Are you still at the sit? Do you have a friend or family member you are texting to check in with daily?
I understand about gas prices and the new tires. My concern is that this HO may not be safe. I hope you are in touch with someone. I hope you will leave the sit, because your safety is more important than anything else.
Of course, I wouldn’t trade my privacy—and everything that entails—for anything; however, I’ve already turned off the cameras, and what has already been recorded is beyond my power to change. So why should I alter my plans? Put yourself in my shoes.
You need to do what is right for you, but I recommend being out of there before he gets back. No reason to trust this person.
I once came across a listing on the site for a home in a charming location, complete with two beautiful dogs. then checked to see if any sitters had stayed there. indeed, a lovely woman—who had 20 positive reviews herself—had stayed there. However, she hadn’t left a single review for the home, nor had the homeowners left one for her—even though she had stayed there for a whole month. That, too, should have served as a warning sign for me back then.
The point I’m trying to make is this: if the site isn’t going to implement a chat feature where sitters can openly discuss specific situations regarding a particular home, they should at least add an option to message a sitter directly and simply ask for their personal opinion.
I’m not sure if I get your point. Do you mean that, instead of writing an honest review and warn other sitters, situations like this should be solved by direct contact sitter to sitter?
Likely they will do neither.
So, again, it is up to US -both sitters and HO’s - to be honest in our reviews so that everyone can see what each of us has experienced.
Because you only know about the cameras that you’ve found, there could well be others. And because the outside camera has miraculously changed it’s angle so that it’s now pointing towards the house.
Your original question was is it normal to film a sitter? I think you already know the answer to that.
You also say why should I alter my plans and to put ourselves in your shoes.
Well for me personally I would prioritise my privacy and safety over road trips and a new set of tyres.
I am 100% convinced that many sitters simply choose not to leave comments that air all the dirty laundry. After all, the cameras in this house clearly didn’t just appear yesterday, and the host obviously knew that this situation was not normal—especially since he had hosted sitters before. So why didn’t they raise these important issues in their reviews? I can tell you exactly why. The reason is obvious to me. And please don’t try to tell me here that a single negative review—even if it’s completely untrue—will prompt every future host to dig through all the previous feedback. that is simply not true!!! I personally had a conversation with a host who shared with me that one applicant for a sit —a woman—had eight positive reviews, but her very last one was absolutely terrible. consequently, they decided to reject her immediately. So let’s just face the reality we live in, honestly and truthfully.
I do. I can honestly and truthfully tell you that not writing an honest review yourself is not going to protect you from receiving a poor review, true or false. On the contrary, if you write a positive review or no review at all and you receive a review that needs to be contested, it’s going to be harder to make your case in your response.
Facing the reality we live in includes admitting that THS isn’t going to introduce sitter to sitter contact and even if they did, that would not change the importance of reviews. And, to be honest, I would not want to be bothered by all the sitters that might be interested in the sits I have done. I have already written honest, public reviews with the most relevant information.
I did not escalate the situation into a conflict. instead, I spoke diplomatically, simply mentioning that I felt uncomfortable with the cameras. I do not intend to leave a review until I have seen the host’s review. There is only a two-week window for leaving a review; if you miss that deadline, you can no longer submit one. I will not do anything to provoke the host into leaving me a negative review. I am perfectly fine if he chooses not to leave a review at all. And if I do not manage to submit my own review in time, I will simply forward the remaining photos and videos to the THS let them decide how to proceed.
You can’t see the host’s review until yours is submitted. Blind reviews are the standard.
And, that seems to say it all.
You not see the text, but you definitely spot it instantly if it’s 5 stars.
You definitely do not.
The message you get is:
Exciting times, X - you’ve just received a new review!
Now it’s time to leave Y a review in return, and tell them what you loved most about your stay in Z (other than their adorable pets, of course).
FYI - you won’t be able to see Y’s review until you leave them a review in return (or until 14 days has passed). So, to reveal all, simply…
Leave your review
And you get the same message even if you have already left your review, except that if that’s the case you will be able to see the review instantly.
I assume you didn’t do anything to provoke their spying on you either but still they did.
I usually receiving a message that read: “You have received a 5-star review; to read it, please leave your…” But in this particular case, I’ll wait regardless.
Ariela, if you’re not going to submit a review that will benefit, no, protect other sitters, then why are you posting? There are very few times in life when you can make a stand that can/will benefit/protect others. Don’t let this guy continue to get away with what he’s doing. Get the predators off this site.
I think that if someone violates a strict rule, that person should not be able to leave a review. This way they can’t retaliate against an anticipated negative review.
You really must take advice and leave a review. If the host doesn’t leave a review, which is likely, then you’ll miss your opportunity to do so after 2 weeks. As others have said, please leave your review immediately otherwise you’re doing a disservice to future sitters who will then, no doubt, leave posts like yours on the forum.
If you’re not taking advice from experienced sitters then there was absolutely no point in your post complaining about the owners!
@ariela The “Cheers to you 5 star review” (or whatever the wording is) message is received when you write a 5 star review, not when you receive one. Usually followed by encouragement to leave a 5 star review for THS on TrustPilot. You will not know the star rating of the hosts review until you leave your review, or the 14 days have passed. If you don’t leave a review, you won’t receive this message.
The host knows that you have found the cameras. However diplomatic you were, he will be expecting you to mention them in your review. Hosts who break the rules or treat sitters badly have been known to give sitters bad reviews in anticipation of receiving a bad review themselves. Their form of damage limitation.
You run the risk that if you leave no review, he will leave you a bad review in an attempt to undermine the credibility of the review he thought you might leave. Your only option then is to respond to his review. Both his review and your response only appear on your profile. If you leave no review, there will be nothing on his listing to indicate that there is anything amiss.
Anyone digging deeper may interpret your failure to review and subsequently raising issues in a reply to his review as an attempt at damage limitation on your part and your reply will likely lack credibility in the eyes of potential hosts.
You could do yourself a great disservice in not reviewing, as well as future sitters.