This topic is common but the other threads are very old and pre-blind review policy changes. I am an experienced cat sitter with TH for many years. I recently completed a sit where the cats were left in my care just a few days after the HO traveled for a week and left them with another cat sitter. So, you can imagine these cats were feeling the burn of abandonment, and this caused a few issues - 1) not eating much 2) pooping on the living room rug.
I did my job responsibly - notified the HO, went out and bought them another flavor I thought they would devour (they did - Tuna), and cleaned up the poop four times. I left the apartment spotless, exactly how I found it, stripped the bed as asked to, and kept in touch with the HO.
I left my review the next day after I got back. It was a long thoughtful 4 paragraph review like I always leave. I have asked the HO for a review twice now, and on the app (request review). First ask was via text 4 days after the sit ended and heard back 36 (nail biting) hours later that everything was great and she was sorry, had a busy week, and would write my review “this weekend”. It is now Tuesday - with just 6 days left of the 14 day allowance, and no review yet. My second ask was by email late Monday night saying “sorry to bug you” with a few reminders of the extras I did (because she is so busy she will likely forget.)
Now, I am just anxious. I deserve a good review for all the extra effort I went to. I also brought them a yarn toy which they loved. I don’t understand how people can just take advantage of strangers like this. It’s a barter service. No money is exchanged, just trust. And, when someone goes out of their way to do a great job, they deserve at the very least a written review.
What should I do? Remind her again? When? She has left reviews for the other 2 sitters before me but seems relatively new to TH.
We usually leave a handwritten note with anything they need updating on, and on the bottom we say that we’ll be writing their review the following day and if they could do the same it would be great, and that works for us.
But that time has passed, and it sounds like you’ve tried everything you can, so now try a different angle/tactic, as long as you are sure she is likely to give you 5stars (which it sounds like she should).
Message her asking her to be totally honest with you and tell you if you did something wrong, as you are used to having other owners leave a review for you the day after a sit ends, so you’re feeling a little uneasy, and finish it with the same again asking “So did I do something wrong? I am really sorry if I did”.
Hopefully she’ll realise the importance to you, or perhaps feel guilty, either way, you did a good job, you deserve a review.
I know it’s like grovelling, but otherwise you may end up with no review at all and that’s the whole point of THS, plus just think of all those other future sitters you’ll be helping out who end up sitting for her, and she’ll then write their review much quicker. We would all appreciate that.
Did you already write her a review? I would save the text that says you did a great job. I don’t think that hosts really look to see who didn’t leave you a review if you have mounds of other reviews. If someone asks about the missing review I would send her texts to them. I agree with you that it feels like unpaid staff when you are treated like that. I don’t know how many texts you already sent her to remind her. I think three days before the window closes I would send a text saying that stars are the currency of this platform and after doing a great job for you that you acknowledged, it is only right that you leave me a favorable review before the window closes in three days.
I completely understand the anxiety. Reviews really are the currency on THS, especially if you’re actively applying for sits.
That said, you’ve already reminded her twice, and she’s acknowledged that everything was great. At this point, I’d probably let her be until a day or two before the review window closes, then send one short, friendly final reminder. Something like: “Just a quick reminder that the review window closes on [date]. If you have a spare couple of minutes, I’d really appreciate your review. It helps me a lot with future applications. Thanks again!”
Beyond that, there’s not much else you can do. Some owners are simply disorganized rather than ungrateful. If she doesn’t leave a review despite saying everything was great, that’s disappointing, but it reflects on her, not on the quality of your sit.
For future sits, I’ve found it helps to mention before leaving that I’ll be posting my review the next day and look forward to reading theirs. It gently sets the expectation without putting anyone on the spot.
I completely agree that it’s not fair but I would bear in mind that, after all, it’s up to them and there might be some justified and many unjustified reasons behind their behaviour.
If you have lots of reviews, it won’t make any difference not having this one and if the host feels too pushed, that might somehow reflect on the review she writes or just not bother at all.
I’m not sure if understand this correctly
The owner left for a week, left the cats with another sitter and you took over from that sitter?
If that’s correct, pushing further could even be more risky. How can you be sure if everything is OK or the other sitter did something wrong that could be attributed to you?
The handwritten note left behind is a good idea to remind them there. I really don’t feel there was anything wrong because she told me via text that everything was great. I think I may take a different tact but still another reminder, because reviews really are the currency of TH
I’m going to do this. My friendly reminder will be a little more depth than that, because she is clearly taking advantage and I feel this is not right. In the future I am definitely going to mention it before leaving. In fact I have one next week.
That’s clearly a possibility and you’re in a better position to figure that out but could it be also possible that they’re dealing with something serious: illness, death of a loved one, some kind of emergency, trying to meet pressing deadlines…
If that was the case, what would be the weight of a missing review, which right now won’t even show in your profile?
Of course, it’s your choice, I’m just trying to point out other possibilities
Hi tortimom, I would not worry too much. I completed a sit a few weeks back, The owner sent me a lovely thank you WhatsApp after the sit saying she would write me a great review. However time went on and I forgot and then suddenly realised the 14 days was likely up or about to be. I sent a quick very pleasant reminder, saying I hoped all was OK and that the review time frame was about to expire. She sent a lovely reply back just saying she had been terribly busy and she would take a look later. Within half an hour I had received a glowing five star review saying that they would have me again any time. You still have six days.: -) Perhaps leave it another five days, before sending a final reminder of expiry window, if review not received beforehand. Although no review, is better than receiving a bad review.
“Hello [name], hope you and [pet name] are doing well. We were just wondering if we could get a review, as it really helps us with getting future house sits. Unless there is anything you would like to discuss first, please feel free to reach out. Thank you again for the wonderful sit.”
That way they understand the importance of the review. Usually that gets the review sent across quite quickly.
That happened to me. I wrote a 5 star review for them. They do receive a notice from THS that this was done but no review from them. I wrote them that I left them a 5 star review and would appreciate a review if they were pleased with my sit. They then said sorry they have been busy catching up at work and that day wrote a great review and even invited back more than once. If OP already wrote a 5 star review for them then let them know.
I think you are taking this too personally. I understand the importance of reviews, but you are not entitled to a quick one. There could be many reasons why she hasn’t left a review. Sure, one reason is that she is a selfish, uncaring, ingrate. However there are many other reasons, so why assume the worst?
As a HO and a sitter, i usually wait until near the end of the 14 day review period to write my review. That is because I might discover something on day 10 that affects my review.
I would wait until day 12 and then send a reminder. They might not know that there’s a limit of 14 days.
She has 14 days to leave a review, I wouldn’t send an initial nudge until at least day 10. Not everyone does reviews immediately after the sit. I would find it annoying to have someone pestering me for a review when there is plenty of time. Not submitting a review right after the sit doesn’t mean anything was wrong. Sometimes people are busy right after returning from a trip.
I’m a bit tired on this word ‘busy’ so often being used in place of ‘I’m prioritising other things I value more OVER the great job you did for us caring for your pets and home’. The HO has had a nice relaxing holiday (maybe?) or at least they’ve had no worries whilst away from home, all because sitters showed up and were ‘busy’ following instructions etc. I send a reminder on the day after the sit ends, another one 3-5 days later and after that HOs can expect every few days a reminder. They might get a voice note and a phone call as well if it gets close to 14 days.
I might mark you down for communication if you harassed me for a review. I have a reason for waiting, explained above. Any sitter can check my review history and see that I always leave a review for sitters. If the sitter still felt the need to nag me every few days, I would be annoyed.
I already sent two - one a few days after (day 3) and an email after I didn’t get the promised weekend review. Now it is day 8. I am going to do another reminder.
