Little issues with first time HO

Sitter Questions, Advice & Chat
1

Hi,

Sitting for a first time HO and definitely learned to ask more questions/prompt more in the same situation in future. Nothing major, but I can’t decide whether to just feedback to them privately as a ‘learning’ thing, or include some details in review and deduct a star under hospitality. All thoughtlessness rather than any bad intent. Any views?
Issues are

Late and not fully completed guide - and I had to prompt a couple of times for this. Eg stated very clearly wet dog NOTallowed on carpets, but with no downstairs doors it was impossible. Halfway through the week I queried how he managed it and he directed me to some bits of wood he blocks the doorways from the hard floor hallway with. I’d been really struggling with this.

Uncomfortable thin mattress on guest bed (and I go camping a lot so used to roughing it)

No furniture in bedroom other than a wardrobe that is full, so living out of my suitcase on the floor for 12 days. No bedside table/lamp.

Only 2 dog poo bags provided

Dirty clothes including underwear left in washing machine so unable to use it, as I’m not touching a strangers dirty kecks

Dirty trays left in oven

2

Those don’t sound too bad for a newbie. The odd dirty thing that you mention, are things that sometimes get overlooked when their focus is on packing etc. It’s not a dirty house by the sound of it, just odd random things they naturally forgot to check, as long as other things were clean and tidy. Remember, they have probably never had a stranger stay in their home, so while they think they may have everything covered, they obviously didn’t.

It depends on the connection you have, but if you would otherwise give them 5*, I would just tell them you are giving them 5*s so not to worry on that front, but you thought they would want to know ready for future sits, bla bla bla.

Welcome Guide - the guide is just a guide, if there’s anything that the guide didn’t cover you simply need to ask, especially when someone is new to THS. just be helpful, and give them some pointers. That’s not something I would knock a point down for.

Uncomfortable mattress - not everyone can afford a decent mattress. If you’re in the spare room, the mattress is often of a poorer quality than the one on the owners own bed. If we wanted to ensure a decent mattress, we’d book a decent hotel.

Furniture - we live out of our case so that we don’t leave anything behind, so that wouldn’t bother us.

Poo bags - we always carry spare just in case. If they are first timers they may think you provide them. It isn’t something we would knock a point off for, and sometimes it’s the one thing that owners know they need to buy for us, but forget in the mad rush to get their holiday packing complete.

Washing machine clothes - we’ve had that on numerous occasions, I don’t see it as being untidy, I just see that as one of those things that is very easy to forget about, when their focus is on packing, passports, airport journeys etc.

Dirty trays in oven - if everywhere else is clean, they’ve simply forgot to check the oven. It’s just a small thing which was hidden so naturally forget-able to them.

Like you said, they are just little issues from a newbie. So I wouldn’t be too harsh unless there’s a real reason for concern. It takes nothing to be nice, friendly, and helpful.

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3

I wouldn’t mention anything until after you give and get your review. Then send a private message thanking them for their review and oh by the way other home owners do blah blah blah which will make future sitters far more comfortable and lessen your risk of being docked stars by those fussy sitters :blush:
That will make you look like the good guy.
In saying that I would like to know if the mattress is not great as a future sitter as I very much value my sleep.

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4

Thanks, yes I was thinking I’d just give them some tips for the future, but also didn’t want to mislead later sitters. To be honest the house overall isn’t “clean clean”, it might bother other people but it’s acceptable for me.

Telling them I’m giving them 5 star review but here are a few suggestions is a great idea, thanks.

(I do always being poo bags in case, but it was a bit irritating as he commented ‘oh I should have bought some more I suppose’.

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5

@HappyDeb has given you a full and fair take on how to treat a new HO. Definitely mention the quirks/inconveniences etc in your private feedback. Not sure any of them warrant a star deduction but you’re the only one who has seen the whole house and done the full sit. Talk to the HO @UKSITTER1 and give them some tips. #youretheprohere :raised_hands:t3:

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6

I don’t disagree with other posts necessarily but I would not give 5* with private feedback.

I approach reviews like “would I come back?” If so, then overall it’s a 5*.

And I would do the other categories accordingly.
Clean 4*
Communication 4*

State the why’s and give constructive feedback in the review.

And add, as a first time experience, it understandable that things got missed and overall (if it’s true), say that you would return to the sit if you were welcomed back.

