Hi, this is the first time I’m writing her because out of 27 sits I’ve done, this is the first time I’m experiencing an issue and some comments from the HO that left me shocked. As I am not a HO, I would like to know your thoughts on both sides of this issue.
The issue started before my scheduled date of arrival. The owner called me in distress saying that both toilets in the house had clogged and could not be used and since it was Friday, they were finding it hard to find a plumber to come. My sit was scheduled to start Saturday afternoon. They asked me if I wanted to go through. I said yes because I already had my flights in and out and sits lined up on either end. At this point, we believed the situation would be fixed by Monday. On Saturday morning I received an update saying one could be used with minimum flushing and that a plumber came but couldn’t fix it and another was scheduled for Monday. They ordered camping toilet bags and hemp for me to use over the weekend in case it became unusable (it did). They also told me their vacuum had broken down and didn’t expect me to clean when I left because of the extra trouble. We were off to a hard start but since it was just going to be a day and a half, I was a team player and didn’t complain. However, when I arrived at the house it was very evident the vacuum was broken because the floors were not clean at all. The kitchen had a horrid smell (which I later found came from this gross bowl of used oil or fat with hair and god knows what that had dripped all over the sink and down the pipes so every time I open the faucet, it smells), and the dishes in the cupboards and the silverwear were not cleaned properly and sticky. The fridge smelled too and there were things stuck to the shelves from how dirty they were. A blender had rotten food in the base from spills that were never cleaned. That night I got into bed and woke up with a rash on my lower back. The front of the house, the back yard, and the driveway had old dog and god-knows-what poop. There were no buckets or raggs to deal with the flooded toilet and the only big enough sink to clean the towel used was the kitchen sink.
I endured this until a second plumber came on Tuesday and said this was too big of a problem and they needed to break under the house to reach the pipes. By then I had been using the toilet bags for two days after it was evident the toilet would leak no matter how little I flushed. Each plumber left a mess which I had to clean as it smelled really bad and flies were all around (I even found a cockroach in my food cupboard), though since there was a bag of used dirty jars with moldy food in the butler’s kitchen, I’m guessing all the bugs were already here.
On Wednesday I sent a message to the HO saying that I was very uncomfortable, that it looked like the situation would not be fixed during my stay, and that I would pay for my own accommodation if they could find someone to take the pet. They called me and this is when the situation took a turn because so far they had been trying to get me help as fast as possible so I was trying not to make more trouble for them. However, HO said I was adding a lot of stress to the situation, that as a THS’s sitter, I should expect to have to deal with house things, that I’m staying for free, and that the bags situation is not bad, that I should pretend I’m camping. I wanted to find a solution where we would both be less stressed: me with a working toilet, and HO not having to schedule plumbers during their vacation.
Support has reassured me I would be within my right to cancel any moment and leave and even report them because this happened before I arrived and that these requests are not in the expectations of a THS’s sitter.
I am a single solo sitter who works while traveling and petsitting full time, my home and my support network are very far away and I am scared these HOs’ reviews will hinder my chances of getting reviews in the future.
As HOs, what do you think of this very difficult situation? What would you do? What would you expect from your sitter?
I didn’t cancel and I won’t because I don’t know what would happen with the pet but I’ve been crying myself to sleep and spent extra money going to cafes and coworking spaces to have a toilet.
This is absolutely insane. You don’t get a medal for enduring this, just cancel fgs. This is supposed to be a fun thing that you do voluntarily at your own expense.
Absolutely not. You (as a sitter and human being) are not expected to remain in a situation that is filthy and hazardous to your health. You have been incredibly accommodating, which is commendable. However, the situation along with the HO’s lack of appreciation signals to me a sit that is completely untenable.
At this stage, the potential review should not even be a consideration, you have to prioritise your mental and physical health. You also have many excellent reviews already, and there is no guarantee you will even get a positive review if you stick this out, given the HO has accused you of adding stress to the situation. Please put yourself first.
I totally agree with @anon6309382, the review is the least of your worries here! The HO is 100% responsible for this situation and there is absolutely no way you should - or are - required to stay in a property with no working sanitary facilities. I’m astonished that you say:
The pet is ultimately the HO’s responsibility and it is entirely up to her to revert to her plan B. She was aware of this appalling situation when she left so it will come of no surprise to her to know you cannot stay since it has not been resolved. There is absolutely no way we would agree to stay under such circumstances.
You can respond to any review left. Nobody in their right mind would blame you for not agreeing to continue this sit.
Crazy! If they don’t want to clean their house, they should get a paid sitter. From the description of the rest of the house, the clogged toilets are probably their fault as well. Are you aware that the reviews are blind now? Neither party can see the other’s review until both have posted, and within 14 days. You can reply to the review of you once. So do not worry about reviews, just get out of there!
You are having to use a towel to clean the flooding from the toilet, then rinsing it in the kitchen sink? Oh, man!
From the sounds of it, this isn’t just about the situation with the toilets, but about the lack of cleanliness and hygiene throughout the entire house. How can you even consider staying?
So sorry you are in this situation!
This has obviously been an ongoing situation for quite a while before you came, the host has been able to be aware of this and has chosen not to do anything. Personally THS is just a platform among many for me. In worst case I would rather leave THS than sacrifice my health and wellbeing for exploiters. I realise others might feel they have a limitation in choice.
