Is there a minimum amount of time a house sitting post must stay active?
I’m finding myself having to refresh the list of available sits constantly so I don’t miss anything. On at least five occasions recently I’ve walked away from my computer for an hour only to find on returning a new post that’s interesting. In the time that it takes for me to apply I’m informed the owner is already reviewing applications.
I know popular destinations can generate a lot of applications but it’s unrealistic to expect a post that’s seen for less than an hour will be seen by enough people to result in the best qualified sitter being chosen. Perhaps a minimum time period could be enforced for new posts to ensure people have a fair chance at seeing them.
We have lives and spending them glued to the screen so we don’t miss anything is unreasonable.
That would be nice! The listing automatically pauses and goes into “reviewing applications” when it has received five applications. That can happen super fast, if it’s a popular location.
It has been discussed a lot, and often it is said that the host «miss out» because I can’t apply. I do think however that there are tens of thousands of top notch 5*-sitters, so I think the problem is mainly on the sitter side. The host can just decline and open for more applications if they want to. Often it seems they don’t and got a good sitter between the five.
In the end they only need one sitter - maybe they don’t need or even want «the best» but just one nice and reliable one.
So although there are places I want to go to sit, I changed my mindset. One alternative could be just plan to go and maybe grab a last minute and short while you’re there, as such sits are less popular.
@Garfield As a HO in a popular location, this system is a problem for me.
Sitters apply hurriedly (I can understand why), many not reading the listing. There are also many just looking to save money, without thinking if our sit would actually be a good option for them. So, I need to keep a close eye on the listing, declining applications and unpausing the listing repeatedly to keep it open.
I’ve always found great sitters, but it does require being on my phone way more often than I’d like to.
You’re probably right but it seems that people not reading, thinking through etc is a general challenge. Not totally convinced that those people would think it more through with longer time.
In addition it is a matching system and sitters can and should do an assessment of the host during the process. I have withdrawn after application and after video-call as things were disclosed or became clearer. Goes both ways.
You’re right, they might not. The problem with this current system is, that these people make the 5 application limit fill up too quickly, so others can not apply until the listing has been unpaused.
If there was a time frame or a higher limit of applications, there would be a better chance to get more serious/thoughtful applications in, without the need to constantly read, reply and decline unsuitable applications and unpause the listing. I would much rather go through 10 or 20 applications at once, than keep checking every hour or so.
Absolutely! I’m not sure, how this relates to what I wrote earlier, but yes, this is how it should work.
I should probably follow my own advice and be more honest and upfront. People might just say it is problems with travel while the real reason is they want to withdraw because of something relating to the sit.
Still no idea, how this relates to my post @Garfield.
But to comment on what ou wrote, I personally don’t think declines/withdrawing an application should always be totally honest and upfront. Polite is often enough.
The point is that 10 or 20 might not help a host if sitters withdraw because of their assessment prosess and the sit falling short.
For me no reason is necessary for a decline. I prefer timely. Which is a big problem already, with hosts trying to manage 5 applications without being able to answer in a timely manner. But it can ofc be made an asset as a test for which applications should be withdrawn as many of us practice.
Would presume «timely» would be an bigger problem for hosts if they need to assess more than five.
I would absolutely love it if THS would increase the limit to 10 applications rather than 5 - or let the HO set their own limit.
Although this has already been suggested many times by sitters & unfortunately, and one can nowadays even say ‘as usual’, is falling on deaf ears with THS.
As a very experienced sitter, it’s very frustrating that nowadays I need to be able to be online ‘all the time’ & refresh the website again and again and again (because the alerts arrive too late) in order to squeeze my way into popular sits before they max out at 5.
The results is much more time spent on THS than I like, while my success rate hasn’t gone up at all. E.g. I still miss out on sits I’d like to apply for, since I simply can’t refresh the website every 5-10 minutes morning till eve.
Oh, I think I understand you now. In my case, I’ve had very few sitters withdrawing their applications. Basically only those, who apply only to let us know they’d be interested in future sits.
So, for me to get 10 or 20 applications before auto-pausing of the listing would actually solve the problem I have: Not needing to manually manage the applications every couple of hours or eve more frequently.
THS has made it clear that they do not want the more popular sits always going to the best qualified sitters ( those with the most experience or with many good reviews) they claim that before 5 apps cap that a small percentage of sitters were getting all the sits in very popular locations and new/less experienced sitters were not getting a fair chance.
They also say that the 5 apps cap is getting the result that THS wants to see.
The 5 apps cap limits the apps an owner can see and steers them toward sitters they may not have considered and it makes it difficult to see other sitters unless they REJECT current applications and take a chance on seeing other sitters that MAY be able to get through.
They are playing on how it feels to reject others and how it feels to be rejected and the worry that you may not get a better application. I think it’s a cruel tactic.
THS is satisfied with this system and not budging.
I’m booked for a sit until Nov 30 and want to apply for a sit that mentions flexible dates, so I can go from this sit to the next. But their posted dates over lap my current sit by a day or two, so I’m restricted from applying. Is there any work around to applying for this other sit with the flexible dates?
The only workaround @desiderata is to either create a second account, or to ask a fellow sitter to contact them on your behalf if they’re free those dates. Super annoying and been brought up many times as a bad idea. #findaloophole
People might just say it is problems with travel while the real reason is they want to withdraw because of something relating to the sit.