@jennyperry the difference there is that you reached out to them specifically, they didn’t apply to a sit you posted. Seems very vindictive of you to report them now when they obviously offered to reschedule to accommodate you last minute. There’s no doubt transport costs would be more expensive now.
You managed to find a sitter in the end. Don’t you have more important things to worry about like getting ready for your trip and preparing for your sitters? No need to purposefully go out of your way to spite someone who you asked for a favour.
But THS sitters ARE doing HOs a favor? They would have to pay a sitter or pay to kennel otherwise. There’s more demand for sitters than availability which makes what we offer a commodity. In my experience, most sits aren’t in places where you would plan to go for vacation; the good sits get snatched pretty early, and what remains is places in the middle of nowhere with 5 pets and some chickens that have no access to public transportation and no car provided. I started pet sitting for a fee way before I ever heard about THS, and the market is booming. So when I choose to use THS for pet-sitting, it’s usually because I have a window between paid gigs and/or the pets are really cute. Not because of free accommodation.
If HO are allowed to solicit for utilities (which they would still have to pay if they chose to kennel or got a friend to keep their pet), why can’t sitters ask for some help with travel? T&C can be modified quite easily. If this is truly an equal quid pro quo, why aren’t HOs held to the same standard that sitters are (verifications, external references, criminal background checks, LinkedIn and Airbnb profiles, etc)?
Did they ask for per day payment or did they say they need to have some money for their travel costs?
Did you contact them on THS messaging or was it text/whatsapp? If the latter then they would be within their rights to ask for payment if they’re a paid sitter outside of THS.
It doesn’t matter what YOUR reasons for doing a sit are, on this platform it’s an Equal Exchange. Yes, pet care costs, and yes accommodation also costs, that’s why there is THS. If this platform doesn’t suit, people are free to choose otherwise.
The sitter shouldn’t have asked for money, because it’s not allowed under THS terms. But because you contacted her last minute and you want to report her, it can seem petty or spiteful to some sitters. That you posted this here can create a chilling effect that will lead some sitters to avoid your sits. Personally, I’d never ask for money, but I want to avoid hosts who seem like potentially unnecessary trouble.
I only did what TH suggested I do on this thread when I mentioned that a sitter I contacted had suggested I pay for her service as a TH sitter. She did not reschedule anything to accommodate me as far as I know. She lives in my city-no transportation costs involved for her. I contacted her because her profile says she does local sits and could help out in a pinch. Sounded like my situation, so I contacted her. What favor did she ask for–to sit for a fee, which apparently goes against TH rules? I contacted her through TH’s Inbox, not by messaging her or emailing her–she should follow their rules.
I contacted this person through TH. She had previously applied for a sit a couple of years ago, but I selected another applicant at that time. She lives in my city, a desirable location to visit, with millions of visitors each year. Her profile states she does local sits and can help out in a pinch, which I felt I was in when my first confirmed sitter cancelled. She did not state a fee, but she did say this: “I do have a nightly rate for the sits that I do.
Is that something you would feel comfortable with? And if so, I’d be happy to chat more over the phone.”
Nobody was asked to change her plans–her calendar was open and I remembered her from her application for a previous house sit a couple of years ago where I chose another sitter–I contacted her through TH, not privately through any other messaging platform. I have had 11 sitters stay in my home since becoming a member–all successful experiences. In reporting her request for money, I was merely following the advice of a former forum moderator:
Homeowners, please let us know if a TrustedHousesitters sitter asks you for payment for their pet sitting services. Whether it be in the initial back-and-forth, or when they arrive. At TrustedHousesitters we believe in a mutual exchange where what is exchanged is love and care for your pets and home, and a place to stay for your sitter.
If you come across anyone who’s trying to work under a pay-for-service model on our platform, we would appreciate knowing about it/them. Thanks.
People do have lives. We are not just a pool of sitters that are hungrily waiting for invitations to sit.
The THS calendar does not mean anything. Usually, the only information there is put there by the system, the struck dates that one has another sit.
You asked her to stay at your place, just 1 ½ weeks before the sit. Then most people have plans: work, school, or to go out with friends. If you want to have them do something else, you should not be surprised that you would need to offer incentives. Yet you did not do that. You thought you could get someone to do this for free.
@jennyperry It seems like you could have just mentioned to her that she’s not allowed to ask for payment. It’s possible she doesn’t know. Maybe she thinks it’s ok to ask for payment for local sits when the HO reaches out to her. You said she lives in your city, so there really isn’t any benefit to her. Maybe just mention that asking for payment isn’t allowed on THS and move on.
I think you missed my point which was that if HOs can ask for utilities to be covered, sitters should also be allowed to ask for travel help. Since they cannot, it’s not truly an equal exchange.
The sitter shouldn’t say she’ll “help out in a pinch” if she means that she’ll charge. That’s on her. In your position, I would tell her this, and move on. If I couldn’t find a last minute sitter through THS, I would hire someone, but not through here.
Whether to report or not is a decision you need to make. If she had applied first and then told you there was a charge, then I think many would tell your to report. If you’d contacted her and she didn’t say that “help out” locally, but told you that she charges for local sits and doesn’t do them through THS, I would NOT report that. In your situation I think I don’t think I’d report it, but I would tell her what she’s doing is crossing a line.
Recently, I was talking to potential sitters and one of the people was local. I asked him what the reason for his doing local sits is, and he actually airbnb’s his room when he sits, so he indirectly makes money. I’ve had local sitters who’ve had other reasons for sitting.