Introducing a booking fee to support every sit

Right? That’s the real kicker. Can’t even be bothered to pretend they want to improve the service, just f you, pay me. Cynical and disappointing to do this.

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In Ireland nobody would care what type of insurance you have. I paid premium in my first year, but when I had some difficulty during sits, THS did nothing to help. I switched to basic and stopped expecting any help :expressionless_face:

As far as I can see, all THS does is provide a platform for people to find each other. Which they can actually do without pressing “confirm”.

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I don’t think so, actually, now that you’re saying it

@TheEnglishFlaneur I received am email about it today

Same. I’ve reluctantly adapted to a lot from TH over recent years, since shareholders instead of pets and people became the main driver). But this is a red line. Looking for non-profit alternatives - any suggestions welcome (haven’t read the thread yet!)

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Someone needs to start a non profit alternative. I don’t have the skills to do that though. Some geniuses here might be interested?

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Competitors with any sense will be reading this news, and this thread, with great interest and putting forward offers for disgruntled THS sitters to join their platform..
I will certainly be looking for one that aligns with my values; the ones I thought THS shared when I joined.

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Again, why does it matter which sitter a host chooses? It’s the same cost to them either way. Zero if the host is a Premium Member and $12 bucks if the host is Basic or Standard.

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That’s because @1967ag is wrong.

@carpediem16 it’s probably written by the ChatGPT robot who always wants to be your best friend

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Exactly this: utter, unmistakeable corporate bowlocks.

Though I have to say, the enshittification started for me when they pulled the plug on overlapping sits for dual sitters.

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I am appalled by this. It is a money grabbing move only.
I have a list of things that could and should be improved on the platform (do not send me an opportunity for sits if I’m already booked for those dates, let me pick how many pets I want to take care of and which (i.e. 2 dogs, 1 cat), let me choose the city without all the surrounding areas for miles around).
I didn’t know private equity took over, but as with everything else, private equity has completely sucked the life out of what was intended and started as a platform to help pet owner and pet sitters find each other.

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So THS now wants everyone to upgrade to premium do they? Good luck with that, plenty of Facebook groups out there. It’s the most expensive house sitting group already. The death of the short sit, who’s going to pay that for a couple of days sit.

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I have this popup now when I try to access the THS app. Presumably one of the terms that I’m supposed to accept is the new fee. However, when I click on the caret to view the terms and conditions, nothing happens. Actually, this would be a good way of arguing that I didn’t accept the T&C since I wasn’t able to view them.

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It seems like the site takes the free constructive suggestions from the members and will still charge more.

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Welcome to the word of private finance ownership. A business started over the love of pets is now operated by people with a love of money. We’re still in the stage where there are enough old staffers who joined for the former reasons. Soon they will be overtaken by those hired for the latter. Every move will be based on profit motives from now on.

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Sadly I will too. I don’t take enough holidays to use Premium.

I shall just take more dog friendly holidays and bring him with me

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I’ve just received the same email, very clumsily handled.

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And there’s another issue.

Last year we fought because we didn’t receive notifications about the change of price. Resulting in a discount that I still see in my membership.

If I cancel my membership (i.e. I turn off the automatic renewal) I lose it.

If I go on, I have to pay.

If I don’t want to pay, I have to pay a different subscription.

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This will drive many non premium members to make sit agreements outside of the THS platform. A sitter will still be able to apply fee free and if the owner is also non premium then suggest they agree the sit privately. Obviously there are drawbacks to this but desperate times means desperate measures for some people.

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