Well from my own experience I can confidently say… Yes it was both.
Wouldn’t the”yes, we know” message be considered as refusal?
I mean if you’re aware of that, do nothing about it, let the sitter step in unknowingly and then, not even apologize or offer an immediate intervention….
There’s surely a limit to grace and patience.
I hope this is being sorted in some way-please let us know the outcome. The only circumstances under which I’d stay would be if the cats were treated and declared flea free by a vet and the home owner paid for the house to be professionally fumigated. Outrageous behaviour by the Home Owner.
Hi KellyK, I know exactly how you feel after just completing a two week sit where there was a huge sheep tick problem. Nit quite fleas but equally as bad, although there again the odd bite may have been fleas. The tick problem was not disclosed to me but until I arrived. I was then shown two sheep tick removal tools and a heavy stone to squash them with. Their garden was ideal breeding conditions for sheep ticks, as two over grown ponds, one so bad you could not actually see the water until going right up to it and peering through the plants, and lots of overgrown long grasses and ferns etc. There was also a large field of sheep behind the house. The cats when outside would get them all over their fur. I even sent the owners photos of sheep ticks on the light coloured cat. Extremely difficult to see on the black one. And I just had a reply that is why they check them every day. What did they think I was doing? Of course I would then have the sheep ticks crawling from the cats to me and kept finding them on various parts of my body. They are very difficult to get out if biting tight to your skin. If the head gets left in it can lead to infections. It did on more than a couple of my bites. I ended up dreading being there but stuck it out even though a risk of Lyme Disease. Really wish I had left early now, as definitely not appreciated. Have been with Trusted House sitters for several years and have an unblemished five star reviews rating with glowing comments. This time three stars dropped in three different categories. And I had done this sit as a favour, as felt sorry for the owner struggling to get anybody. I was unable to do the last night so they had a local family. To add insult to injury they gave this family who did a mere one night a glowing five star review. The cats were problematic as it was, especially as one disabled and finding poops on mats early in the morning and always washing them out but the huge sheep tick problem was never divulged prior to the sit. If you are having a real flea problem I would just leave. I have found to my cost, it does not pay, to do people favours, or stick it out when real health issues. Good luck with whatever you decide.
Yikes! Those photos and descriptions make me itchy!
Hi Maggie, yes they did me. I would shower thoroughly every night and check all over and still find a tick on e later when in bed. The trouble is they can get into your hair and then crawl on your neck where I was finding some. But there are lots of places you just cannot see, such as your back, and back of neck and they get in any creases, behind knees, and bust line etc. etc. I j=have walked over places like Dartmoor many times and found the odd one but it was nothing like staying here, where finding at least a couple more ticks biting me every day. and yet I stayed and out up with it all, Yet when it came to the review I was docked a star for reliability, one for organised and one for self sufficient. I was really upset, as had gone to so much effort with these cats and done this as a favour, as felt sorry for the owner not being able to get anybody. After all I had to endure and I get no thanks. Before this sit I had an unblemished 5 star review rating every time. It was like a kick in the teeth. and it cost me so much more in Petrol. as the nearest shop,only a local co-op was over seven miles away. Otherwise over a thirty mile round trip for something more than a co-op. Will never do another sit just as a favour ever again . I still have red bite marks all over me, not quite as angry looking but still there.
That’s terrible. Unfortunately, in the forum we often see where a sitter did a sit as a favor or otherwise to help someone out in a pinch and they’re treated with ingratitude. And sometimes I think there was good reason the hosts couldn’t get a volunteer sitter in the first place (or had a sitter or two back out).
Thanks Maggie, It just really upset me, as wished I had simply driven home for a couple of weeks, rather than stay away and go onto this sit. I would have still had an unblemished review rating had I not done this sit. With all my other sits this year I had a really good wow factor feeling afterwards, as had some absolutely fantastic reviews with very complimentary remarks etc. This left a very sour taste in the mouth. It was me who washed all the small mats that had been poo’d or wee’d on, me who changed the three litter trays and washed them out, prior to leaving, Me who washed all the floors in front of litter trays etc. Me who cleaned the house. and yet a family who came for one night only and likely did not do any of this, were given a glowing five star rating across the board. Maybe because they lived fairly local and likely to bump into them again. They had met up prior to the sit. I really wish I had just left early now and not endured getting even more bites. Some people do not know the meaning of the word reliable. If I had been more unreliable I would have left. What with enduring the sheep ticks then the dropping of stars in the review, and forever picking up ;poops and mopping floors etc. Just so disheartening. One sit I would never go back to again. All the others done this year and I would, and all have stated that they would love to have me back, which is great. Thank goodness the positives far out way the one negative.
Thank you form your nice reply. Made me feel a bit better.
@Visit I hope your review of them was detailed. And once you have had a bit of time maybe responding to their review might make you feel better. It just gives you the pip though, some people!
Thanks Cathie. It was detailed and did mention how I would frequently find poo’s on small rug in front of litter tray just after 6am every morning etc. I also replied to their review and mentioned how upset I was to find they had docked starts, especially when their cats had not been easy, and I had stepped in to do this sit when others had not.
But they mentioned their cat seemed to have forgotten how to use the litter tray whilst they were away. I should have mentioned but didn’t, that on the first morning before they departed. (I arrived the night before) the owner was throwing out a rather wet puppy pad that one of the cats had used every night. I had also been shown a drawer absolutely full of puppy training pads to use. I simply changed it every morning the same, when picking up the poo’s also. I think I was expected to watch her 24 hours a day and if seen scratching to place in littler tray. however I only noticed her scratching about twice and she just fought to clamber out of tray if placed in it. I did go out now and again so then obviously not around if she should scratch. But as to insinuating that I had anything to do with her forgetting to use the litter tray, when she never used it on her own accord is entirely wrong. I think it will actually reflect badly on her rather than me due to all my excellent previous reviews. I just felt so under appreciated, especially ad had to endure constantly being bitten by ticks, which is not nice.
Thank you for reply, much appreciated.
I believe I can guess that this sit might’ve been in Bridgwater Somerset possibly, just speculating though. A HO a while back described their sit in similar terms asking feedback on why they had no suitable applications….and then received lots of useful feedback which tidied up their listing a lot, but might’ve glossed over/hidden significant issues.
I wonder if sometimes we’re actually doing future sitters a disservice by helping a lot with the tidying up poor HO listings. Just a thought.
I sometimes wonder, too.
In some cases it’s great to see the forum is helpful and it’s clear the listing didn’t work properly because of lack of experience or awareness on the part of the HO but in other cases, it seems they learn to disguise the facts instead of really addressing the issues.
I get the same feeling with reported listings, they tend to reappear, they just delete any mention to third parties, indoor cameras or such but the conditions of the sit seem not to have changed.
I do understand that HO have choices to make for their pets, but I wish THS made it a condition to have pets on flea/tick prevention before joining the platform.
Thanks Bonnie, Not quite Bridgewater, as the middle of nowhere, and halfway to MInehead. And I should have deducted a star for cleanliness as extremely cluttered on work surfaces and everywhere. The garden extremely overgrown in places, including one of the ponds that was well hidden by all the overgrown plants. The ideal playground for sheep ticks. Anyway, will not be jumping in, feeling sorry for somebody again. Just hope none of the sheep tick bites leads to Lyme Disease. Fingers crossed.
Please get tested.
@Visit sorry to heard of your experience -if this sit finished in the last 30 days you still have time to raise a member dispute -
Use the photos as the evidence
Also screenshots of messages exchanged between you and the host .
When a member dispute is raised THS will investigate -( they don’t act on reviews or forum comments )