THS has few consequences to deliver, even if they wanted to, which they rarely do.
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Completely agree that a solution is needed regarding this issue, and there are indeed many posts addressing this particular challenge. But again, this approach would likely undermine the attractiveness of buying THS’s insurance.
However, I don’t quite understand this strategy; it can’t possibly be a healthy long-term and sustainable business plan to sell premium memberships that are not renewed.
The only way to achieve that is by living up to their promises, which unfortunately isn’t the case.
@CreatureCuddler @Maggie8K
A substantial cancellation fee would eliminate most of these issues, as has long been proven effective for other types of services.
However, this would again make the sale of insurance less attractive, and it would require THS to actively investigate documentation for cases that are genuinely ‘extraordinary.’
The fee could be shared between the affected party and THS as compensation for processing time.
Ideally, this could be a safeguard specifically for premium members, enhancing actual security for those who purchase it.
This would only work if THS fulfills its payment obligations in such cases—which probably is an unrealistic scenario.
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The HO must disclose the exact dates of the housesit in their listings, as failing to do so is highly misleading. They need to ensure that the HS is the only one vacating their home during the agreed and listed period.
I had the same expectations and paid for premium membership, believing it would provide more security, especially since my travels are often international.
I am still waiting for payment and reimbursement for two cancellations from July and August, both of which meet the criteria for reimbursement.
Like many others who have raised this issue here, I have yet to see a single cent!
This is not only false and misleading marketing but also illegal, as it constitutes an unjustified delay in the payment process.
Don’t see THS doing anything like that, because it probably would affect their business in ways they’d shun.
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We are still pretty new to THS but not had any issues so far with HOs dates being flexed. We have pretty rigid schedules so I wouldn’t appreciate this kind of thing happening unless it was an emergency to either extend or shorten.
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@biscuit sorry to hear that you’ve had not one but two cancellations in the last couple of months !!
How many days in total did you claim for ?
Have you chased member services for an update on your claims . More recently sitters on the forum said they got reimbursed within 14- 30 days . It’s disappointing if this is no longer the case .
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Thank you so much @Silversitters . They should consider themselves lucky then.
Overall, my expenses and days on alternative accommodation do not even exceed the maximum amount. The resistance from THS can only be viewed as petty and contrary to applicable laws.
Like many others, I have chased their memberservice and support without any results. They seem to do everything in their power to prevent payment.
One cancellation occurred just a few days before the agreed housesitting, and the other happened during the housesitting itself—this one involved a listing that did not comply with the established guidelines - it is still active here, which certainly shouldn’t be the case since it involves significant safety risks.
When I created my account, I had the naive belief that HO’s were subjected to the same security checks as HS’s, that listings were verified by THS, and that “extraordinary” situations were somewhat investigated.
I have certainly become wiser now.
I don’t think so either—fewer cancellations would conflict with the product they’re selling
Same here, I’m also limited in terms of flexibility.
Absolutely, completely agree
Reading some of these, I’m genuiinely surprised that non-emergency cancelations from hosts seem to be fairly common. When I am looking at a sit, part of my questioning involves really checking on the dates – both arrival and departure time, and not accepting a sit that doesn’t have clarity and certainty around this. So far all my sits have involved hosts going on vacations or other kinds of trips that have planned long in advance. One of the first sits I accepted had uncertain plans and the hosts told me I was the one but didn’t confirm me as they were still waiting to pin dates. At some point – maybe after a week – I realized the sit had numerous red flags besides the date uncertainty and took myself out of the running. At the time, I felt like I’d let them down even though they hadn’t confirmed, but in retrospect, I would never accept a sit without feeling pretty certain that the host would not be cancelling frivolously.
That said, every sitter has to accept that hosts may sometimes cancel because of emergencies. Those emergencies may be costly to the hosts. The hosts might also really not be thinking much about the expenses the sitter has paid out for transportation. There is nothing in the way THS is set up that makes any of this the host’s responsibility, so sitters really have to look out for themselves by (1) choosing vetted sits with certain dates and homeowner track records (2) seeking transportation options that are either refundable or refundable in credit for later use (3) having enough reserve funds to cover accomodations if a sit is cancelled or turns out to be awful and you have to leave regardless of whether or not you have premium.
