I have a lot of experience so I speak from years of petsitting : I’ve noticed a trend of HO’s accepting an application and pretty much saying (without verbally saying), "We’re good…and have fun, " with no desire for a conversation or any personal interaction whatsoever.
While understanding that everyone is different, this stuns me. I would never, ever have anyone stay in my home without a face-to-face meeting (in-person or via Zoom) or , at the very least, a phone conversation.
Have others experienced this trend (?) ?
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You don’t mention the ages or generations involved, so it’s hard to say. I’m guessing that your question is about younger generations/people not needing conversation?
I would never accept an application without a video call, and only do in-person handovers. I’m middle aged - but also I come from a background in couchsurfing, where interaction is a feature, not a bug.
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We’re senior sitters and have done a lot of sits for homeowners who confirmed the sit immediately without having any conversation. Personally, we prefer that. We don’t mind having a phone call or meeting prior if it’s a local sit but I don’t understand the need for a video chat. We have over 50 glowing reviews so I feel that should be a testament as to the care we will give the pet(s) and the home. We’ve sat for young and older homeowners and we’ve never had one bad experience at all so it’s worked very well for us.
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I received many confirmations to sit after sending in my application. Then I have to send another message stating I need responses to my questions and request a call. I guess I should feel flattered that they see confidence in our family as sitters but I’m not accepting a sit without knowing everything I need to know. It’s always awkward when I decline the sit after speaking with them. They obviously thought this was a one way situation
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I include this line in all applications to sit: “Happy to video chat and see whether we’re a mutual fit.” That’s to make clear upfront that choosing goes both ways.
I also include references to what I value and THS dealbreakers.
I frame everything in a friendly way, but am willing to risk scaring some hosts off. I figure those aren’t worth time from any good sitter. And I have no trouble getting more sits than I can do, including unsolicited invitations and repeat-sit requests. (And I unfavorited everything, which cut down on unsolicited invites, which I don’t even care about. Yet I still get some.) I mention that, because establishing boundaries from the outset can help, rather than hinder.
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I have been sitting for 11 years and I have done many sits without talking to the hosts first. In some cases, they left before we arrived and we never met them.
In my experience it doesn’t seem to be something that is more common now than in the past…it has been this way the whole time.
My current sit, the one prior and my next sit were all confirmed without talking first. In some cases we may connect at some point before–this was the case with my current one.
I find this is more common for shorter sits and ones within the same country. I have had this happen with experienced hosts and those who are using the service for the first time.
Based on what some hosts have said, our combination of having lots of reviews and a very detailed profile seems to make them comfortable just offering off the bat.
Unless I felt it was necessary to discuss certain things more in depth, I have no problem doing this if the host is fine with it. But if someone wants to talk, I have no problem with that either as it is totally understandable to want to connect prior.
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@Globetrotter, congrats on accumulating 50 glowing reviews. We have similar. But we would not even consider accepting a housesit without a video call. We do not see such calls as us employee-employer (us selling ourselves as housesitters). Rather we approach them as people-people conversations - we ask questions, clarify facts & expectations from listing, and assess fit. Such video calls have saved us multiple times from nasty surprises where listings were incomplete, stale or potentially misleading. We’d estimate that we withdraw applications after a quarter of our video calls. Risk management. Delighted that it’s working out for you. Be careful out there.
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I’ve had many sits with a «cold» handover, but never a sit without a videocall. I want them to consider wether the host is a good match for me - or not. I have withdrawn my application after a videocall. It might have gone well without a videocall - or not. I have
Everything has gone well so far. That is probably because I am really picky with my vetting process - and some luck ofc.
My experience is that all my hosts also have wanted/ expected a videocall. It might be a result of which sits I decide to apply for.
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I don’t think it’s a new trend, it has often been my experience. I rarely do video calls and have even done sits when I have never even met the home owners.
I have noticed that many listings give very scant information and many sitter’s profiles are much less informative than mine. I generally don’t apply to listings with little information, I sort of think, rightly or wrongly, that if they can’t be bothered writing an in depth listing they haven’t really put their heart into it.
I assume I get sits fairly easily because I have a very informative profile, possibly write a good application (hard to know because I haven’t read other people’s applications), and have lots of excellent reviews and references. Having said that though, the very first sit I ever applied for, which I now realise was a very desirable and sought after one, I got accepted straight away with no video calls or phone calls. I don’t think I would have had a clue how to do a video call back then.