It is unfortunate that a possible review should stand in the way for you taking care of your health and your well-being, but being in a very stressful situation this can happen. Try to take a step back: If your best friend called you and told you about this - what would your advice to your friend be? I’m sure you would give your friend another advice than you Are now enduring. Be your own best friend.
I guess you could work around the review if you Get member service to cancel the sit all together. But then you won’t be able to inform the person coming after you.
This is true. However, in the circumstances, should another sitter come after them?
OP, it sounds like member services are providing support for the situation. You are well within your rights to have the sit cancelled, thereby avoiding the possibility of a negative review, while highlighting to member services that you don’t feel it is a suitable environment for ANY sitter to enter. The fact there isn’t a working toilet is reason enough, let alone everything else.
I feel like it would be negligent of member services to allow the HO to seek another sitter if you cancelled this sit, or even allowed the review process to continue as usual in such dire circumstances. As @Happypets stated, the pet is the responsibility of the HO and it is up to them to make arrangements for pet care. If they wanted a sitter to stay the duration, they should have provided a habitable environment in which this is made possible. They didn’t. Therefore, you are your concern here.
We have never left a sit, but we would get out of there quickly. You get to respond to their review, so just stick the facts in your response, prior to your arrival there was no working toilet, and the vacuum cleaner did not work and obviously had not worked for quite some time given the cleanliness level of the home. Etc. Whatever you do don’t get personal, but it doesn’t sound like you are the type of person who would do that anyway given what you’ve tried to help them with their scenario as best you can.
If it happens to be a sit in the UK, there are plenty of same-day-plumber services for an additional cost that cover most areas (not all), prior to arrival that’s what should have happened here, it should have been fixed before your arrival, things like that don’t happen to such extreme levels overnight, they probably had plumbing problems off and on way before your arrival.
‘They called me and this is when the situation took a turn’ …
Please stop communicating with them by phone. You may need to provide evidence for a dispute.
And if they phone you, you can document by sending a THS-message or similar.
«You called me :dateandtime: and told me/wanted to discuss :topic: and :such: . I answered :this: . Just wanting to confirm for clarity.
I agree with @KChev that the clogged toilets are probably the result of their general neglect of house maintenance. It’s evident that the situation you describe doesn’t pop up overnight.
You don’t say when this sit is due to end but unless it’s coming to an end, l would follow everyone’s advice and get out as soon as possible.
You may want to follow @Garfield’s advice and document the content of the phone conversation. Perhaps you could even register all the effort you are making. Something like: “I have tried to endure the lack of a working toilet and difficult unhygienic conditions. As you mentioned in our phone conversation of (date), I have tried to avoid you as much stress as possible I have even tried to follow your advice and pretend I am camping but it just doesn’t work. I did not sign up for a camping sit and even campsites have better facilities…
I hope you can get out soon and recover reasonable livable conditions.
Best of luck.
Strong language ahead. 
I admire that you went in with a positive attitude, believing that the problem was “only” the toilet and that it’d be fixed two days later. You are a saint to have stayed a few extra days despite the fact that the situation is catastrophic.
Now don’t be a martyr and get out of Dodge. The HO can get their a$$ home and be with the pet.
Leave, leave, leave.
THS has already given you support to leave. I’d mention that in your review. Stick with the facts and no sane host would hold leaving such a horrendous sit against you. That’s especially so when you already have so many strong reviews.
Hi @TravelingTranslator
Sorry you’ve been put in this situation. For me the failure of the HO to provide proper sanitary equipment would mean I’d contact THS support to advise of this and then contact the HO giving them 24 hours to arrange alternative pet care before I left.
This is meant to be an equal exchange not some horrendous challenge.
Yikes, you are the one dealing with the stress of the horrendous situation they left you in while they are on holiday. These are people who should not be allowed on THS.
As others have said, leave. Even a paid sitter should not have to deal with this situation and I really hope THS investigates and removes them from the site. Get yourself out of there as quickly as possible.
What an absolute star you are…I wouldn’t have stayed AT ALL! I can’t believe a house owner would leave a toilet broken and go away. I’m assuming it’s in the US because there’s a company here called Dynorod who’d not leave till it was fixed. I’m assuming it’s the external drains which would be a specialist job. Leave ASAP! (I’m a HO).
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Document everything - Take photos of the broken toilets, dirty sinks , broken hoover, blender with rotten food, dirty fridge , general mess , poop in back yard etc
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Tell owner that you are leaving and that you have contacted THS and given the situation THS support you in doing this. Do this by sending a message through the THS inbox .
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Tell THS that you are following their advice and will be leaving and that you have contacted the owner to give them notice that you are leaving .
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Feed & walk dogs.
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Leave
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Raise a Member Dispute
Attach your photos as evidence of the unsanitary conditions. -
Do not take any more voice calls from the owner ( unless you can record them )
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Keep any further communication with owner via the THS inbox only.
I second @Silversitters, those steps will cover you and help get horrible HO’s off the site. I’m an HO and I would be ashamed to put a sitter in this position. These kind of people make us all look bad. I’m so sorry you’re dealing with this, you sound kind and responsible and are being way more accommodating than you need to be. Cover your own butt and take care of yourself now.
They may indeed give a negative review.
But it won’t matter.
Don’t lose sleep 
It will be totally obvious is was a ridiculous stay in a filthy home with unreasonable expectations. Even THS backs you! I’ve hosted only 4 times- I’d not be swayed by a negative - I would go looking for yours, the other side of the story…
Make sure you give a clear factual detailed review.