Housesitter WelcomeGuide?

Sitter Questions, Advice & Chat
1

Hi everyone,

I’m relatively new to THD and house sitting but have already had multiple highly valued and positive experiences, except for one with an aggressive, biting dog in Edinburgh.

Since there isn’t a house-sitter welcome guide available at the moment, I’ve decided to include the following note below in my profile after my presentation:

Important Note: Please ensure that the dates you list correspond to the actual house-sitting period. As a solo traveler working remotely, I need clear information regarding the address, arrival, and departure times to plan effectively.

To avoid confusion, I prefer using the standard online welcome guide instead of handwritten notes. I value a clean and tidy home and will ensure that I leave your home in the same condition.

I am committed to adhering to the Code of Conduct and Terms & Conditions, which are part of our bound membership agreement, and I kindly ask that you do the same.

For more information, please review www.trustedhousesitters.com

Thank you very much for your understanding!

The reason for this note is to address a recurring issue I’ve encountered and as far as I can see, its a general topic in here too:

Despite the Code of Conduct and Terms & Conditions being part of the bound membership agreement, many seem surprised by these conditions, especially regarding third-party presence during sits and requested flexibility with last-minute date changes. This issue has occurred with both new and experienced homeowners through THS.

Apart from having a great interest and love for animals, I think THS offers a generally safer and more reliable alternative to other accommodation forms, especially for female solo travelers who wish to avoid shaped accommodation etc.

To sustain this, I believe it’s crucial to clarify these terms upfront. It would be very helpful if there were a tick box to confirm awareness of these conditions when listing or confirming a house sit.

Do you think this note is clear and effective? Any feedback or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance for your input!

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2

I understand WHY you would want to put those words into your profile, but I think you risk appearing too rigid by doing so.

It is sort of asking the Owner/host to “please go back and read carefully all of the Terms and Conditions, etc” which Owners might not want to do. They might just pass on your application.

I think that you can still put something in your profile which would express your seriousness about compliance and sounds friendly at the same time.

Bullet points are easier to digest than paragraphs. Perhaps it could be your list of “promises” and then a simple statement that you expect Owners to show you the same level of respect. ???

Your first point about “the actual dates of the house sitting” treads into completely confusing waters. I would tighten that up. Do you mean “the time that the Owners will be gone from the home” or “the time that you will need to be in their home.” Two different things, quite often.

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3

I think your text is great. I am not sure though if the group one would like to reach read the profiles that thouroghly? I might be wrong (hadn’t had a really bad sit, yet). I would think if they do, they scroll further rather than fix it. But I guess repellant is also a solution :innocent:. I think as it says over that you risk sounding too rigid (even for HO that comply with your wishes).

I agree that it is important to read the terms. In our days however I think many tick the box without actually reading. I read somewhere that a company had written somewhere in their conditions that one could contact them and receive a handsome reward for actually reading the terms, and that it took quite a while before someone collected. :smile:

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4

As an Ho, this one would make me move on. I don’t use the official online welcome guide, as it’s too hard to update and really doesn’t work well for my home and pet.

I have my own PDF version, though, so no hand written notes.

This I think might be easiest to just ask/mention this in your application. Maybe a little less official, more chatty, tone woud be better.

This type of list in a profile/application would propably make me to go with another sitter. Not because I wouldn’t agree with your points, but because this would make me suspect the sitter would be too high maintenance. Not to say you are in reality, but that’s how I’d feel.

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5

@PVGemini Thanks for your valuable and interesting input!

I see what you mean about adding this to my profile could potentially come off being a bit rigid, I will adjust it to a slightly less formal tone. Your suggestion to use bullet points is spot on, so I’ll definitely look into making those adjustments.

When I mention the dates, I’m referring to the desired timeframe for my arrival and departure—I’ll add this clarification to the text as well. It would be great if they just made a tick box for this too, as it’s something everyone needs to clarify anyway.

I’m not too worried about scaring some homeowners away —especially since I’ve started getting applications out of the blue as well. While the rest of my profile is quite “soft,” I do want to strike the right balance.

Thanks again for your great feedback; it’s really helpful!

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6

@Garfield Thanks for your feedback!

You make a good point :slight_smile:

I understand that some homeowners might not read profiles closely, and my note might come off as a bit strict.

The reason I’ve added this is particularly because of the security provided by section 5.2.13 in the Terms & Conditions, which is meant to prevent issues like shared accommodations and homeowners notifying you last-minute about adjusting their plans and dates.

I’m relatively new, and have already encountered these situations several times, so I thought it was worth mentioning in my profile. Ideally, this should be obviously be common knowledge when signing up; however, it unfortunetaly appears not to be.