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I’m the same, I often get an offer straight away with no messing about with video calls. I do think I’m very easy going though and a lot of the things that I see people complaining about on this forum don’t really bother me.
I would never offer a sit to a sitter without a video call. We always do video calls with our sitters and I don’t do blind handovers. For us, the video call makes it a more friendly and easy going conversation. We want our sitters to see us and our home, plus our dog, and we want to see the sitter(s). This is a mutual decision. We did regular phone calls when we first started, which was fine, and a sitter wanted a video call. So glad they insisted because it’s so much better. We feel like we are getting to know the sitter and it makes us more comfortable turning our pet and home over to them.
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We have done video chats if a homeowner wants one and as you mentioned, we’ve also had friendly chats doing so. We’ve never had one nasty surprise and are probably more cautious than a lot of people but at the same time we’re very laid back and so are the homeowners we’ve sat for.
That may be the key - we’re also very easygoing people. Our profile tells a lot about us - our travels, hobbies, etc. and we always seem to attract like minded homeowners. I can tell a lot about people just from the tone of their email communication and I do enjoy a phone chat too. I don’t feel like jumping through hoops to obtain a sit.
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The confirmation is fine sans conversation ; it is the period between the confirmation and the sit that I’m addressing.
I, too, have no concerns about my experience and reviews and I’m pretty good about being able to choose “good” sits.
My concern, as it were, is the “weirdness” (there is another word somewhere…) of having a complete stranger (yes, even one with great experience and many stellar reviews) in one’s home and caring for one’s beloved animals without any personal communication which can add so much nuance unavailable in an app, text, etc. I want to know a bit more about the person - beyond the simple and objective conveyed in an ad/text/etc. (both as a sitter and as an owner). And I would hope that the other party would feel the same…but, as they say, “That’s just me” !
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We are in our early 60s and would not accept a sit without a video chat ahead of time. We’ve been accepted after an application without the request for a call or video call and were shocked when it happened.
This is a mutual “are we a good match” interview, if you will. Just info on a HO’s profile is not enough information for us to make a definite decision if we’re a good match.
We have 23 five star THS sits and several from other platforms or repeat sits outside a platform.
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I got accepted without a conversation twice this summer. The homeowners were of different generations so I don’t think it’s that. Both had used THS before, so I don’t think it’s that.
I view both sitters and hosts as having an individual strategy in approaching how to match on this site. I think some homeowners just have enough of a sense of the person to be find with with confirming immediately.
As a sitter, I really don’t want to do this because in my experience things sometimes come out in the conversations that make what seemed perfect, seem a lot less than perfect.
I think your recent experience may be a coincidence and not a trend.
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@globetrotter I recently withdrew my application from a potential sit because the HO’s tone during our chat was very aggressive and hostile. She was upset that I had limited availability on the day she wanted to video chat. I gave her my availability she replied “That’s the only time you’re available!” After receiving that message I replied “after briefly chatting with you I’m withdrawing my application as it is not a good fit for me” she replied “Good! Because I don’t want you in my house anyway!” I was absolutely taken aback because I had never met, video chat or otherwise with this woman. The only exchange we had was trying to decide on a date/time for a video chat. I did notice there was a large amount of sitters that didn’t leave her a review and she didn’t leave one for them either. I think I dodged a bullet she is a total head case. Not to brag but I’m a sitter with 26 glowing reviews for sits I’ve completed across 4 continents I don’t have to settle for less than mediocre HO who lack basic mannerisms. We “premium sitters” 
know we have our pick of the litter when it comes to selecting sits. Know your worth!
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That’s scary! Good thing you withdrew from that one!
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Nothing better than dodging a very clear and sharp bullet !
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I hear you. I don’t think any sitter should put up with such hosts, though. Better to keep applying for other sits than to settle for terrible hosts, IMO.
About a year ago, I withdrew my application after a host tried to unilaterally change our time for video chatting — I’d already told her when I would be busy walking my then-sit dog and she ignored that. I withdrew right away.
Why bother partnering with hosts who are selfish, entitled or who otherwise don’t grasp what an exchange is supposed to look like?
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