I recently completed a very enjoyable cat sit, originally booked for a week, shortened to five days.
When I arrived the day before the HOs were due to leave, I was told that they would be returning home two days earlier than expected. To their credit the HOs did say that I could remain at their home for the dates booked.
The explanation given by them for returning home earlier was due to non-urgent family reasons, which I will not divulge.
I failed to ask when they had made the decision to shorten the sit but obviously it was in advance of my arrival.
I understand completely that circumstances can often change for both HOs & Sitters. But surely good communication is key & any change should be disclosed as soon as it becomes apparent, or has been decided.
I believe that the HOs thought that I would not be inconvenienced because the offer was made for me to stay for the dates, as previously agreed & confirmed.
Often I book public transport in advance when travelling to a pet sit. Fortunately on this occasion I had used my car, so I was able to leave at a newly agreed time two hours before their arrival back home.
The point I am making is that we are all different. I am not a naturally social person. Although I understand & recognise the benefits of arriving the day before the start of a pet sit which I often feel uneasy about, I sometimes do so.
I am uncomfortable staying beyond the time & date of the HOs return, unless there was a very late flight back, or unavoidable travel delay. In either case I would then leave early the following morning.
Hopefully they also changed the official dates on the sit too? Extra admin for them obviously but important for you at the start of the sit if you’d needed to apply for another sit with overlapping dates.
In your Review you’ll obviously mention this early return in the narrative that you write.
I understand completely. It was inconsiderate of them to not inform you ahead of time. Even if you drove and even let’s say only live an hour away. I know one person on here will make their own house available on Airbnb when they travel. So this would have really inconvenienced them. I would not like to stay in the house either once they returned. Small talk is not my thing and not interested in going deep with people I don’t know well.
I think the main issue here is the lack of communication, rather than the change itself. Plans do change for perfectly legitimate reasons, but once the homeowners knew they were returning early, it would have been courteous to let you know before you travelled.
Offering for you to stay until the original end date was a considerate gesture, but it doesn’t suit every sitter. Like you, I’d generally prefer not to remain in the home after the owners have returned unless it’s simply to accommodate a late flight or unavoidable travel delay.
I’d also hope they updated the sit dates on THS as soon as their plans changed. That protects both parties and avoids potential issues with overlapping sits or insurance.
Fortunately, in your case you were able to adjust without too much inconvenience, but it could easily have been more disruptive if you’d booked transport or had onward plans.
Thank you all for your feedback. I did have to question myself as to whether I was being unreasonable in thinking that it was discourteous of the Home Owners not to have informed me in advance, after all communication between us had been good up to the date of the cat sit
I did remark, in a factual way within my review that the cat sit ended two days earlier than expected & being notified upon my arrival.
I did not ask the HOs to alter the dates on the website.I was uncertain if HOs could merely change the end date, or if original dates had to be cancelled & rebooked with a booking fee payable?
If anyone knows the answer to the booking fee query, kindly let me know for future reference.
I was pleased to receive a 5* review from HOs. Strangely or perhaps not, they made no mention in their review of me that they had returned home on an earlier date than had been originally agreed.
I don’t think that it is strange that they didn’t mention returning earlier than planned. They probably don’t want to draw attention to something negative that they did. I am glad that you mentioned it in the review.
I have had one HO return a day early, and she told me about it during the sit. Luckily I was in the same city as my brother and could stay with him. The HO did say that I could stay with her, but I wanted to get out of there!
I have returned home early when I was a HO and had a sitter at my house. I told her that I would stay with a friend until the sit officially ended. However, she was able to leave early (maybe she was a local sitter, I don’t remember). I did not ask her to leave, nor would I suggest us both staying at my house at the same time.
I don’t think some HOs realize how disruptive it can be when dates change.
No temba, I didn’t dock a star. I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt as to the timing of their decision to come back early & was it for me to determine as to whether the reason for doing so was justified.
To readdress any inbalance in my view. I had a dog sit a few years ago when the HO experienced a road traffic accident on day three of a week sit. He notified me that although not physically injured, he was badly shaken by the experience & really wanted to come home to recover, & sort out insurance claim. I was alarmed & concerned for him. I told him that absolutely, he should return home & I left once he was safely back.
