New member here. Is there an etiquette to receiving applications? Had a negative experience already

Owner Questions, Advice & Chat
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Hi there. I just joined recently so maybe I am out of the loop but I posted a sit and had 2 applications come in pretty quickly but I was away on a work trip so I didn’t reply right away. Within less than 48 hours, one of the applicants withdrew with a note basically saying because I didn’t message them or acknowledge the application that I wasn’t worth there time.
Maybe because I am new to this and looked at applications like a job where you collect several applications and then review them within a time frame and move forward with the ones you think are a good fit.
Is it customary to reply right away?
I feel like to get a passive aggressive message and withdrawal less than 2 days after getting the application is a bit much and a red flag but maybe I am not aware that I should be letting everyone who applied know right away that I got it.

Let me know if I should be replying right away or not.
Thanks!

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Welcome to the forum @CoreyC

First off viewing this like a job application is getting off to a bad start . THS is about mutual exchange and sitters are choosing you as much as you are choosing them .

You have to respond promptly to confirm an experienced sitter or you will miss out . Keep in mind you are new and don’t have reviews yet, so sitters are taking a big chance/ risk on you being a great host .

Also a sitter may have applied to several sits for the same dates (THS encourages this approach) and if they are good ( have good reviews ) then they will quickly be confirmed by another host.

Certainly, if an application or profile doesn’t seem like a good match, you can and should reject it straight away ( preferably with a polite acknowledgment of their application).

You only need one sitter, so if someone seems great , arrange a video call asap ( before someone else confirms them as their sitter)

For context we have over 40 sits confirmed . Most have been confirmed within an hour or two . That includes acknowledgment of our application , a video call and then the sit is confirmed that same day or at most within 24 hours .

So yes a prompt acknowledgment that you’ve received their application is recommended. Followed up by promptly arranging a video call with your preferred sitter .

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I do tend to withdraw an application if I get no response after 48 hours. Simply because I presume I’m not the sitter they’re looking for and I don’t want to take up space in their 5-Application queue. I send a message to that effect, which is never rude, sullen or passive-aggressive. That’s quite unnecessary.

Twice, I’ve had very quick, apologetic replies to my withdrawal, both from very new H.Os, who simply didn’t understand yet how the system worked. I’m now booked to sit for them both soon.

As a sitter, I do like it if an HO responds quickly, even if it’s with a No (and I completely understand that they want to free up space for other applicants). It only needs a line or two. A brief “I’m sorry, but I don’t think you’re quite the right sitter for us this time around” or whatever… And we can all move on.

[I would like a prize for tapping out that entire post without once using the phrase “the right fit.” Thankyou, I’ll just take the free membership.]

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If we don’t receive a response within 48 hours, we withdraw our application.

The thing is, it’s not a job application, it’s an initial contact to find out more and assess best fit. Good communication is essential to any sit, so those pet parents who don’t respond promptly - even if just to thank the sitter for applying and let them know they’re not yet ready to take things any further (at which point we’d also withdraw) - are demonstrating that they’re not going to be the most responsive people to partner with, so will inevitably lose out.

You should be able to get a gut feeling about the suitability of applicants from their initial message, so my advice is to respond quickly to any who seem to tick all your boxes. Many sitters apply for numerous sits - not just yours - so those hosts who respond first will very likely be given priority.

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Glad I asked! Will try to be more on top of things moving forward.

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I am a sitter and currently sitting with several open applications. Trying to juggle dates and locations can be quite an art for a sitter so prompt responses are very important.

I will be withdrawing one application shortly and probably another one tomorrow if I have not had any response. I usually allow between 48 - 72 hours. THS do recommend that a response should be made within 72 hours. If you at least send an acknowledgement of the application it goes along way to show that you are going to be a good communicator and good communication is vital.

Something along the lines of, “thank you for your application, I am currently reviewing all applications and I will get back to you as soon as possible”.

Hope all goes well for you.

