Hi, I have been booked for a 5-year-housesit near Kassel, Germany, and my home owner is still a member here. My problem is that the home owner who works overseas comes home only about twice a year. During those two periods I am free to travel, but I would really enjoy to have a free weekend from time to time in between, too, to attend family meetings and special events. All my relatives live in other countries, and such visits would take 2 to 3 days. I obviously can’t leave the home owner’s 19 cats alone for so long, and neither my own small animals (hamsters and chinchillas). Unfortunately, my home owner is reluctant to process applications for step-in sitters for such short breaks, as she is too busy, but she would allow me to invite helpers if I check them through myself. Can I find relief-sitters for an occasional free weekend through this platform?
(edited by Forum team to meet Community Guidelines)
You can’t offer sits for a home or animals that don’t belong to you, according to THS terms. Maybe you could arrange such on other platforms or off the books. Or you could pay for a sitter or maybe do other sorts of bartering off platforms.
The risk is that you get a bad sitter so will have to take responsibility if that happens, however, if I was you, and had the home hosts permission, I would set up a home host profile myself and list as if the cats were mine.
Once established there, you could join the FB page of the town and get to know the community. Then, you could reach out and see if there are any local people, that you can meet in advance, willing to cover what are, after all, only short breaks.
This is a wild situation! You’re caring for someone else’s 19 cats for five years? Fascinating. But sorry, I’m off track. As to your question: Speaking for myself as HO, I’d say the ideal solution is to find a local sitter you both agree to and pay them to take over for short breaks. I would not want to have to find a new THS for each short break, and do all that goes along with preparing the pets and home for their comfort. It would be easier and I’d feel more comfortable having a regular visiting sitter come in for a few hours a day. I also would want to speak to or meet the sitter, not place the responsibility entirely on you. As for payment, perhaps you could split the cost? Good luck, I hope you find a simple solution.
@Romana is the 5 year sit a THS one ? I am thinking that if another listing was created for the same home and pets but shorter dates - it would invalidate the THS accident & Liability cover etc .
@Romana Hi! So good to see you back on the forum, I was thinking of you and wondering how your loooong sit was going!
You have found a good ‘outside the box’ solution for your long sit, and I’m sure you will find a good solution for short breaks. I’m wondering if you (yourself) should perhaps open a Nomador account, I believe it’s cheaper and perhaps less stringent than THS, and list the house and see if you get any takers? Or list it on something like Workaway, because let’s face it, 19 cats would be a lot of work!
All the best, I’m sure you’ll figure something out.
Hi @Romana
You know what I’m going to say
Look how far you’ve come and well done you.
You will figure it all out and I most certainly believe that once you have a suitable agreement with your HO, you will feel find the right person who would love the opportunity.
Could be just someone who wants a brief break or a paid arrangement but you also need some space and your desire is not unreasonable.
All the best
