How long does it take for a sitter application to get a response/confirmed?

How long does it take for a request for sitter to post?

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Iā€™m wondering the exact same thing. Iā€™m on my sixth sit and have three more confirmed.

Iā€™ve applied for a Christmas and New Year one, but itā€™s been over a week without any response.

It would be nice to know how long the homeowner has to reply. I donā€™t want to be hanging on then not get it and potentially missing out on other sits.

Hello @Bridgie & @Gleekay - I think youā€™re asking different things. @Bridgie keep applying for other sits whilst you wait for a response as that sit might come to nothing. Thatā€™s totally normal practice. If you get offered something else thatā€™s when you have to make a decision and reach out again. And @Gleekay i think youā€™re asking how long for a listing to go live for sitters to apply? Usually a few days from what Iā€™ve read but ask THS support on the chat :speech_balloon: for an update if itā€™s been longer than that. Request a human to talk to. #thinkthatsproblemsolved

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@Cuttlefish - I donā€™t know about the sitter side, but your advice feels right.
As for ā€œposting a sit as a HO and wait timesā€ - my experience is that applications start coming in about 30 minutes after I post new dates. No days waiting time - perhaps this is for the first sit you post?

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Yes I thought the question was ā€œhow long until my new listing is seen?ā€ but maybe itā€™s ā€œhow long until I get some applicants?ā€. Which is how long is a piece of string for some HOs. If you have a great listing and home (like yours Iā€™m guessing) then super fast, if not, can be slowā€¦thanks for the reply. #highfive

As a sitter iā€™m curious if thereā€™s a time limit on owners approving a sit, or responding.

Itā€™s been over ten days since applying but not hearing anything?

I always write a personal application for each sit and find it a little frustrating not having an response at and then possibly getting a rejection.

Yes I undesirable owners may be busy but theyā€™re the ones asking. Surely a quick message takes no time

The T&Cs state that responses should be received within 72 hours (I may be wrong about the timeframe, but itā€™s certainly less than 10 days). Unfortunately, it is very commonplace for applications to go unacknowledged. I know this myself, having put my heart and soul into applications, only for them to be overlooked and not responded to. It is incredibly disheartening.

I would suggest it is up to you to determine what is an acceptable length of time to wait for a response. For me, if a response isnā€™t received within a few days, it is usually not a good sign and indicates a lack of communication from the side of the HOs that could be reflected in the way they communicate during sits. At the very least, it is downright disrespectful and I am increasingly withdrawing applications after a few days due to non-response. You may wish to have a look at this thread, which is very helpful and may help you come to a decision about how to proceed:

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As @anon6309382 says, this is a common topic. Many of us just withdraw our application if we donā€™t get an answer, often before the 72 hours. The sits Iā€™ve had there have been communication within the first 48 hours. So that is kind of my limit ( although sometimes my application linger longer because I forget to withdraw). Often I can see that the host has read my application almost immediately without giving a response - and when I withdraw I can again see quite quickly that they have read my message, again without giving a response. So that pretty much tells me that it is a sit of no interest for me.

Upon application I personally immediately archive my application and move on to the next one. That way there is no lingering ā€˜they havenā€™t responded yetā€™ in my brain. And if they do respond, I take it from there. But in my experience if they donā€™t respond quickly, itā€™s not a sit Iā€™ll do or Iā€™ll find a different one and theyā€™ll be shocked when the contact me a month later and Iā€™m no longer available.

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If they donā€™t reply to you within 10 days, our brains say ā€œimagine what theyā€™ll be like during the sit or if thereā€™s an emergency? Doesnā€™t bode wellā€. Timely comms on both sides is so key to a great sit. Either withdraw and move on or leave it bubbling and keep looking for other sits in that date frame is the best thing. @anon6309382 is right about the 72 hours on both sides as a guideline and itā€™s a good one. #plentyoffishinthesea

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You could always send a follow up message asking if they have had time to consider you. If you donā€™t get a timely response then you might want to consider if this is a good fit for you and your needs.

People are people and donā€™t always communicate in the time or way you would like them to whatever the T&Cs advise.

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There is no standard that hosts adhere to, so sitters essentially use their own judgment about how long to wait or not. THS says 72 hours, but thereā€™s no teeth in that and itā€™s often ignored.

Personally, I typically withdraw within 48 hours if a host doesnā€™t respond to ask for a video chat to see whether thereā€™s a mutual fit.