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Everyone has a different approach. However, different approaches don’t mean you should be rude!

I apply and leave it there unless I am accepted for another sit on these dates. Then I withdraw my application and write a short note telling the HO why. Sitters will apply for all sits that fill their criteria. We don’t apply for one then wait around till we get an answer. It does pay to be quick. The more experienced sitters are snapped up immediately.

Good luck in your quest and maybe link your listing into your name ….. you never know who’s reading this…..

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You did nothing wrong here…..and based on the sitter’s rude response you dodged a bullet !

While there’s no requirement that you reply in a given amount of time, etiquette suggests acknoledgement within a reasonable amount of time within your schedule. If your sit begins soon (definitinons may vary), sooner rather than later would be beneficial for both the potential sitter and yourself.

Every sitter is different and, unless I had some compelling reason, I would not withdraw an application. It remains active until I have a conflict (another sit, etc.)

Welcome, too ! And just know that there are many of us who are not so rude, disrespectful and passive/aggressive as the person who WON’T BE your sitter !

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@CoreyC, this is an extremely polite statement from @silversitters. Pet Parents that take an employer-employee mindset should use a different platform, one in which paid compensation occurs. For context, we withdraw applications after perhaps one-third of video calls … a common reason being employer mindset; another being surprises.

THS is a peer-peer non-cash exchange. There is no job. There is no employment. There is no compensation. Housesitter and pet parent choose each other. It requires a fair trade.

The more attractive attributes each of the parties offers then the more attractive they are to the counterparty. For example, a housesitter with many 5* reviews and/or experience with specific pets or geography may be more attractive than other sitters. For example, a pet parent that offers some combination of appealing location, property and responsibilities will likely receive greater and better housesitter applicants.

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I withdraw within 48 hrs if the host doesn’t reply to scheduled a video chat.

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We’re sitters, it’s great you are asking, but tweak the way you look at it.

The way THS works is brilliant, but you need to be fast, because sitters aren’t applying for a job, they are helping you, and you are helping them, it’s a win-win. In the same way that you have more than one applicant, sitters can naturally apply for multiple sits for the same dates, because nothing is set in stone until both sides commit to one another.

If you read an application and you think they sound perfect, you need to act quick to secure them.

It’s very rare we would keep our application in for 24 hours, because with the majority of places we apply for, the owners get in touch with us within an hour saying they want us or asking questions, but at least there’s a line of conversation open. But if we removed our application we always send a nice message at the same time, especially when we know someone doesn’t have any/many reviews where they may not realise they need to be faster in getting back to us, there’s no need for the rudeness you received.

So with those that wait longer 24 -48hours to respond we start to wonder if that’s what it’s like when we apply, will they accepting us, will they delay giving us their full details, and more importantly, after the sit ends we rate YOU on communication (among other things), and we don’t want to go into a feelgood win-win pet sit, fully knowing that we would potentially have to mark down an owner that delayed in responding, it just doesn’t make us feel good to do that, on a site that is full of good natured people.

The way we also see it (we sit as a couple), is that if someone read our profile and wanted to hold out for someone better or didn’t respond quickly, then we simply aren’t the right sitters for them, we (like quite a number on here, have both pet and property experience/reviews, and love pets), we want owners to read our profile and know we’re perfect for them instantly, which fortunately those we’ve sat for have.

For us, it’s all about the good feeling we get about an owner, because we know we’ll love their pets and their place otherwise we wouldn’t be applying, and feeling like someone is putting us on hold or delaying responding then dulls the initial good feeling we had about them.

Also, don’t see it as an employee/employer type of way, it’s just not like that, you’ll realise once you find your perfect sitter. They aren’t a stranger, when you read your perfect sitters profile you’ll feel like you already know them already.

