New Feature: Clear messaging of Guest Policy

[Mark_B]

Visiting a destination where you may have friends or family is a popular choice for our community and we want to support all of our members to have clear conversations when a sit is being arranged.

What’s changed?

We’ve added an option to clearly state if a sitter is able to have a guest attend the property.

We’re also including an option to include if a sitter is able to bring their pet to the sit.

If allowed, guests and pets may attend with advance approval from the pet parent.

Why are we doing this?

On a small proportion of sits, assumptions have been made regarding guests attending the home which can lead to a breakdown in trust. This change will support all members in having clear communication before the sit is agreed.

The default option on the listing is that sitters are allowed a guest to attend the property (with the pet parents approval). The pet parent will then have the opportunity to amend that option.

As well as this forum discussion, we’re also notifying all members of this new feature via email.

New and existing listings will now have the default option to allow a guest, the pet parent has the opportunity to amend that.

This feature has been enabled on our app and website. If you cannot see the feature on your app, please ensure that you have the latest version downloaded.

Top tips

Having a great conversation is the best way to ensure a smooth experience for members & pets. This change is designed to support clear communication, not replace it.

If you’re a sitter who is going to have someone join you for the entire sit, remember to add them as a co-sitter;

• Go to your profile
• Select ‘Profile Details’
• Choose ‘Who will be sitting with you?’
• Tell us if a partner, friend or child will join you for the house sits.

It’s also important that Homeowners remember that the property should remain vacant for the entirety of the sit. If 3rd parties such as a gardener etc will be visiting the property, please remember to let your sitter know, for more information check out our Guest & 3rd party policy.

[Twitcher]

Will this communication go out to all THS members, and not just the forum members?

[ziggy]

Just received my email, appears to have gone to every member that has notifications turned on.

[DieFledermaus]

You can’t have a box-tick for everything.

This is infantilising THS members even more. As well as giving us yet more visual clutter. We are adults. This is something that any courteous sitter - which I think is the vast majority of us - will ask about at some stage, if it arises. I refuse to believe that having overnight guests (or any guests, among the hardcore old-fashioned of us) without the HO’s permission is something that any but the most self-serving and/or ignorant would do.

Or, perhaps it’s something only the type of “sitter” attracted by the Free AirBnB advertising would do. I can’t help seeing a link between that style of marketing and all these new tick-boxes to cover every single aspect of a sit. A genuine sitter doesn’t need them; a Free AirBnB-er might do.

[ziggy]

@DieFledermaus I couldn’t agree more and thought the exact same thing. The listings are becoming information overload for things that any self respecting sitter would naturally do and/or ask. How much more can you fit into a listing before it’s just too much!

I don’t agree with the definition of a guest in the email either. Usually when sitters are asking for a guest it’s more for an overnight stay, or a gathering etc, not a quick drop-in. A sit isn’t a prison and surely to God a quick drop-in wouldn’t be classified as having a guest over. This is yet another unnecessary addition which can, and probably will, lead to misunderstandings and problems, despite the reference that it doesn’t replace conversation, some people will simply overlook that and take it as gospel.

Excerpt from the email….

What’s a guest?

A guest is someone invited into your home by your sitter for a short visit - like a quick drop-in after meeting family or friends who live nearby.

[temba]

Hi @Mark_B The 3rd Party Policy is of far more importance than this new feature re sitters having guests. That is what should be included - hosts having to tick they will abide by that (and the Camera and Recording Devices Policy).

[Crosswords_and_puzzles]

Just checked our home listing. The THS change (about guests) is in the category entitled “Your Home.” The default is set up to allow guests (with advance permission by the HO). Obviously, if a HO wants to change it, they select the other box and then must save the change.

We have not received an email announcing this change.

[TheEnglishFlaneur]

Looks to me like another so called improvement that very few, if any, asked for. Whereas those we ask for aren’t actioned.

[ziggy]

@Crosswords_and_puzzles does it actually say with advanced permission by the HO? If so, that’s not so bad then.

[Crosswords_and_puzzles]

The box that HOs would check to allow guests says “Yes, if we agree in advance. Sitters may invite a guest if they get approval before the sit.”

Note that the caveat is getting approval before the sit.

[Mark_B]

Just to add, if the info button is pressed on the ‘Guest allowed’ option, here is the screen you’ll see (app view).

@Twitcher

Will this communication go out to all THS members, and not just the forum members?

Absolutely, emails are being sent out.

[pietkuip]

If I were a home owner, I would never tick “Guests allowed” etc because that is just inviting trouble. The default in the T&Cs is good as it is: sitters must ask for permission.

[teya]

Exactly!
Also, how is this helpful at all…
If they check guest allowed, the guest still needs to be approved by the pet perent.
So you will have to have the talk anyway…
And the guests not allowed I consider the default. I would never invite anyone over for a tea without HOs permission.

Let’s not get started on the definition of guests and the confusion that may cause.

I really wonder why all these things are ending up on the HOs profiles.
That should be part of the registration. So people actually know what they are signing up for… But yeah, just keep calling it free airbnb with pets.

[pietkuip]

@teya

If they check guest allowed, the guest still needs to be approved by the pet perent.

Not all sitters would interpret it that way. And that plural: “guests”! Could be the whole fraternity on Spring break

[Wildcolonialgirl]

Is this what we’re paying extra for? I agree with others complaining about the infantalising and information overload. Please stop these pointless “improvements” and let sitters and pet parents discuss between themselves.

[SerenitybytheSea]

As a sitter, it’s my personal rule to not have guests over. If im doing a sit solo, my husband is the only person I share the address with. Stuff happens; why take the chance with having a guest when it’s not your home?

[KC1102]

I think this feature can be helpful. I have seen a number of posts here from hosts who were asked about having guests and were not comfortable with the idea. Many seemed to say yes even though they would rather not have them. Both hosts and sitters can find themselves in situations where they agree to things they would rather not for a variety of reasons and anything that helps cut down on that is good.

Or some lost the sitter for saying no.

For many hosts, I don’t think the sitters wanting to have guests– either for the day or overnight –is something that crosses their mind so they wouldn’t state their preferences about this right upfront in the listing or mention it explicitly pre confirmation, unless the sitter happens to ask. .

So for those who would not allow this, being able to state it upfront is useful for both them and sitters for whom allowing guests is important.

[systaran]

Please, please stop adding all these check boxes. They are not useful in a housesitting situation where details should be discussed and agreed upon. It’s getting to the point that the site is just not functional at all. It takes too much time to wade through all the clutter in the listings now. And the check boxes just add ambiguity rather than clarity.

THS can’t seem to fix basic functions that sitters and HOs have been requesting for years, but weird check boxes that are not in any way useful can be added? When are the improvements coming?

[systaran]

The screenshot shows a heading that says ‘guest and pet policy.’ Immediately under that ‘guest’ heading is ‘families welcome’. Given that ‘families welcome’ is in the guest section does that mean that families are welcome as guests? So, a sitter could invite a family member to the home? I assume that it’s just the standard indication that the HO is open to hosting families. However, this is an example of the ambiguity introduced by the check boxes. It could be interpreted in a way that is not what was intended. THS needs to put more time and thought into ensuring the check boxes provide clarity. It seems most of the check boxes have just been quickly added without any thought.

[Cleeflang]

Where in the application does this appear? I just looked at several listings don’t see it. Has it not been deployed yet?