Even better, the property is listed for sale!!!
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So the sit is at significant risk of being curtailed and the HOs want the utilities payment up front? Charming.
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Did you see my post on another forum with the listing? Not only are the HOs asking a sitetr to pay US$3500 up front, but the sit could end early if the house is sold, damaged in a hurricane, etc.
Also, $500 is a lot in Grenada. Maybe normal for a huge house and gardens, but sitters are unlikely to use all 5400 sq feet + gardens
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No one legit could reasonably figure that out. There are a bunch of unknown variables. Even if THS modeled that out with internal data, it would be highly unreliable.
Ohh that could involve showings and even the possibility of the property closing prior to the end of your sit. What is the THS policy on homeowners listing their home on THS if it’s for sale?
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Yes, can you imagine? What if they sell the home? What if the sitter has to evacuate the dog somewhere? And they want this all in cash, up front?
Sketchy and completely likely to cause serious issues down the line.
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I don’t know what’s more outrageous the Grenada’s homeowners asking for $500 a month in utilities or the sitters who are applying for that particular listing and are willing to pay them that amount? 
We all know THS platform heavily favors homeowners and pet parents, and the rule allowing pet parents to request payment for utilities has been in place forever and is unlikely to ever change. Rather than reporting these listings, we as sitters need to unite and boycott them. Do NOT apply for these house sits, no matter how appealing the location or opportunity may seem. If you know someone considering applying, advise them against it. When pet parents see they can successfully charge for utilities, more will follow suit, driven by the simple law of supply and demand. If you are one of those sitters who is applying for these listings and paying for utilities, you contribute to the problem and alienate yourself from our community.
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THS, please define “longer sits”!
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Huh. Interesting…
Thx
It doesn’t matter. THS says that “pet parents can request it for any length or [sic] sit”
Totally agree. I don’t understand why HO are favoured over sitters like this?
Maybe those sitters that are applying are planning to take along additional friends/family who will divy up the utlility costs and rental car, making the cost much more doable when split 3 to 4 ways…
I agree you don’t have to apply but how does this square with the idea of a free and fair exchange? I just don’t think THS have thought through the implications of permitting utilities to be charged on the one hand but not permitting sitters to ask for their travel costs to be reimbursed. Maybe in the past when energy was cheaper it wasn’t an issue - it seems to have arisen more recently with the large increases in costs. If this trend continues the whole concept of THS will be lost in my opinion.
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Ok, here it is then: https://support.trustedhousesitters.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360000154809-Who-pays-the-utility-bills-during-a-sit
That is where THS hides the rules. It is not in the Terms & Conditions that HOs cannot take rent, that at most a contribution to utilities would be allowed. Completely vague and non-binding and impossible to find. I could only find it now by googling that phrase “pet parents can request it for any length or sit”.
While the T&Cs have a clear prohibition for sitters asking for money. Which is enforced. The imbalance is getting more and more disturbing for me.
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Agree on this point. I’m not stressed about it. There are so many sits to apply for I’ll just avoid the ones with fees 
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It’s also got the usual “nothing to do with us” clause:
TrustedHousesitters are not involved in any of the above, this is a private arrangement and all agreements are directly between the sitters and the pet parents.
They’ve opened the door to sitters paying and then walked away from it.
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Yes, but there are not that many in what most people regard as the most attractive locations. When THS allows one villa on the RIvièra to charge rent, others there will think it would be nice with hundreds of dollars per month in holiday income while the dog is taken care of for free.
I don’t think this is smart for THS as a company. Just from a commercial point of view.
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I do agree it’s not ideal. I’d like to see the policy changed to not allow it, but THS is definitely tilted towards favoring the hosts over sitters
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I agree!!! Dont tgey leave the utilities on for their pets while they’re gone? But, i will be following along, because if i can be charged to stay at their home, then I will be charging for my services as well.
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It’s supposed to be an even exchange. I consider my services valuable and important. And the owners are getting my services for FREE.
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