This morning, Iā€™ve just withdrawn in record time ā€” eight hours. Thatā€™s because I applied for a sit that would involve flying in and the sit is supposed to begin this Friday. I saw that the host had read my application last night, yet hadnā€™t replied, so I figured they either have a better fit with another sitter or they donā€™t care about whether sitters need time to arrange travel plans, which would be inconsiderate. So I moved on.

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Sending a separate message sounds a bit needy, I certainly donā€™t feel I shpuld need to do this.

But I also donā€™t want to withdraw as itā€™s a lovely home/location

Iā€™ll certainly keep my options opens and apply for others.

I currently have nine sits booked and iā€™m currently on one

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I agree. Invariably, if the home owner sends a response, whether to show an interest or to let me know they are reviewing applications and will get back to me, it is within the first 2-3 days. While there is no way to enforce the 72 hour guideline, I tend to think this is an appropriate timescale to allow for responses, and donā€™t hang around after this. Archiving an application doesnā€™t work for me, as I still go back to see whatā€™s going on with it, especially if itā€™s one Iā€™m keen on.

I donā€™t think Iā€™ve ever had a response from an application beyond this point, and certainly not after 2 weeks. I believe in the old adage, if itā€™s not a ā€˜heck yesā€™, itā€™s a ā€˜heck noā€™. A HO that is interested in having you as a sitter will usually respond quickly.

I recently withdrew from a sit I was very keen on. They had read my application almost instantly but, after over a week, it had not been acknowledged. I sent a polite message saying, since I had not heard from them, I assume I am not what they are looking for. Again, the message was read quickly but not responded to. The ad remains online and I have noticed recently other sitters have also withdrawn, as the number of applicants have been reduced (either that, or they were declined by the HOs). Iā€™ve applied for other sits and have not received a response, then withdrawn and noticed that the sit remains live only days before it is due to start. They havenā€™t chosen a sitter. Iā€™m not sure whatā€™s going on with HOs but this seems to be increasingly common. If a HO responds to my application the same day, it leaves a very good impression on me!

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Last year, I applied for a sit abroad. A couple of days later, withdrew my application, because Iā€™d not heard back.

Then many weeks later, the host msgs and says theyā€™ve > just < had a chance to review applications and wonder whether Iā€™m still available? That was within a week or two of the sit abroad.

Note: Last-minute airfare for even the most inconvenient flights to that location (including multiple stops) would run into the thousands, in USD.

LOL, for the same price, I could have zero sitting responsibilities by buying airfare and hotel on my own with a bit of planning, and go during much nicer weather.

The HO had asked for someone familiar with their city, which I very much am. Plus, I speak the language fluently, which Iā€™d also mentioned in my application.

Some hosts have little regard for sitters. Personally, I look for red flags and would rather avoid such hosts, no matter how great a sit might be otherwise. Thatā€™s because sitting is a partnership. I donā€™t settle for weak partners.

And as it turned out, I landed an idyllic sit in another country instead. It was so lovely that Iā€™ve since repeated that sit, even though I normally donā€™t, because I prefer variety.

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Your reply made me smile. It shows how differently people view communication.

You view of needy is my view of clarity. And whatā€™s wrong with needing clarity ?

Out of interest Iā€™ve just checked on 3 sits I applied for over a month ago for xmas. All 3 are still showing as available. I withdrew from those 3 when I accepted the 4th one I applied for which was sorted within a couple of days.

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As a sitter I find this extremely frustrating also. I have applied for a couple that said nil applicants and yet after a week still no response, Previously you could at least see if your application had been read but that facility is no longer availabe. Yet other sits I can apply for and receive a reply within half hour and find I have been confirmed before the day is out. I do believe that home owners should be given advise, to try to reply within 24 hours. If they havenā€™t then TH should send out an automated reminder, in case application had been missed. By nit giving quick responses some owners could find they are without a sitter. I withdrew an application from one I had applied for, simply because i had not heard back and confirmed another sit that clashed with their dates.

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@Visit On the app, it does say Read under an application or message from sitter and on the website (computer) it says Seen by ownerā€™s name or their photo.

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Today we hit our shortest application and withdrawal: four hours!
The sit starts tomorrow so we applied, waited three hours, then sent a follow up. An hour later still nothing so we withdrew and booked a hotel instead :woman_shrugging:t2:

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@Bridgie have you heard anything yet ?