Our sitter let a child, around 10-11 years old, into our home without informing us first and allowed the child to walk our dogs. We found out only after he sent us photos. Our house rules clearly state “NO GUESTS ALLOWED UNLESS AGREED OTHERWISE,” but we would’ve been flexible if they had communicated beforehand, especially since it seems the child enjoyed it.
FOR FUTURE REFERENCE, would THS cover any damages if something were to happen to the child? Additionally, the sitter claims no one has ever mentioned the “no guests unless agreed otherwise” policy under THS, but I believe it’s in the policy. Am I missing something?
Hi @dogshenanigans
Very odd your sitter didn’t mention they were bringing a child for the sit. Seems dishonest at best by your sitter.
I’d mention it in your review.
Can you imagine asking this question on a video call, the HO saying “yeah, that’s fine” and then you would have to say “can you put that in writing please?”
Awkward.
No, THS would not be involved. After that, it depends on the jurisdiction on who would be liable. In some (many, most?) jurisdictions, it is presumed that the owner is liable when the pet causes damage.
Ah I figured we’d be liable for that even though this person is not on the “approved guest”. Personally, would you report the sitter to THS? Would THS actually do anything about this?
I suppose I should have foreseen this, given that the sitter has three other reviews echoing similar issues - disregarding rules, poor communication, and so forth. It’s rather surprising that THS still permitted this individual to continue sitting despite this recurring negative feedback.
Honestly, I’m feeling a bit lost. I’m seeking guidance on what other homeowners have done when faced with a similar situation. This will help me make a more informed decision about what steps to take next.
@dogshenanigans
The reviews are there purely for other members to read and potentially influence their decision on whether to choose this sitter /sit .
THS don’t ( routinely) read the reviews
THS only investigate a member ( owner or sitter) when a dispute is raised.
We did get on a call with him and he got pretty defensive. I don’t want to rock the boat given the sit is ongoing and don’t want to jeopardize our home or dogs even further.
Just for context: Our dogs are CGC certified and well-trained, but they can react negatively depending on how they’re treated by humans. If a child were to pull their tail and they snapped, even with their training, I wouldn’t be able to control that entirely.
I’m honestly at a loss and torn given this is the first “bad” experience with a house-sitter and we’ve been using THS for years with no issues. I’m seeking guidance on what others would do so I can have a better idea on what to do next.
Am I right in assuming it was the sitter’s child @dogshenanigans? Is there any mention of sitting with children in their profile or past reviews? Obviously the sitter should have raised it with you if the child is part of the sit rather than a ‘guest’.
THS rarely remove members from the platform unless it is VERY SERIOUS indeed! It’s usually up to members to vet each other, ask questions before confirming to try to avoid similar incidents.
For me, that would depend much on how much time was left on the sit, how much time I would need to get a backup plan in place. Or whether I had the possibility to return early.
I think you would be justified to cut the sit short, and for that I would contact THS.