Hi team, this is my first time posting… and it’s a long one. I am a 25year old solo sitter and have been using TH for just over a year with 15 sits under my belt. So far I have had good experiences with HO, except for one house. I have all 5 star reviews, however, with this sit, and another sit, under one of the categories “clean and tidy” I have one less star.
For this first house, after already accepting the sit via a video call, as the house was local I went round to meet the cats. As soon as I arrived the house smelt of cat urine and the cats were sprinting up and down the place. They told me the 3 cats were indoor cats, and the 2 litter trays - alongside newspaper and a mop as they had “bad aim” - would be kept in the shower that I would be using and I was advised to buy some flip flops to wear in the shower. Long story short, after the 8 week sit ended, as they were to arrive at 6am the next day, I left the sit the night before they got home (which I confirmed with them I would be able to), and by the time they got home the HO advised me that the shower had cat urine in it, and thus I got one less star. She even made a point to say I must have had “trouble” with the cat litter situation but other than that everything was perfect and the cats were happy compared to with previous sitters. By then I had already written a nice review, and it really upset me that it had ruined a 6 sit streak of all perfect stars.
With this next sit (7 sits after the previous one) I am not sure why I have one less star and I am not sure whether to message them as it has already been over a month since the sit ended. I only spotted it on when looking through my profile again today following a sit that ended yesterday, but it can’t be a coincidence having two and seeing them both on my profile is driving me nuts and makes me feel like it’s going to put off a future HO! With both reviews the overall stars are still 5, and they both mention that I left the place clean and tidy(?) which is bizarre and irks me even more lol. I know this probably makes me sound insane but any advice or ideas on how to stop thinking about it, how it would make you feel as a potential HO or what to say if future HO’s ask about it? Thank you lovely people!!
Regarding the first situation, I think it’s unbelievable and unfair that you had to go through such a difficult sit and get 4 stars because there was urine in the shower. Nothing can be done now. I am sorry. But you should consider leaving honest reviews. The cat litter issue should have been mentioned in your review. Actually, now that I think of it, you can still write an answer to their review but you have to be very careful because it can backfire. You should be factual and unemotional.
Regarding the second case, I am not sure if this could be a mistake. If they mention you left the house clean and tidy it could be worth asking them. If it’s not a mistake or they refuse to give feedback you can also address it in your reply to their review. Something like saying you would appreciate some feedback so you can improve any shortcomings in future sits or something like that. If it is a mistake, THS can fix it.
You’re right, I wouldn’t do it again. I really struggle with confrontation but wish I had just said no but I had already accepted then and didn’t want the fallout that might come after
@graciealicee, we all learn from challenges! There seems quite a few folks on THS Forum that - for one reason or another, and on both sides - had an encounter that they wish had not occurred. Alas you can’t change the past. And rehashing specifics are probably only causing yourself discomfort. If there’s an actionable step - such as somehow contesting the facts through THS - then go for it. Otherwise, it may be time to let it go; learn from experience and move forwards positively.
For the first time a few days ago, we got knocked off a point on the Clean & Tidy score but then in her review she mentioned we always left the place ‘immaculate’ because we’ve sat for her a few times before, but the owner had simply made a mistake, and it was quickly sorted with the help of @support. It was from a lovely person, who we will no doubt sit for in the future again.
Had she not have put the word ‘immaculate’ in her review, I’m not sure if I would have asked her about it to see how we could improve things for next time. But she did use the word immaculate, and I did ask, and it was simple error on her part.
Now, a few days on, I will definitely reach out and ask straight away as soon as anything like that happens again. 100% without a shadow of a doubt.
It is so easy to click on the wrong box, I think there should be an extra box that allows you to check the scores you have given before that part zooms on.
Thank you for this! Could you tell me maybe what your message to them said so I could draft a text to send them? I might give it a go as I can’t see why I wouldn’t have got the full 5 stars if they mentioned how I had left it tidy… thank you
There was friendly chit-chat both before and after the below, because she is lovely person and we’ve turned into friends:-
Thank you so much for your review again, but we noticed on your review that you gave us 4 stars out of 5 for the “Clean and Tidy” category, which we’re really sorry about, so could you let us know what we left unclean just so that we know how we can improve for next time, to get 5 stars again :-).
Or alternatively, if you happen to have given us 4 stars by mistake (because I know how easy it is to click the wrong button), could you simply go on the below webpage to amend it? But you need to act quickly to change it. We’re just a little confused with you saying it was immaculate in the text part, but then the score was lower. So if it was simply an error, go to:- https://support.trustedhousesitters.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360002145618-How-can-I-contact-TrustedHousesitters-for-help?
and then go on the Live Chat, and write “Added the wrong ratings in review by mistake.” and follow what it says.
We know we’re not perfect, so we can totally understand that perhaps we didn’t leave it as clean as we should have, because one of us could have easily have thought that the other had cleaned somewhere where they hadn’t.
When facing something you don’t want to do, it’s also worth considering the alternative path. Like to avoid a momentary potential unpleasantness of declining the sit, you ended up doing a suboptimal sit of X period and getting a rating that will stick around and bug you for however long.
If you do that sort of considering, what happens is, often the momentary potential unpleasantness will look better by comparison. So that can help you suck it up and do it. And as you do that more, it becomes easier.
In aggregate, you then end up with a more pleasant life overall, which you deserve.
And BTW, the unpleasantness that you anticipated with declining a sit doesn’t even necessarily happen. Like I pulled out of a sit matter of factly and it was all civilized and quick. (I accepted a sit and the host sent me a welcome guide immediately. I read it right away and saw that one dog needed letting out at night and the other was prone to diarrhea. So I let the host know immediately that I wouldn’t do the sit. It was all conversational in tone. No fallout.)
I messaged the owner and got feedback that the bathroom could have done with a better clean. Happy I messaged as can use this constructively going forward and it’s taken the weight off me guessing what I could have missed. I have a new housesit booked now and I think with all the positive 5 star reviews the 2 missing stars shouldn’t make much of a difference. I most definitely have learnt to leave appropriate reviews for HO (and not accept dodgy sits in the first place!) and also not focus on the two bad smudges amongst all the positives. Good results all round!! Thanks everyone
I really struggle with confrontation but wish I had just said no but I had already accepted then and didn’t want the fallout that might come after
I feel really stupid in hindsight. Definitely learnt the hard way.