That doesn’t make sense why is the friend coming if you can’t leave ?
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That’s what I’m saying! It’s like I fell down the rabbit hole. Then the ‘friend’ contacts me today saying do I actually need to be there? I just cannot comprehend the logic in any of this.
(Post edited by the Forum Team to comply with the Community Rules)
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Scrutinise the photos
Read previous reviews
Have a video call prior to committing to the sit ask for a video tour -and ask please show me the room will I be sleeping in .
If a car is offered in the listing and you want to use it discuss this arrangement with the host prior to committing to the sit
Ask for the address look it up on Google maps and read local Facebook groups for the area .
Some sitters look up crime stat websites for the area.
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You only need to go over there to walk Appa if Tyler’s flight is delayed.
I wouldn’t get involved in arranging what the emergency contact does - just deal with the host and let them make arrangements. You are complicating things . Tell the host what time you are leaving and where you’ll leave the key. Leave a handover note for them to read on their return .
(Also you are not allowed to post personal identification on this forum so you need to scrub the hosts name out of your screenshots )
If we are leaving before a host returns and they say xx will take care of the dogs we just let them know when we’ve left and the rest we let them sort out between themselves . Then we can’t be blamed for any misunderstandings.
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Ah.. so it is ok to ask for the address in advance??? Good to know. Here are highlights of my stay I wish I would’ve seen in advance. My friend was like ‘post apocalyptic’
(Post edited by the Forum Team to comply with the Terms of Service).
@Silversitters Yes.. this was my thinking as well: “why am I being asked to arrange things?” But I did it because the HO asked me to. I suppose I’m too nice. And this is why I’m on here asking if this is normal! At no point while pet sitting have I ever experienced anything like this but thought maybe the expectations on THS were different.
If I was there and saw that creepy dog creature on the fence I would be out of there before you can say “THS”.
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Seriously @idocsteve. I felt so deceived when I got here. Set up to fail.
Well, looking at that dog creature thing again one more time, I realize two things. One is that you got fair warning and two is that I’m probably not going to sleep too well tonite.
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With blankets, most hosts will show you where they keep spare towels and blankets automatically. Also, you may have the odd one who has genuinely forgot to buy poop bags, but in general HO’s buy bigger box packs of them nowadays, so are usually well stocked up.
Cleaning products can be weird, as some people use non-effective types, but here’s a tip, we always take microfibre cloths with us, as most HO’s never seem to have enough for us to clean the whole of a house, most only have 1 or 2 spare, and you always need a fresh one for glass, shower screens etc, so it’s trickier. and then you can simply toss microfibre ones in a washer/dryer so they’re clean for the next place.
I go on google maps before I apply for anything, put in the place name, and then put in ‘shops’, ‘cafe’, ‘pub’, so you know where the amenities are, but also look at google images for the place name, as anything like a nuclear power plant may show up then.
You just got unlucky with this place.
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No offense but what gave you an AB&B vibe - her listing or THS !?!
And were you serious about the , “Don’t drink the water,” comment ? THAT alone would qualify for an IMMEDIATE call to THS.
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Agreed.
Initially we went to high effort to please Pet Parents. Service mindset.
Now we strive to be respectful thoughtful people. Peer mindset.
In some cases, service mindset created problems for ourselves - own goal. If situation warrants, we advise PP of our arrival/departure time - in plenty time - rather than ask what’s convenient for them.
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Understatement. I had a hunch I should cancel but since it was only a week out, I followed through.
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HO said, I get bags on the trail (.25 mile away. and like: what if they’re out?) I found extra cleaning products 4 days in - along with a half bath - and by that point, I had purchased my own. Anyway.. it does seem like, from what I’m seeing on THS, you’re gonna be the deep cleaner most homeowners don’t want to pay for.
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I guess since I had to supply my AirBnB profile with reviews when I signed up, I “imagined” it would be similar. As a former AirBnB host, I would never set someone up like this. Ever.
And yes: dead serious when she said don’t drink the water.
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Incorrect, you only hear the worst of tales on this forum, it misses out all the amazing hosts on THS, of which there are loads and loads.
We got the best bit of advice when we first started, to leave a place as though you were never there in the first place.
So we just maintain their place, so it’s exactly the same when they return, but also we’ll clean 1 little extra area just to ‘make sure’, but only something that will take a quick 10 mins to clean, something obvious that the owners probably forget to clean, but potentially notice, like the tiles behind a cooker.
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As a sitter I do feel there is an expectation that the home should be guest ready. This is a mutually beneficial exchange. The HO part of the exchange is accommodations and they have a responsibility to prepare their home for the guests who will be staying there. The home should be clean and as presented in the photos and description. All amenities in the listing should be available and in working order. HOs do have responsibilities as part of this exchange too.
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OMG ! That is just about the scariest situation I’ve seen here…..and the fact that she didn’t say anything until you were there is unconscionable.
Horrific.
I hope that you reported these conditions to THS (and if you haven’t you can still do so) and (tactfully) noted them on your review. No one should have to endure anything like this.
I’m sorry that you had to deal with such unsafe, inappropriate and dangerous conditions.
FWIW, THS is not AB&B by any stretch as it is an entirely and not comparable relationship/situation. If you’re lucky, you may stay at some incredible places but most will be “normal” - comfortable, clean and liveable.
At the very least, I hope that you never experience anything like this again as this is an anomoly to be sure.
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Definitely not a “free Airbnb”. Some sitters seem to assume this, blame the marketing for that, but no, since the rise of professional Airbnb’s standards in them are usually quite different to a lived in home.
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