have their dates confirmed. As a HO, I never post a trip until I have airfare and hotel booked.
Today is Thursday . A last minute sit has just been listed ( I know because I have been checking listings in this location several times a day for the past fortnight ) -
The listing is for one night only on Saturday. In U.K.it’s a bank holiday weekend . So the majority of sitters would be looking for a sit for the whole weekend and have already made their travel plans .( Public transport and traffic being notoriously bad during bank holidays in U.K. )
We happen to be nearby and available and might be able to help them out . So I messaged the host ( by applying ) to see what time they need someone to arrive on Sat and leave on Sunday . My message was read a couple of hours ago . No reply . They have no other applicants . 
Meanwhile friends have invited us to spend the weekend with them ….
I think you can guess what we are going to do 
….
A question to hosts ? Why bother to post a last minute sit, if you are not going to respond promptly to applications ?
Yes, I prompted someone yesterday who hasn’t replied to an application I sent 4 days ago. The sit is in two weeks so I don’t want to hang around waiting. I tend to withdraw the offer now if I feel they’ve been unresponsive for too long. It’s just rude!
I have a sit I applied for over a month ago. Nothing. It is a short sit to fill in days. And I am just going to stay at my friends in Laguna Beach instead. But annoying. Over a month, nothing.
My brother-in-laws sitter just cancelled on them in Orange county. They have a dog and a cat, have a beautiful home with a pool.
(Post edited by the Forum Team to comply with the Community Rules).
you didn’t say the dates
That is very kind of you @avidtraveler. Perhaps you could private message @Huronbase more details. I see that the moderators did some editing.
I did, however THS removed them. If you look up sits in Orange County, CA, I believe the first sit listed is my brother-in-laws. I’ll try and figure out how to send you a private message.
I sent you a private message just now.
Thank you for the suggestion.
We had a confirmed sit, but she never confirmed officially, then 2 weeks later, after multiple messages from me that were ignored, we got the rejected application notice. I just want to say grow up and be respectful!
Ive found most HO to be pretty good with resposes however, We applied for a sit 3 months ago. Soon after, it said that they were reviewing sits. It still says that. Ive sent another message asking if theyve made a decision but have had no response. I know that sometimes things can happen that mean they cannot reply and i sincerely hope this is not the case but the only other option is that they are just plain rude and if thats the case, i dont think i want to sit for them anymore. It can take a lot of time a effort to apply to for a sit. Lets all show a little more respect to each other.
@JacquiandPeter Have your application and follow-up message been read?
I’ve been noticing that since last summer. I normally pull my application, if I haven’t heard anything within 48 hours.
I’m in the fortunate situation that I travel full-time and don’t have to look too closely at my finances. I do this solely because I love being around animals, especially dogs, and miss having them around when in hotels.
I send a detailed letter, explaining that and that I would really give their pets a lot of attention as that would be my reason for doing that. If someone doesn’t answer within 48 hours, I feel that there was obviously not something about me that made me stand out and I rather go where I’m appreciated.
I’ve pulled quite a few applications since last summer. I pick and choose , so I don’t send tons of applications. But that, together with the cut off after 5 applications made me not renew my membership, which runs out in a week or so.
We’re nearly always in the 48 hours and then we’re off camp, but we’ve just secured a sit in a country where TH sits are rare. The initial reply was an hour or so for “thank you, am waiting for all apps and will then come back to you” but then had to chase for a follow up 3 days later. Then 3 more days silence plus another 4 to arrange a call. That was cancelled 10 mins before so went for one more chance as there as nothing to lose and it was a great convo, lovely HO, good fit and off we go! Total time from app to commit was about 11 days. Really just to say that sometimes it’s worth the wait. #balkanbrave 
I have come to the conclusion that some home owners are just plain rude. I have an application for a sit that was read about a day afterweards. It is now a week and not heard anything at all back. It said nil applicants when I applied. It does not say reviewing applicants or anything like that. Maybe they are hanging on till five applicants? The sit is early July. If something interesting turnes up in the meantime I will just withdraw. I feel so much happier with owners who respond very enthusiastically wihtin an hour or so and all confirmed the same day.
We have around 50 sits and now we listen to our gut when it difficult to get responses or details from perspective HO we look elsewhere. Until you accept a sit it is just a possibility, keep other avenues open. Well that’s the model we try to keep.