…and you may also have something completely unexpected crop up that has you messaging the home owner and asking whether there’s any chance that you could start the sit a day later after all! Hopefully all will run smoothly, but when things don’t, a bit of flexibility where it’s possible is always appreciated.
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@sharondc the OP asked for our opinions and suggestions.
Opinions are being given on the info they gave us.
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@Couple_travels_fulltime I think you handled it great. Pointing out that you would end up having to pay for a room.
They took a while but then realized it was an unfair ask , apologized , and made things right. If all else goes well I probably wouldn’t mention it. I think they get it now.
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You are reading far too much into their message! They simply asked if you could delay it by a day! Why are you wanting to deduct stars from them??? Most of the sitters on here are travelling around, or staying at home in between sits and could have adapted their plans quite easily. All they did was ASK!
We sit full time and would have needed a hotel too, but most sitters don’t. They only asked the question!!!
I think you have managed to read their message in a very weird way. They don’t know what you are up to on the days prior and whether you would like an extra day off.
Please do not knock stars off them.
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Yes, we are reading the opinion of the OP and yes, and I gave my opinion. When posters begin stating what someone could or should do is not fair to the person spoken about as we don’t know their intended words or tone.
I recall texting with a HO and I thought her text messages were short and she was coming off as bossy. I mentioned it to her and she apologized as that was not her intent and from that point communication went smooth. Whenever someone feels that communication is not going well, it is ok to say something to the person the communication is not going well with.
Because messaging cannot accurately convey tone, emotion, facial expressions, gestures, body language, eye contact, oral conversation, or face-to-face conversation, messages can be misinterpreted or misunderstood.
I am not saying that the OP misunderstood or misinterpreted text messages from the HO, but if the HO was just trying to finalize travel plans or not thinking straight–maybe the HO’s text came across as un-nice, but not intended to be un-nice.
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@sharondc you misunderstand my reply
So this thread stays on topic, feel free to DM me.
What’s OP ?
Original Poster
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@pietkuip We agree. The way it was worded originally to us was that they wanted us to delay our departure a day…so they wouldn’t have to pay for two nights in a hotel. Which meant if we agreed…we would have had to pay for another night in a hotel. We stuck to our guns and said that our plans were already set. When we arrived, they mentioned twice in passing conversations that they had to now stay and pay for two nights in a hotel.
It just came across a little blunt in our opinion. Yes, we know plans change, but the day before we were supposed to leave and drive 6+ hours to the sit…seemed a bit much.
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@ExploreDreamDiscover Thank you! This is exactly our thoughts on the matter. We probably won’t mention it now anyways. The house is wonderful and their cat is awesome. Just threw us off in the very beginning.
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I am just curious about the total length of the Sit.
Were they going to spend one night in a hotel anyway, and so it was just one EXTRA night in a hotel that created an extra expense for them?
We have had host Owners change their beginning and ending dates quite often, and when we can flex, we do, but you are completely within your rights to make them stick to the original dates.
They could have opted to pay for YOU to spend the extra night in a hotel, if they like being at their home!
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@HappyDeb We did not read their message in a very weird way. That is exactly how they asked us. We aren’t reading too much into their message because it was stated that they wanted us to delay our arrival so they didn’t have to pay for a hotel for two nights…instead, they wanted us to have to pay for a hotel for us another night. And this was the night before we were supposed to drive 6+ hours to their home.
To all those who maintain that the HO was “just asking”: suppose I as a sitter would send a message to an HO if they could delay their travel by a day. Just two days or so before a sit.
Is that also “just asking, no problem”?
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Total sit is 9 days. Now they had to stay and pay for two nights in a hotel.
We agree that we flex when we can, but this was literally the night before we made the 6 hour drive to their home and they were supposed to leave.
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I’m sorry, I forgot to include the post I was commenting on.
“We are reading one side as presented from the OP’s viewpoint”
Opinions here are being given on the info the OP gave us. Since this is what they asked.
Not on what we don’t know
Exactly!! This was my exact point when homeowner delayed sit by 3 nights!! With less than 12 hours before my arrival. I said basically the same thing as this @pietkuip If I changed the terms of our agreement and turned up 3 days after the sit was to start, how would the owners like that?
It takes a lot of planning and effort for a sitter to arrive precisely on time for a sit and hosts sometimes forget that, I feel. I understand things crop up and plans change but consideration for those coming a distance to your home must be paramount. BUT there’s no harm in asking, if you don’t ask, you won’t know.
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I have a sit starting Sunday for 5 days. She sold the house so she said she was packing it up before her cruise but the guest room and bath are still same. I asked about kitchen. I haven’t heard back. I need stuff in the kitchen while I am there. I hope it isn’t a couple of plates and a few forks and spoons.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the exact way they asked you, and they also explained why, there’s nothing wrong with it. They didn’t have to explain why, but they did, they didn’t know at the about your scenario the day prior or on the day etc at that moment in time. I just wouldn’t have interpreted it in the way you have.
@Huronbase If the hosts is still leaving there then hopefully the essentials are still in place . However to be sure , if I was in this situation, I would be requesting a video call asap and before I travel to the sit .
So that host can show you :
the kitchen & utensils - sitter needs somewhere to cook
living room- sitter needs somewhere to sit ,
table - sitter needs somewhere to eat / work -
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