Hello !
I’m a new sitter, on my second sit. The first was excellent, and now I’m a few days into the second (and here for several weeks) and… it did not start well. Now, before I explain the situation and ask for advice on my future review, please keep in mind that I already know I should have been paying more attention to the house and be more reserved about it. I read it several times on this forum : if it’s cluttered since the beginning, don’t hope it will be much better later. And taking a sit without any review (they were new on THS, they’ve been open about it) is probably not for me right now. Lesson learned At least, and you’ll see that down in my post, the HO’s are taking responsability for the situation.
So, here is the story :
We did have a videochat and I visited them in person a few months ago when I was in the area, before accepting the sit. I saw that the house was not very clean and a bit cluttered, but that appeared manageable. When I arrived a few days ago, it was a nightmare : clutter and things absolutely everywhere, dirty dished in the sink and dishwasher, dirty washing machine, pieces of things and dry trash (papers, foil…) on the floor (mostly carpets…), unclean and sticky surfaces, clothes (clean and dirty ones) forgotten in the living room and bathroom, the outside garbage bin half full (they are emptied only twice a month, and last time was just before I arrived !)… No crawlies or rotten food, but this was overwhelming and would have required days of intensive cleaning, which I’m not able to do.
I considered calling THS to plan my departure, but before I could make the decision (I was mostly exhausted and frozen in shock) the HO apologized profusely (I stayed polite and respectful all along and they said they were grateful for my reaction) and immediately offered to pay for a professional cleaner. They found a company who came the same day and did an excellent job (they’ll come back again once or twice this week to finish the job) so I can now clean myself and eat in a better environnement. I also took away several big pieces of clutter to store them in a side room, I will easily put them back in place before leaving. It’s still difficult to feel relaxed yet, but the pets are really lovely and easy to care for, I love the area and once the house will be fully cleaned, that should be OK (despite maintenance with their teeny tiny vacuum cleaner is… challenging !)
I am here now because I did read several topics and I’ve seen some great advice on how to leave a review for this kind of sit, and I’d really like your help on this
I cannot imagine not mentioning the cleaning situation to warn future sitters, I cannot put anybody in this situation, and I would not return, but I also don’t want to be rude or too hard on the HO’s because I’m convinced they did their best. They’re not dishonest, only overwhelmed by the care of their home and pets… I also have no reason to fear retaliation on their part if I tell the truth, but I would like to find a good balance…
I have written 2 options, I’m not completely satisfied with any of them :
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The pets were absolutely lovely and very easy to care for, and the neighborhood was pleasant, with everything I needed within walking distance. Communication with X was warm and honest, and she responded quickly to any request, despite being several time zones away. When I let her know that the state of the house on arrival didn’t meet the usual THS standards, she arranged for a cleaning service promptly, which I really appreciated. That said, the initial cleanliness of the home was a real issue (dirty floors, fridge, dishes, clutter everywhere…) and was impossible to manage alone. I don’t want to be too hard, I know they’re good people who really did their best to welcome me into their home, but a professional cleaning must definitely be done considered before any future sit.
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The pets were absolutely lovely and very easy to care for, and the neighborhood was quiet and pleasant, with all essentials nearby. However, I cannot recommend this sit.
The house was not clean at all on arri val — with dirty floors, fridge, and surfaces — and required immediate professional intervention. Although the host responded immediately and offered to hire a cleaner (she did find one who came the same day and did and excellent job) this level of unpreparedness was impossible to manage alone, especially after a long journey.
I really appreciated the host’s warm communication and efforts to resolve the issue, but based on my experience, I would not be comfortable returning to this home.
Thank you for reading my looooong post, and thanks a lot in advance for your precious help !