What do you think about home owners who have put their house on the market and expect sitters to entertain buyers during a long sit?
On one hand this feels like a huge ask but on the other I empathise with the owners needing to get as many potential buyers as possible to view the property.
On the plus side it means that the final clean won’t take as long as we’re keeping it pristine for viewings.
@Katemarie, we’d decline without a second thought.
Being on-call for an unknown number of property visitors does not meet our criteria for reasonable housesitter expectations.
The concept would also blatantly breach THS Third Party Policy. I do not know whether this impacts THS insurance. And what happens if a potential house buyer gets injured during a tour, from tumble or pet or otherwise - personal liability?
Suggest run away.
https://support.trustedhousesitters.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360001881117-Third-party-policy
Not a chance I’d take such a sit.
Hard no!! They should have timed their time away better.
HO here.
That is a huge ask for a sitter on this platform. Agree!
Would not request myself, can envisage all sorts of issues, and savvy sitters would almost certainly decline.
Didn’t know until we arrived!
Wasn’t told until arrival!
I am curious as to your interpretation of ‘long sit’ @Katemarie. Are these viewings at the beginning, middle or end of the sit?
What if it sells very quickly
with a short close and you have to vacate earlier than expected? No, I wouldn’t be interested in such a sit.
HO here - this is completely unreasonable. They should not be able to list a sit with these conditions.
That’s totally not ok @Katemarie
I’m sorry to hear you are navigating that! Sounds like real time? Are you planning to stay? Other sitters can weigh in but I’m pretty certain that breaches Terms and Conditions
If you stay: Make certain you describe fairly and clearly in review.
“We were not prepared by the homeowner in advance that we would be asked on arrival to maintain the home ( which was for sale) for prospective buyers, and this was not made known until we arrived. While we still chose to stay, we caution that this is not an ideal sit for this reason. We felt disrupted in our enjoyment of the sit and in our care of the pet. “
Would take lots of photos of your work keeping place clean.
Holy moly. I feel for you.
Oh goodness, that’s crazy!
I’d contact support immediately. Viewing during the sit breaks the third party policy shouldn’t be your responsibility to handle, especially as they didn’t tell you untill arrival. Very cheeky!
https://support.trustedhousesitters.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360001881117-Third-party-policy
I’m not sure what you mean by ‘entertain buyers’?
Twice we have been doing a sit where the home is on sale and we have been asked to make sure it is in pristine condition for viewings. We were told when the viewings were to take place and went out for an hour whilst they were happening, the estate agents did the showing around.
This was no problem at all for us.
If I arrived and hosts sprung that on me, I’d ask them to pause showings till after their return. If not, then I’d leave before they started their trip and they’d have to arrange alternative care or cancel their trip.
If they weren’t there when I arrived, I’d contact them and ask them to pause showings. If not, I’d give 24 hours’ notice in writing to them and THS, so the hosts could come up with alternative care before I left.
Third-party visits are supposed to be agreed to at the outset. Like if someone wants to arrange for a cleaner, etc. Even as a stretch, that would include showings by real estate agents.
Depending on the country, showings can happen with little notice.
Personally, I’m not interested in such sits. If I’m telecommuting, want to take a nap or a bath or whatever, I don’t want to interrupt whatever I’m doing at someone else’s random schedule. And I bet many sitters wouldn’t, either.
In my case, I could opt to sit elsewhere or to stay comfortably home.
As the home should be vacated for the sitter and no third parties it is a breach of terms.
5.2.13. ensure your home is vacated for a Sitter throughout the duration of the Sit , and that no third parties will interfere with the Sitter’s enjoyment of your property;
Having sold properties several times it is a hazzle keeping the home ready for viewings while still living there, going to work, kids go to school and be with friends etc. - the last time we moved out to relatives to be able to keep the home ready at all times.
No doubt in my mind that viewings - and keeping home ready for viewings - will interfere with my enjoyment of the property.
I find it really obnoxious and entitled when hosts leave sitters in circumstances they clearly don’t want to endure themselves - be it viewings, painters, contractors or whatever. Please mention in review somehow so others can be aware of hosts attitude regarding this.
I have seen a long sit in U.K. with no pets where it was clearly explained in the listing that the house was up for sale and that the sitter would be there to facilitate house viewings . Since it was clear from the outset , any sitter applying and accepting would be fully aware that these were the expectations/ responsibilities of the sit .
Not acceptable .
Having third parties is not permitted during a THS sit - unless it has been written in the listing and agreed with the sitter before confirming the sit . So if you are uncomfortable with it you don’t have to agree to this - but it may mean that the host curtails the sit . You can contact the THS Urgent Support 24/7 Phone Line for advice and support .
If you are happy with the viewings taking place during the sit . I would still suggest that you agree limits with the hosts . Such as they can only be on one specific day and time of the week at your convenience and with xx days notice beforehand .
If the hosts have a requirement for how the house should be presented during those viewings - you could suggest that they would need to employ a cleaner to come before the viewing .
We did a weeks’s sit , before offering us the sit the hosts told us that the home was up for sale . There were no viewings during the sit. They arranged a viewing for the day we left and arranged for a cleaner to come after we left before the viewing took place . So we didn’t have to worry about a big clean before we left. It was a very relaxing sit .
Same as @Colin, we’ve been once in this situation and it wasn’t a problem. Before a viewing was arranged, the owners asked us if it suited us. When the estate agent arrived, we went for a walk and that was it. Not really a hassle. It was for a 4-month sit and we had maybe 3 visits.
If there were very frequent visits or if you are supposed to show the people around the house, then I can understand the problem.
I think it depends on how hot the market is too— when a friend of mine was selling her house, she had 3-5 viewings every week!
I think that the higher cleaning standards required would be too much for me to put up with on such a frequent basis.
It’s cheeky.
I have always owned homes in popular locations and they can easily get several showings in one day when we’ve sold them.
How long is the sit for @Katemarie? I think owners have deliberately done this to you as they did not want the hassle of being there and maintaining the house for possible viewings. They’re happy to inconvenience you but not themselves. I would make it very clear that should there be any damage or items missing during a viewing or the sit itself, you will not be held responsible where strangers have been in the home, violating the Third Party Policy. If you are still going to continue the sit, set very clear boundaries as mentioned by other members to fit in with you. What pets are you caring for and how could this impact them?