Hope that helps

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I am a 100+ sit sitter with 98% 5 star reviews. When I’m looking actively I have multiple applications out.
I’d appreciate a rapid acknowledgement - just let me know that you’ve seen the application and maybe a time frame for expected reply, but I also understand that people are doing other things.
Reading other sitters’ responses makes me think I’m being too easy-going. Since HOs only see 5 applications at a time, then maybe a quick “got your app, am reviewing over the next xx days” isn’t that much of a task?

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It was a good & helpful question to ask.

Because I’m pretty selective about the sits I apply for and also newer to the service, I tend to be more patient & will wait several days for a response. I usually assume some HOs with highly desirable sits may have repeat sitters they’re hoping for/talking to, or I may be competing with very experienced sitters. But I am always appreciative of an acknowledgement of my application, or even a quick but polite “thank you but not this time around,” as I don’t tend to apply to multiple sits for the same dates.

I have been known to reach out politely with a 2nd message after 3-4d, just to ask the HO if I’m still under consideration — and in fact I got 2 of my best sits when the HO responded back to my follow-up message. They’d been traveling & had some comms/time challenges, which does happen.

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I’ll just add that as a homeowner/pet parent I don’t post a sit unless I have time to receive applications, read profiles, respond, schedule a video chat, and hopefully book a sitter. When all goes well the whole process takes just 24-48hr. At the least, I immediately send a quick thanks for applying.

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That sitter was arrogant. Some sitters do this full time so can’t wait for a lengthy reply. I only do this three times a year so I will wait. It’s no big deal to me if I see nothing else I like. On a couple of occasions I have heard and have been offered sits after not hearing from the PP for a week or two. Things happen. An illness, death in family or just carefully looking at each application. Not a big deal to me.

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I’m a prompt person and look to be matched with prompt hosts. I also withdraw if I don’t see an acknowledgement within a couple of days. I can see how new hosts believe that this is a one way selection process but it’s not. Everyone is looking for the right fit and sometimes when a host offers the sit to a sitter, the sitter will decline after finding out more information.

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Welcome to forum @CoreyC !

We have all been new and on the start of our THS adventure.

As @Shafofo says, it can be good to publish dates on a time where you have time to process applications. That being said, sometimes it could take a while to get applications, and life happens. So no need for anyone to be rude, regardless.

My sits are usually confirmed - including videocall - within 24-48 hours. As sitters are encouraged to apply to several sits at a time, that means that a host might well miss out on the sitter they prefer among their applications if they do not proceed promptly. Because if you wait, they can well confirm with another host that act in a more timely manner.

You only need one good match, one sitter. On the other hand - don’t feel too rushed either. If you’re not comfortable, if something feels «off» or if it is nothing «wrong», really - it is just not a good match for you and your pet - don’t go forward.

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Please don’t think all sitters are madly applying left and right and will hold it against you if you can’t respond to their applications immediately! I don’t sit full-time and look for sits that are convenient and suit me and, luckily for me, in places that aren’t the “hot spots” so many sitters are dying to visit, like New York City and London. I have completed almost twenty sits, and only once did I nudge a homeowner to get back to me after I applied - but I let 10 days pass after I had applied! He apologized, saying like you that he had been away and very hectic. Every homeowner I’ve sat for has been laid back and we’ve both taken a little time to get back to each other. You did not do anything wrong, but if the sit is coming up soon that would of course be reason to get right back to applicants. Welcome to this wonderful community!

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Absolutely!

I read a listing this morning, which stated:

‘In return for caring for our much-loved ***** and keeping our home safe and tidy, you’ll have the rare chance to enjoy our countryside haven at no cost.’

Furthermore, the home is described as: ‘available free of charge to a lucky and responsible house sitter.’

This use of language provides an insight into the mindset of the host, and would immediately evoke a hard pass from us.

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I’d echo this. We want to be consciously chosen, so if our application doesn’t immediately appeal then we’d rather move on.

Sitters can see when messages have been read, so a delay in making response suggests the application message hasn’t struck the right chord with the host (which is absolutely fine, since good matches have to work both ways).

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