If there’s a change in behavior among hosts, or say an uptick in slow responses, that would probably turn off a number of sitters. Theoretically, it would be self-correcting if more sitters withdrew, because hosts would find it harder to find sitters and act more promptly.
Of course, that probably would take time to unfold. Sitters who are full-time nomads would face the brunt of things. For part-time or occasional sitters, most of us would stay home or do non-sit travel.
For me, if it got to a point where prompt, decisive and communicative hosts were hard to find, I’d just stop sitting. As it is, I’m doing less sitting for a stretch, while I do more nesting at home and do more non-sit travel.
From what I’ve seen, THS works best for sitters who have the greatest choice, doing sitting selectively and not relying on it.
One profile without a review was old so I couldn’t click on it.
I’d say 2/4 is a grey area. I’ve had HO text saying how clean the home was on their return and they’d love me sit for future dates, but not leave a review on THS… so a couple missing is still a bit of a question mark.
You don’t say how far you’d have to travel. That makes all the difference.
I’m a bit uncomfortable with your description of the sit as “run of the mill” and a later comment that the cat “just” needs feeding twice a day. Would you be so indignant if this were a nervous dog? Almost every cat, however “boring and normal” needs time to get used to a new person. If you’re within reasonable travelling distance, I don’t think it’s unreasonable of the HO to want to meet you before leaving their cat (whom I’m sure they don’t think of as run-of-the-mill..) in your care.
I’ve sat over 30 cats, and by this I meant the cats do not require medication or any special care.
I love cats and I give all cats I sit as much love and affection as they want. A lot of the time this ranges from enjoying cuddles and strokes, to aloof and unbothered. In all honesty, it’s not rocket science and I don’t think cats need to meet someone before the sit is approved.
The sit is about a 2 hour drive from where I am now.
I didn’t for one minute think that @RR12345 's description inferred indignation, rather that since the sit wasn’t fandabidozi amazing (and so hugely in demand) or overly-complicated (since the cats just need feeding twice a day), there seems no obvious reason why a pre-sit visit is necessary.
Of course, PPs can request a pre-sit visit (which, to me, suggests lack of experience with THS or lack of trust), but I suspect this will limit the number of applicants. We’ve only agreed this once, when we were on a sit just a short distance away. We were actually glad we did visit, since it was immediately obvious that it wasn’t a good-fit. Maybe the fact that it was requested by the PP gave warning of that?
They thought I was close by, and when I said I wasn’t they just didn’t reply! But even if I was sometimes my schedule is pretty packed and it was also short notice.
This would be a deal breaker for me as a sitter. It raises flags about how the host is seeing the equal exchange and how they are respecting my time–not. I might offer to come early the day of or night before. They can meet me and throw me out if they don’t like me.
I laughed when you mentioned the disparity in the number of reviews you have.
I work for a living. Unless a location is very close, a face to face interview is a lot of time out of my billable hours and very precious personal time. If hosts want me in advance then have me come a day early. But no, I am not going to take 1, 2 or more hours out of my day to be interviewed for a job that isn’t a job.
I actually prefer having an in person meeting to feel more comfortable with the sitter and my cats’s needs as my babies are just a bit not run- of-the mill.