Of the 30+ sits we’ve done, there has only actually been ONE home in a location where we would have paid to stay there. Our sitters homes have been in beautiful, in amazing places, but we simply wouldn’t have paid to stay, because there are much better options in better locations for many different reasons.
While we have loved the uniqueness of each place, and been grateful to the owners for choosing us, as they are towards us, they don’t have what we need from a holiday home. But the difference is, it’s not a holiday home! There is no switch off with pets. It’s just a different way of living, a different experience, it’s definitely not a holiday as our time is not our own.
@KevSteve first thing, nothing in this world is FREE either you pay with money or you pay with your time (a commodity you never get back unlike money). As a sitter I would never take on a sit that requested payment contribution of any kind. I’d be better off using that money to pay for a nice holiday in which I did not have to mind pets and free to enjoy/explore without the added responsibilities. Perhaps you would be better off boarding your pets this way you would not incur additional utility expense.
It’s a live & active Melbourne listing looking for sitters for 4 months next year and they’ve had one before (with no mention of massive overuse of heating?!) Think it’s been tweaked after feedback on here. No trolls this time @Fatamorgana#justcricketsyetagain
Yes, it has been tweaked considerably. Still no mention of sitters chipping in for utilities so wonder if that is fully off the table? @KevSteve could you enlighten us please.
I’ve just checked out the listing and can see there’s absolutely no mention of required payment towards utilities.
Since you feel strongly about this, it’s really important that you list this requirement in your listing, @KevSteve and not spring it on unsuspecting sitters at a later date. It also provides useful insight into the ideals and expectations of pet parents, so an informed match can be achieved (which is always best, for everyone involved).
The bit that really grates @Happypets is “we’re off to sunnier climes to chill out & have a four month holiday” but BTW, can you pay our bills while you take care of our pets as we’re short of cash #clueisintheresomewhere
It’s not even about warning the sitters being the polite thing to do. It’s literally required to be included in the listing before a sitter applies. If he’s decided to remove it to spring it upon them later, the sitter could and should then cancel the sit for misrepresentation.
There was never a request for utilities payment in his listing. What he did remove was a negative blurb about a previous sitter (and he appears to have had only one) overusing the heating and costing him a lot.
So I see 2 possibilities:
He has decided against requesting that sitters contribute
He still plans to spring it on them later (against terms as you and many others pointed out and already led to a sitter withdrawal)
It would be nice if he responded. How about it @KevSteve?
I don’t know what you’re basing this statement on @KevSteve , but I don’t think it’s fair comment. We are sitters, currently on our 43rd sit and have never seen this as an objective.
Edited to say: sorry @MaggieUU , I’ve responded to your post in error, it was meant to be a general reply.
@Cuttlefish I understood from an earlier comment by the OP (could have been in one of his other threads on same topic) that the sitter who overused the utilities was not from THS.
I would never sit for people who asked us to pay for utilities.
To say that sitters should be grateful because they have a house to stay in is disrespectful in my opinion; I used to pay $100 a night to have my former sitters sit with my dogs, I would never think to have a trusted housesitter pay for utilities when they are doing a service that is often paid.
It is an exchange, and supposed to be a free one where the house owner gets someone looking after their animals and home, and keeping the place tidy In exchange for looking after their animals.
Definitely not. My time is also money. Depending on pets 2 x hr walks a day could easily cost £20-40+. If it was an amazing house, sit only and in a fab location, with cleaners/ gardeners provided and no additional responsibilities, then maybe, but I’d most likely just book a hotel stay, where heating is included and food maybe too!
Did you just come on here to tell sitters how dreadful they are? I wish you’d put your link on because you are exactly the sorry of HO I would avoid. As others have said I believe you can ask for a reasonable contribution. I would imagine you would want a lot as you seem to think you are doing sitters a favour. I think you forget sitters pay for their own home accommodation often but even if not we pay to get to your home and care for it and your pets. Dog care takes several hours a day, there is no charge. Security of the property by being in it, no charge. Taking in mail and parcels, no charge. Sorting out issues, no charge. I think you’d find a kennel/cattery would be more expensive than someone using small amounts of electricity and gas and your pet much more unhappy. THS is a mutual exchange platform.If you don’t understand that maybe go elsewhere.
OP’s original ad stated he wanted $600 upfront and detailed his previous experience with a sitter who took advantage of the heating. It seems his ad has been edited numerous times since then and there was no mention of payment. I don’t expect OP will return here to address the comments since they are unlikely to be what he was hoping for!
for me.
