So sad to hear you had this trouble. Not sure if it can even be said here, but perhaps only interviewing sitters who paid for premium membership which might indicate a higher degree of responsibility.
Well, your comment (below) certainly leaves a LOT of room for interpretation, and the only way I can interpret it is that you and the other homeowner are convinced that if a sitter does not own their own home, has never owned their own home, and because the sitter doesn’t have “their own home to go back to and love” or whatever you’ve said, that the sitter is simply desperate and looking for a place to stay rather than doing it for the experience of it, as though house/pet sitting weren’t a mutually beneficial arrangement, that they will not have the ability to treat someone else’s home respectfully and thoughtfully. I can’t begin to tell you how many times I have been taken advantage of by homeowners with their being under the impression I’m only there to serve them and their needs, as though I shouldn’t expect to get anything more out of my travels there than a “free place to stay”. I give all of myself and more in a sit, HO’s definitely come out on the winning end of the arrangement. SO, forgive me but there is no other way of interpreting what you’ve said.
-
I will tell you that one HO we just sat for (large luxury home) who have had many sitters, when we asked them to describe any sitters they were disappointed with they described something similar (not to the level of what you described) and said that was the last time they’d accept someone who is a full time sitter and does not own their own home (or had never owned their own home). Not saying there are not some fabulous full timers out there, I am certain there are, but for them they felt there was a difference between people who need a place to stay and those who have their own comfortable home but do it for the love of it.
I have to say we had a family stay in our home for a year while we were away and they had never owned their own home and it did not go as well as we had hoped. The idea “please leave it how you found it” - just didn’t pan out.
@PV592 Your suggestion that premium membership shows a higher degree of reliability certainly could offend many of the long term sitters who have never chosen premium membership. I have been a sitter with TrustedHousesitters for 11 years on basic membership and have all 5-star reviews and have proven myself to be reliable. My choice of membership level is irrelevant to my level of responsibility and dedication to any booked sit.
I see that you have yet to get your first review. Perhaps with time on the forum you will see the dedication of many - sitters and hosts - unrelated to their membership level.
@snowbird @PV592 As a sitter I fell for the Premium Membership when I first signed up and when I renewed I dropped down to Basic, Premium was absolutely useless to me, and doesn’t do anything at all for the HO, it’s meant to cover the sitter’s needs such as accommdations reimbursement if a sit cancels, airport lounge passes (which are for the crummiest lounges of them all), etc. I bumped back up to Premium when they ran the 50% deal last year but that is the only reason I did that. I’ve more than 35 glowing 5-star reviews, and am dependable more than I should be, meaning when I intuitively know I should cancel a sit but don’t because “I’m dependable!” the sit ends up being one of the worst.
It seems the money argumentation can work both ways: when you pay more, you are more reliable and when you are paid, you are more reliable, too. That’s the magic of money!
@whirld-traveller @sharonv That is a VERY American approach! I’ve been doing sits in Europe for the last year and I’ve never had a HO not invite me to stay the night before as well as the night of their return, and very seldomly, in fact never, do they “not want to see you before or after!”. We are both in the thinking that staying the night before allows the HO and the pets time to know the sitter before they depart, and having us stay the night of their return, unless we have another sit booked directly backed up to theirs, is the thoughtful and hospitable thing to do. That is if space allows, if they are in a 1 BR apartment of course that changes everything but if it’s a house with a dedicated guest bedroom that is always the case.
@avidtraveler This is THE way to do it, if space in the home allows! I like for the HO to know me in person before they leave me to it, as well as the pets getting to know me while they’re still there.
@PV592 I do take objection to your comment as paying more does not equate with higher degree of responsibility, especially where many new members are joining as Premium members to avoid the booking fee and have little or no experience with pet sitting and the responsibilities that come with it.
Not from my experience at all. I sit primarily in the U.S. and usually am invited to come a day ahead and am invited to dinner. Often, the hosts go well beyond in hospitality. Of course, I’m selective about hosts, whether in the U.S. or beyond.
Premium membership has been irrelevant to my sitting quality.
I originally joined as a premium member and later dropped it, because I don’t need lounge passes and I’d rather handle my own Plan B, instead of jumping through hoops.
Regardless, I’ve consistently received raves as a sitter and am invited back. I’ve even had hosts offer me airfare to repeat sit for them.
Of course I’m selective about hosts as well but being that neither of us are clairvoyent, nor are most sitters, there is no telling how any part of a sit is going to go. That is wonderful that you’ve had HO’s invite you back, as have I, it’s also wonderful that they’ve even offered to pay your airfare, I think I recall you saying these things dozens of other times in other posts. Every sit is going to be different, every country is going to be different, every host is going to be different, there are so many variables in this game that not one of us can or should make sweeping general comments about any of it.
Please reread if not clear: I was speaking specifically about my experience, rather than making sweeping generalizations.
This is a sweeping generalization:
@PV592 The fact that someone paid for premium membership is completely unrelated to their degree of responsibility as a sitter. Membership tiers did not exist when I joined THS and offers no benefit to me. I’ve completed over 50 sits with 5 star reviews, never cancelled, and get asked back to repeat sits regularly.
The introduction of booking fees is likely to lead to a higher percentage of premium members - both hosts and sitter. An unintentional side effect of this could actually be more cancellations and less responsibility. People may think that if the host / sitter is premium they can just claim on the insurance if the other party cancels.
I am all against generalizing and I might be wrong but this comment
seems to me like a generalization.
That’s maybe what THS is banking on: a misperception among homeowners that paying for premium level membership somehow makes one a “premium" sitter.
NOT!
Hi @mikomeko I am American. We’re embarrassed and uncomfortable with what’s happening in the world, so many of us are a tad sensitive right now.
Please do not make generalizations about us.
Too funny!
Considering the OP had trouble and quite possibly on the verge to give up on THS all together, and may not have focused their search on Premium Members, it might help to focus on Premium Members to see if things work out for the better to build their confidence in the sitters. My post does not say anything bad against non premium members – don’t take it personal.
@PV592 By suggesting hosts could build their confidence in sitters by solely considering premium members, you are insinuating there is a better chance of a better sitter if they have premium membership. Given you are new to TrustedHousesitters, perhaps you haven’t grasped that premium does not relate to the skills, credibility, or dedication of a sitter. Pricing and labelling is not a 3-tier system of abilities, but merely tiers at varying costs that offer differing features to members.
@PV592 If a sitter has PAID for the “premium" label it has no bearing on their skills and experience as sitters. None. Zero. Nada!
We are standard members and our 5-star reviews bearing this out.
We do not need the “perks" that are offered by the costly premium tier. That’s all it is: a price tier, not a quality tier.