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@Marion That is correct—there are absolutely no consequences for cancellations, nor is there a way to track an individual’s cancellation history. Furthermore, for hosts, there are no security checks, no requests for medical history or insurance requirements concerning potential pets at the location. In fact, hosts are not even required to disclose the breed in their listings.
Having worked and consulted in the hospitality and accommodation industry for nearly two decades, I can assert that this has regrettably become the norm, across various forms of services.
In regards to THS, it is easier to cancel a three-week arrangement than to cancel a lunch reservation; it requires only a single click, accompanied by the casual and dismissive message, ‘It happens, plans change.’
For many years in the UK, a prevalent issue has been that individuals would book a table at multiple venues, select one on the day, and subsequently no-show at the others. This behavior is indeed no longer confined to the UK; it has escalated globally, especially since COVID-19.
If that were an option here, people would do that too. Chivalry is dead, to many unfortunately. The fact that someone has not yet experienced being let down does not negate the reality that many others have.
The only effective deterrent appears to be when individuals have something to lose, whether it is their ego and reputation, as evidenced by visible cancellation records, or financially, through substantial fees that reflect the consequences of their lack of consideration for others.
However, it seems unlikely that either measure will be implemented, as THS appears to struggle in this area as well.
Let’s not forget that this is a paid, not free, membership.
True, it is a paid membership. I’ve brought up the need to track cancellations many times in these forums. I came at the issue as a host when someone canceled at the last minute with an excuse, but clearly with the intention of taking a different “last minute sit” that better suited her. I saw the reviews later and also noticed several reviews from sits that were on the same dates! Strange. I think the THS answer was to keep sitters from taking overlapping sits – which probably doesn’t actually solve the problem and does nothing about hosts frivolously cancelling. Really don’t understand why someone in their IT department can’t write a form that will go out to both parties when one party cancels a sit. It is NOT that complicated.
Said it before: I subscribed to a certain mobile carrier for years even though their customer service was not good. Then one day when I was offered a deal with another carrier, I was outta there. Someday, someone else will do what THS does but bigger and better.
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That’s interesting. I don’t list my “sit” on THS until AFTER I have my tickets so I know just how much time I need with my sitter before I leave to orient them! Specific times of arrival are discussed in interviews based on my ETDs.
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I don’t see it like that biscuit as, in my experience, the Sitters are customarily already in Ireland or in nearby UK, so getting tickets or transport here is pretty straightforward. On the other hand, I’m usually going abroad where getting tickets is a bit more ‘complicated’ (for want of a better word).
Surely the time you need with your sitter before you leave is the same every time? It is with me - an afternoon and overnight in advance of the sit.
@Marion Absolutely, it’s not rocket science for them to do that – it is solely due to their sale of insurance. People opt for Premium when registering or when they’ve been let down. It gives the false illusion of security.
I agree, it’s really all about supply and demand and the quality of service provided after payment. If a company fails to comply with international laws and regulations—such as Payment Directives, Terms in Consumer Contracts Directives, GDPR, and marketing laws—then another business will step in.
A public law firm is currently gathering information for a class action against THS, which will inevitably force them to change their narrative.
There’s no marketing campaign in the world strong enough to prevent the consequences of a class lawsuit or further legal and reputational damage.
@Lady_Sue Thank you for your comment!
I believe you are referring to the search function that shows HS’s within the specific area. These can be both international travelers in that area and locals who reside there.
Regardless of the parties’ travel expenses, time is a crucial factor and currency.
HS’s often decline multiple offers before deciding and confirming, just as when a HO receives bids/‘applications’
Nope, not referring to that at all. Didn’t even know there was such a function.
When I message potential sitters in response to their application, it is pretty quickly established where they are at that moment or where they are planning to be at the time of the offered Sit. Of course, if they are as far away as eg. Canada and the Sit is months in advance, that’s very different re. travel expenses around booking flights, from a Sitter who is already on the same island or in these islands.
So far it’s working perfectly well for me biscuit - I just confirmed a booking with a delightful young couple currently in West Cork and due to come here in November at dates (including the flexibility on both sides ‘a few days either way’) as discussed via Zoom last night. I’m now going to book tickets and advise them of my booking a month prior to my travel and their Sit.
As far as I’m concerned “it’s not broken” so no need to fix it!
Thanks for your input.