I’m envious that you usually sit for people who have “housekeeping” come clean their house! That’s only happened on 2 sits I did. On all the others I’ve done, the owners did their own cleaning so I had to do all the cleaning myself before I left.
I think this is a great question. I’m going to start asking it in the Zoom/interview, so it surfaces before I accept the sit. I have always asked some version of “Is there anything else I should know?” And I also always say towards the end of the convo, “Is there anything else you want to ask me?” Sometimes they ask about me but sometimes that’s a prompt for them to say, “OH yes, I meant to ask if you are OK with….” And then tell me something important about the conditions of the sit.
OK, all good. Thank you for this response.
I prefer not to have cleaners come. People who clean themselves have often been more reasonable in their expectations, plus I don’t like having strangers come in while I sit.
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I posted a few days back about that person who gave 4 stars for cleaning to 2 previous sitters. Now I’m waiting for her to call but nothing is happening… yes we had arranged a call. Time to let that one go I think…
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I appreciate the big question: How to screen HO for potential bad HO behavior. And I got some good ideas and reminders from my fellow sitters. A couple of questions that I think I should add to my pre-confirming conversation with the HO are: Do you have any additional animals? Are any of your pets pregnant, sick or have issues?
As a new to THS sitter (though years of pet care personally, for family and friends, and with Rover), I have had three out of three sits that had additional animals that were not listed in their listing. One was understandable because they were hermit crabs and no care while they were gone was needed, one I gathered had chickens from a review, and one was grossly understated with literally 100 additional meat chickens and two pigs. One of those three didn’t tell me until two days before my sit that one of their dogs was pregnant and was due sometime the week of my sit.
All of the HOs were wonderfully nice and welcoming but by omitting the whole picture of care and responsibility was troubling and left me with a kind of “gotcha!” feeling. That is a feeling of being taken advantage of and in the end disrespectful.
I wish THS would emphasize to HOs the importance of full transparency and openness. Sitters would feel a mutual respect of our time and professionalism.
And one more thing, I retired five years ago from a professional career as an executive, and I do this now because I enjoy the company of animals and opportunities to visit new places, meet people and get to know the feel of a community. In one interview for a sit that I will do later, I felt looked down upon slightly by the HO. I took the job anyway and I hope it turns out well. 
THS would do well to remind HOs that we are benefiting one another mutually and to treat Sitters with respect and professionalism.
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@Treen-Bean think it’s always important to listen to your instincts rather than hoping it turns out well . There are plenty of great sits, fabulous HO’s and wonderful experiences ahead for you 
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There’s only so much THS can do. I mean, it’s a matching service. You’re the only one who’s really in a position to insure you are treated with respect and professionalism. Why would you accept a sit that almost guarantees you won’t be? I hear your frustration, but it sounds like your vetting and decision process could use some tweaking.
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@Treen-Bean If I felt “looked down on” by a host during the chat I would not accept the sit. Its is also not a “job” (which implies payment) So if you knowingly enter a situation where it feels like an employer/employee situation you may well not have the mutual exchange experience you wish for.
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yes, like when they say you must vacuum every other day.
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So many answers so dont know if you still need mine. I had about 60 sits in the last 2,5 years and what i do is that i read the reviews pet parents gave for their sitters. If they overreact because there was a little crumb when they came home, i dont apply. Also if i feel that pet parents are helicopter parents and are to attached to their pets in an unhealthy way, I avoid such sits. I love elderly couples for example. They are mostly super sweet, easy and welcoming. If i read that sitters are not allowed to leave the house more then 4 hours when they are cat sitting, I just think to myself “ look for another cheap idiot” If you believe in karma it makes such situations easier cause you know it will come back to them. I hope i dont sound to harsh 
I had so many lovely sits and dont see me stopping yet.
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I had one that wanted hoovering every day. Not a particularly hairy pet, but in their own words they were very houseproud. Each to their own, but I decided it was not the sit for me.
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Do you tell them straight away or later? Do you tell them the real reason or find an excuse?
I knew they were talking to a couple of sitters so hoped they would pick the other one. They offered me the sit a couple of days later. I’m afraid I took the cowards way out and told them sorry but I was no longer available on those dates.
It’s not the cowards way out. You can decline a sit for any reason and you don’t owe the HOs an explanation. You could just say it’s not the right fit. HOs don’t typically provide a reason for declining a sitter (nor would I expect them to).
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Gosh, it would never even occur to me to ask if there was heating upstairs or if they had hot water! I’m afraid I always override heating controls to make myself warm enough. I would not stay in the house where I felt cold
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Wow, those omissions are SHOCKING!!!