Just imagine if the roles were reversed—if a house sitter were being that flaky, decided to leave the home and pets three days earlier than confirmed, and casually notified the homeowner last minute.

Thanks again for your thoughts! I’ll take your feedback into account :slight_smile:

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7

@CatsAndDog Thank you so much for your tips!

I wasn’t aware that people use alternative guides, so I’ll definitely update my text to reflect that.

It’s a shame to hear that uploading and filling out the standard welcomeguide can be tricky—since it’s so much easier than having to text back and forth about the practical details, address etc.

As mentioned earlier, my overall profile is quite “soft” and chatty, but I agree that it’s of course all about finding the right balance. I’ll take your advice into consideration as I adjust the profile.

I’m in general more cautious now than in the beginning, before confirming a sit, making sure I receive enough information first. Although, this can sometimes be a bit of a pickle due to the current process of receiving the guide afterwards or sometimes not at all.

Thanks again for your helpful feedback!

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8

Sounds good.

I am very much a “rule-oriented, by the book” person and may have an overdeveloped sense of right and wrong. :joy:
I get where you are coming from.

I hope you keep reading deeply in this Forum. There are entire threads about the Third Party rule, Owners changing dates, Owners canceling, the Welcome Guide, home locations.

There are many things that don’t always work the way they should. People could be more respectful, more communicative, more thoughtful. But, the world is not as perfect as I would like it to be. That is just reality.

Mentally, I do better if I am more flexible and expect changes and other challenges. Most Owners are kind and reasonable, and I seek them out.

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9

@PVGemini same here😂
I completely agree with you—this forum are incredibly helpful and I’m definitely better equipped now.
Yes, there is indeed a lot involving these subjects.

Regarding last-minute changes and cancellations, I think the issue will likely continue until THS implements a substantial cancellation fee, similar to what’s common with other forms and services.

This would shift a large part of the responsibility and burden of proof to the party canceling, which would also clarify the big mystery of what actually qualifies as an “extraordinary situation.”

It’s a bit similar to how no-shows at restaurants are managed with deposits to ensure reservations are honored. It works!

Overall, my general experience with homeowners has been very positive and friendly, and I’ve adjusted my note based on the valuable feedback I’ve received.

Thanks again for your insights!

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10

@biscuit

Seeing as you are clearly stating where you stand, you may as well add that you are not willing to pay vet bills up front too, unless you are of course?

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Hello there @Hallt64 that’s a very interesting perspective - you mean if the HO isn’t insured?

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@biscuit

If the pet needs any vet care, the sitters must pay up front and ask the owners to reimburse.
Even if pets are insured, a lot of policies state you pay the vet up front and then claim back from the insurance.
That was the policy when we had dogs.

13

I believe you have just started an avalanche of “but this happened to me $$$$$” responses.

I concur with you, a reasonable amount can be expected to be laid out. (I also keep a slush fund in the house, more for other types of emergencies, but it’s there.)

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14

@elmi4711 @Hallt64 Thank you, yes it can indeed be very individual and in some cases, yes very expensive.

Sorry, just to clarify; You mean reimbursement should come directly from the owner, not through THS - implying a promise of private money exchange between them?

Pet insurance isn’t mandatory when listing and registrering?

15

that I will not do. It’s a ridiculous rule and must be amended.

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16

@biscuit
Yes, it states you should ask the Homeowner to reimburse you

17

@biscuit

Here are the THS T&Cs

5.3. The following applies only to Sitters. You will:

5.3.5. pay any veterinary expenses up front and request the Pet Parent to reimburse you for all costs incurred;

5.3.6. immediately contact the Pet Parent in the event of any damage to property and get their approval for repair. If, in the event of an emergency, you are unable to contact the Pet Parent, you will pay for the repair of any damage caused, and request the Pet Parent reimburse you for all costs incurred (provided you have not caused the damage yourself)

and here is a post where these T&Cs have been discussed previously

https://forum.trustedhousesitters.com/t/sitter-has-to-pay-veterinary-expenses-up-front

https://forum.trustedhousesitters.com/t/emergency-medical-bills-additional-thing-to-consider

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18

It can’t be - I, for example, can’t insure my cats, since they’re over 8 years old.

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19

I believe there are (aside pre-arranged vet accounts) no really good ways to do it without harming the animals in the process of figuring things out.

20

I wouldn’t even know why you’d have to ask the owner. You’ve kept them in the loop, you’ve either made an emergency decision or one together with them, they know you laid out the money, they will reimburse you as quickly as possible.

Why’s that even a thing?