If the homeowner rejects you in future applications because of your review, then that tells you all you need to know and then you’ll feel good about your honest review.

If a sitter gave me reasonable constructive feedback as a home owner and the sit was successful, I would appreciate that feedback to have a better experience for future sitters.

And I would welcome that sitter back because I would respect that maturity and honesty.

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7

I agree with @Hellooutthere. I do think both saying upfront what’s important to you in a sit, and giving some feedback if you feel something is missing or could be better, is helpful. As a HO, during the video call I always have with applicants, I now ask them what is important to them. I also ask for any feedback at the end of the sit. I note these comments down on the welcome pack (sometimes it might be something simple like the hoover being difficult to turn on and off, something that as a HO one has learnt to work around!) and normally try and integrate and improve for the next time, or I’m clearer with future sits on what I can, and cannot provide / or details on what the house is like which may not suit everyone. I very first sitter had a list of “requirements” (her words, not mine!) and whilst I didn’t particularly appreciate this wording, at least it was clear.

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8

The one thing that will be clearly better is the Welcome Guide. It is a clunky process to compose one it seems, but now they have prepared one, it is easy to share it to new sitters.

But the rest is ridiculous: uncomfy bed, no poo bags, etc, etc.

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9

I would say you’re being over generous. As you should know, owners get an email telling them exactly what to do for sitters in advance of them coming to stay - such as having a clean home, ensuring there is some space in the wardrobe and drawer for clothes etc. The mattress sounds awful.

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10

The point of reviews is to help other sitters and hosts make informed decisions. If a host like the one described gets five stars, then the review is essentially false and not helpful to other sitters.

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11

As a HO I disagree with the ‘easy to miss things as a first timer’.
I spent a lot of time & effort making sure that my first sitters (& all subsequent) had absolutely everything in place and I think it’s pretty disrespectful of the HO not to do that.
I think you owe it to both the HO and future sitters to be open & clear about the issues or the cycle will just continue.

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12

As a HO who also sits, I think that you should let them know your complaints/ideas on how to better their sit for the future privately, if they take your comments in good faith, I would take that into account and perhaps skip a star on cleanliness but leave a review showing how they fulfill all other areas-dirty underwear in a washer is a major thing considering that on 12 day sit you need to use the washer. I would think different if it was clean clothes left in the dryer and would just put it in a basket bc they might’ve been overlooked during a packing rush… But dirty clothes… Ehhhh…

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13

Totally agree with others on submitting an honest review.

What a great opportunity Sitters now have to rate the Owners on several categories! Take advantage of this.

Future Sitters will thank you.

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14

I’m still in two minds. He hasn’t bothered to get in touch since he got home to say thanks, or to let me know dog etc is okay (or that he’s back at all bearing in mind I left a couple of hours before he was due back).

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15

He could be tired from his trip, settling in being back home. Just give him a day or so and then reach out to him to ask 'if everything was ok with the sit?"

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16

If you plan on giving him any private feedback, it is probably best to wait until he has submitted his review of you. If you contact him about this, and he suspects you left negative feedback in yours if you already submitted, or may be planning to if you haven’t, this could impact how he reviews you. In theory it shouldn’t matter, but the reality of human nature could lead to a different outcome, no matter how good a job you did.

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17

I’m sorry you’re dealing with all that.
I agree with your comments: the best thing a HO can do to prepare for their sitter is to spend a couple nights where they’re asking the Sitter to sleep - ESPECIALLY for a long sit.
Home Owners should realize the need for a decent mattress, a lamp, a place to put clothes. Not everyone is a considerate person. True in any situation. Just think about the people who recline their seat to the max for hours on a long flight, or start asking 101 questions of a clerk with people lined up behind them.
As for the dirty clothes in the washer? I would’ve put on gloves, put the dirty stuff in a laundry basket, and used the washer.
And the oven stuff? Could have been just forgotten.
But def at some point you should write a note to the HO telling them they won’t get good reviews if they can’t be a more considerate host.

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18

@UKSITTER1 do your review so you don’t miss the time window.

Then send the request for your review from the home host.

You sat,
It’s done
Write an honest review.
Move on.

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19

I’ve done my review, nicely but saying there were a few niggles due to first-time host, and I’m having a chat with him tonight to give some feedback.

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20

I would have been unhappy there. I think the bed should be comfortable and clean with good linen and clean blankets. I want quality.

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