I agree. I wouldn’t care how many 5 star reviews a sitter had, if they started demanding I ‘put things in writing’ it would be a hard no from me. I would pay a sitter but not this one.
I’ve happily sat for first-time hosts and had those sits all turn out well.
Sounds like you’ve had deal-breakers on your sit. If I had experienced such and couldn’t resolve them, I’d give 24 hours’ notice and leave.
As described, the host seems to have dealt reasonably with the car issue. If you need something like a jump, that would be neighborly, but not some random “the car won’t start, so can you take a look.” We are very friendly and collaborative with our neighbors and I wouldn’t even consider making such an ask.
To me, borrowing a car includes the possibility of breakdowns. If that didn’t sit well with me, I’d rent one and expect my rental fees to cover breakdowns and possible replacement of the car.
Frankly, no one cares that you don’t provide a car for sitters and get around your city on foot. A comfortable home and a car as perks will always be the more popular choice, leaving you with someone who was rejected by more attractive offers.
That doesn’t make sense globally. In some cities — like Marion lives in NYC — having a car to deal with can be a pain. I sit primarily in urban areas and don’t want a car in many of them.
Frankly, no one cares that you don’t provide a car for sitters and get around your city on foot. A comfortable home and a car as perks will always be the more popular choice, leaving you with someone who was rejected by more attractive offers.
Yeah, I guess you’re right. How terrible of me! That’s why I have so much trouble finding good sitters for my New York City catsit. How thoughtless.
I couldn’t care less that you live in New York; unless it’s a Manhattan neighborhood, I’m not even interested. I have friends in Manhattan, so when I’m in New York, I’d much rather stay with them. I live in Los Angeles—which varies a lot, too; I’m in a really nice area, but 70 percent of the city is a dump. Oh, and one more thing: you can’t get by in L.A. without a car!
A friend of mine is a blogger and a recent immigrant; she earns good money and bought a car during her second year in New York because all other forms of transport are garbage and unsafe. The only issue, of course, is parking tickets—that’s the one thing that might deter a host from providing a car—but again, that’s a matter of the initial agreement.
ps. I never do house-sits in big cities—I grew up in a big city and, in my younger years, lived in some of the best neighborhoods in London, Hong Kong, and Paris… I’m absolutely fed up with big cities! I want to explore charming villages—it’s just that stage of life I’m in—and pick a place where I might buy a house one day. Naturally, beautiful homes appeal to me more—the chance to explore the interiors, plus that sense of connection with nature.
You’re actually wrong about new hosts who don’t have reviews yet. I’ve had very different experiences with them—some were incredibly generous people with stunning homes who practically insisted on lending me their car! I didn’t even have to ask. Naturally, with people like that, you really want to go the extra mile. But then there was another experience with a new host on the site… I eventually managed to find common ground through patience, but the host was incredibly demanding and downright rude. I was just won over by the location, so I overlooked the host’s behavior—though he did end up apologizing on his own later on.
Good for you for knowing what kind of sits work best for you - it truly is the best start to finding successful sits.
I am not sure what it has to do with this thread, or why you feel the need to insult others for living somewhere you don’t care for, and assume that what you prefer is going to be the most popular.
You didn’t read the whole conversation—I was talking about the car from the start, not the house. I was discussing the perks involved in the choice, and the car is a key factor; the other person was mocking my answer, claiming that since she’s in New York, she’d easily find a sitter without offering perks like a car. I replied that such an idea is ridiculous for dirty cities like New York (where she lives) and Los Angeles (where I live).
I came on here to share my situation so that future sitters could be aware in the future when deciding on sits similar to the one I described. Never did I expect so much negative assumptions. I would appreciate you deleting this thread because it caused me great anxiety to see how many people reacted negatively. I will never post again on here. Another lesson learned.
Hi everyone,
Thanks for the advice shared in this thread. I know discussions like this can get intense, and I appreciate that most replies came from a genuine wish to help.
@DorisP, thank you for sharing your experience… I’m so sorry it’s been a difficult sit, and I understand this thread became stressful too. I’ll send you a DM shortly.
For you, or anyone experiencing the issues you’ve described, especially the undisclosed camera, please contact Membership Services directly if you haven’t already. They can support you properly while the sit is ongoing.
I’m now closing this thread at OP’s request, as it’s her situation under discussion; it doesn’t feel right to continue it without her.
Jenny