ME: I’m a fairly recent homeowner member with one cat wondering about the typical process and scenario.
So, after:
We posted a listing
Sitters are applying until we identified one(s) we want to meet
We invite prospective sitter(s) to meet via phone/Zoom
If we like one we met, we immediately “confirm” the sitter.
…how quickly should we expect and acceptance or rejection to our offer??? Do you think it’s reasonable if we end the chat by saying if we offer the job, we’d like a reply within 24 hours?
I think that sounds totally reasonable. If you mention it in the chat then everyone knows where they are and if the HS needs a little longer for some reason then they can flag it with you. Best of luck
I would frame your 24 hours question a bit differently in the video call. Rather than saying “we’d like a reply within 24 hours” as it sounds a bit demanding. How about after you tell them them you want them to do the sit, explain you would like to get everything formalised quickly so you can finalise your own plans. Ask them how long would they need to confirm the sit after receiving your invitation / are they able to confirm the sit within 24 hours?
Many sitters have multiple applications out at the same time and may have other video calls scheduled with HOs after your call that they want to do before they make a decision on which sit they do.
This also works the other way round as sitters need to know how long the owner is going to take to confirm, especially if they’ve got a few prospective sitters to ‘interview’.
If I’m keen and the owner says they’ll confirm I usually confirm immediately after they’ve confirmed me. But I think 24 hours is fine, although within that time I may have been accepted for another!
As a sitter if im happy with thecsit and the zoom id be happy to confirm there and then. Only if there was something that needed claryfying say dates or care of pets changing for example would i any time.
Hope that helps
I am pretty careful with house sits I apply for. I want all my questions answered right before I accept a house sit (from if there is a parking space to confirming when I can arrive and depart and most importantly, that I have covered the requirements and care of the pets carefully). Once all answered, I usually accept within a day or two. Everyone I have sat for so far, have wanted me within 1-3 days. I have had two house sitters that wanted to interview me over the phone, one on Zoom chat & one I met the pets prior to doing the sit but all accepted me before I did these things.
This isn’t really the right forum thread to write this, but I am noticing quite a bit of home owners not providing feedback to sitters yet the sitters have offered feedback.
Happened to us in reverse, lol. Our second sitters posted lengthy glowing “feedback” but our first never did. While I think all went well based on the email/messages with photos, she didn’t leave feedback. (We immediately had posted her positive review).
