We have started asking for the address during the video call or immediately after acceptance. We have, in the past, sometimes been caught out getting the address much later and finding it is not exactly where we thought e.g further out in the sticks, or down a rough road etc. Ultimately not a problem when we’ve been with our own car but not so convenient if relying on public transport as in some overseas sits. Most hosts in our experience don’t complete the welcome guide or just prepare their own thing, usually with their address, but also usually sent much closer to the sit dates or just in paper form on arrival. So its always good to get the address immediately incase its not going to be a good fit.
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I too ask for the precise area, asking for the street name or the closest cross roads, explaing coming without a car (for example) i want to see how far is the market, the grocery, the bus stop ( or train station)
I declined a sit realizing we would be close to a train station, very noizy.
It’s to late once you have been selected to ask for such infos.
With Google earth you see a lot.
Having got the zip code by the owner i vould see the house was totally remote.
No pubs around … within walking distance.
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Ah! This is my #1 pet (ha ha) peeve about not just THS but pet/house sitting arrangements overall. It is supposed to be a culture of mutual exchange, at least that’s how the major sites present it: pet and house care in exchange for a place to stay, presumably in an interesting locale. THS promotes pet sits as a way to travel without having to pay for expensive accommodations, which makes it pretty explicit that we sitters are not simply paying our own travel expenses to get to a sit only to be confined there by excessive HO demands/expectations.
More than once, I have found myself reassuring a HO that I will mostly be around as I work full time remotely. This is in response to them worrying that the animals will be left alone for too long. While I absolutely agree that it’s fine to ask sitters not to be gone for long stretches of time (and certainly not overnight) and I am an ethical pet carer who would never push an animal’s limits too far (I do make them a priority), I find myself downplaying the very reasons why I’m applying for the sit: because it’s in a locale that I really want to explore.
I don’t know what the solution to this disparity between reasonable expectations and excessive demands is, to be honest. Of course, it depends upon the animals–dogs needing more frequent walks, etc. and cats being (usually) more independent. I don’t think THS can do anything about this, can they? Maybe they can provide tips or “dos and don’ts” to new HO, reminding them that this is a cultural of equal exchange?
The same goes from the perspective of the HO. While THS may check your name, address and phone number, it is not automatic given to a HO.
I agree all that should be in a WG. It is in mine. At least you get my welcome guide. The HO has to ask a sitter to give name and a cell and a last name even after accepted!!! I accepted a recent sitter and it felt like a bit of reluctance to provide and may have been complicated by some lack of tech savvy - ness. “Hmm. I’m not sure why what’s app doesn’t work on my phone” for the video call…. Video turned into phone call.
“Just Jo and Sue is fine”. It was a little odd. Finally when they had difficulty with the THS app to attach photos of pet, used cell to text. And it was a blind handover.
The sit turned out 100 percent fine, but in retrospect as a NEW HO, with different sitters, it could have been not great.
Each party should have back up contact info once, full name and a cell . Agree!
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