I spend a lot of time in the platform searching for new sittings to go, and from time to time, I see a open sit saying i.e. Washigton D.C., but in the location tab “lovely small town outside of Washington, DC”. So it is NOT Washigton D.C.
And it happened already some sittings that we confirmed and such, to when we get the address, it’s the same thing, wrong city. Any thoughts?
I believe first the HO should be more precise about the region they put in the map. Not sure if it’s a HO problem, or at the platform that is not to precise. Anyway, maybe a tag/filter would solve it??? Saying something like downtown/suburb.
Having the filter “Accessible by public transport” helped a lot and thanks for it but still, if it’s outside the city, should not be put as the city.
All Sitters beware that Owners can put their home wherever they feel like putting it. According to THS, it is on the Sitter to ask the right questions in order to uncover the false information. Absolutely ridiculous!!
From what I have read the homeowners can only choose from a selection of cities offered by the site in a dropdown, so the suburbs of a city may not be an option for them.
Ridiculous. And sometimes HOs will describe all the stuff you could theoretically see and do and also say their dog can’t be left for more than two hours, LOL.
That should be solved someway around instead of just leting it be there, because it could be REALLY effective into the sittings, and save a lot of time having to chat with the owners and then discover that the house is X miles away from the actual place.
A filter with location maybe? Downtown, neighbhood, suburb, next to the city. Something like that? Since they adding all the cities to solve this, could take an absurd amount of time.
Maybe some X distance between the actual place an downtown? So if it’s 0, is in downtown, and everything else, the map could generate, or the HO fill it from google maps info?
This has been discussed before. One of the problems lies in the 3rd party mapping software that THS use. They have a finite location list, so that’s what HOs must choose from. Google maps embed API is too expensive . I have been searching back on the forum for the accurate answer (it was 2 or 3 years ago & I haven’t found it).
Of course HOs should be more precise in their listing when they find that they can’t select their precise location.
Yes. Once I saw that the map pin was completely wrong, in a different part of the country, just a town with the same name as the hamlet that the home was in. The owners were not aware, it seemed.
Yes, me too. On two separate occasions I wrote to the owners to notify them that their listing shows on a completely different spot on the map than what their description says. I wasn’t applying, just needed to notify the owners. I never did I hear back from those. Not sure if they understood what I meant. I think I also read on here that they have to pick the closest large city to their home…hence why it shows up as a city
Yes, this is unfortunate for home owners. I think most sitters are searching by location. I am generally using the map interface. So they will miss out on applications when they don’t adjust the pin position.
Very few people live in central London and it can easily take an hour to get home and still be in London. I know I lived there for many years. Read the details and ask the right questions.
Ah, yes, I have seen some listings that I often wonder if the HO has put the location they are going to in the listing and not their home? a few have moved and forgotten to update their details, however most of them, the listing is hours and hours away “driving, so could take you an entire day on Public Transport” to get to it. Also some say City of etc which I am sure as a HO if you are a first time listing, you might not be aware that you could put in Great London for example meaning you are not inside eg the M25 (Tolls, Transport and Parking can be a straight up no for sitters) or the City of London, I am not sure if the Website lets the HO change this easily or if it suggests so they take City of London when they are not inside the M25, I am sure this is the case around the World, I have looked at Sydney knowing it and the suburbs very well and it seems to be a common theme.
Also whilst I understand some HO don’t want to list their tiny little Hamlet, Village, Town name, the closest one that for example to you has Public Transport, Groceries, Dr etc would be helpful to give you an idea of where the sit is.
TBH If it is so vague, I often just move onto the next one, which is sad as they could be a fantastic sit with the most gorgeous pets.
Before Covid, I would put the location we stayed, however it seems that since then, no feedback has the location, just “our stay in London” which isn’t helpful. If I find a sit that I think could be what we like, I then look at maps of the Parks or places of interest they have listed and get a rough idea of where they are located.
I feel a bit uncomfortable messaging the HO asking a rough location to see if we are happy staying in the area? so often like I say there are possibly lots of sits we have never applied for due to the vague location details.
Hopefully this changes.
It’s not always that straightforward @rebeccajm - the sit says London, you dig deeper and it’s in fact Dorking, the listing says “easy train ride of 30 mins” into Central London and the sitter (often International) is none the wiser and has no idea of the fact it’s leafy suburban Surrey and of the hideous cost. Like you I’ve lived in different parts of London a few times over many years. The map/location function needs improving.
It doesn’t seem to be user error, it seems to be the mapping integration they use. It would be so much easier if the owner could simply put their Post/Zip code and let THS take care of the rest like Airbnb, HomeExchange etc.
but still, if it’s outside the city, should not be put as the city.
. I have been searching back on the forum for the accurate answer (it was 2 or 3 years ago & I haven’t found it).