So very well said @Crookie 
. And with 100,000 clients, putting the effort into improving the review/feedback system will certainly reap benefits for all concerned.
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We have had so many homeowners reach out to us, and invite us when our calendar shows us as booked for their dates. It is sad to have to say no, we are already booked, when they have written such a lovely letter to us.
I believe after speaking to some, that the calendar can be confusing.
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But if the sit is paused after 5 applications, how will she be able to then send a message?
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Thanks to THS staff and volunteers for all that you do!
I’m on an amazing sit right now, and the HOs, companion animal, and I are all extremely happy with our match. Win-win-win! 
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As a sitter, I am quite bummed about the new auto-pause after 5 applicants concept.
It seems it will prioritize speed of application over quality of application.
I take time to read a listing several times, look carefully at every photo, and write a thorough, customized application.
I would like the HO to pick me because I am the best match for them and their animals, not because I am the best match of the 5 sitters who happened to have the time to spend all day watching the site for new listings.
It so happens that many of the sits I apply for get numerous applicants.
For the sit I am on now, which is such a great match, I wasn’t even close to being in the first 5 applicants.
It sounds like applying to these apparently popular sits will be a lot clunkier after the auto-pause concept is applied.
I want to spend my time thoughtfully considering if a sit and I are an excellent match, not constantly and obsessively perusing the new sits, frantically playing beat-the-clock.
Thank you for considering our feedback!
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I’m curious how you determine what a “not great “ applicant is? (Just looking to learn).
I agree with your sentiments here. I also feel it’s worth pointing out that many good sitters apply for multiple sits on their preferred dates and will typically accept the first one offered. Waiting in the hope of getting a full bag of applications will inevitably mean giving up on many great sitters because they are more in demand.
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This is obviously quite a controversial topic but I do agree with your desired behaviour which is for the owner to check-in, respond and to not leave Sitters waiting.
I can’t believe the number of times when I have submitted an application and more that a week goes by with the HO still not bothering to acknowledge it. With popular sits you can be waiting more than a month for a response. Not only does this can make planning travel arrangements extremely difficult but personally I find it incredibly rude.
A simple thank you message acknowledging your application would be appreciated.
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How about letting each homeowner select their auto-pause limit at 5 or 10 (or more) as part of their profile?
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Thanks for the update. When a listing is “paused” does that mean the dates disappear? Is there a way sitters can tell the difference between a paused listing and a homeowner no longer looking for a sit. We have been assuming of the sit dates go off the profile, the sit is no longer available, even if we have applied to it.
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Hi @NigelF To confirm, at this moment, on a paused listing, the dates would disappear from the listing, so it appears the same as if the homeowner is no longer looking for a sitter.
If you have not been in touch with the homeowner, there is not a way to inbox them. If you have been in touch before with the homeowner, you will still be able to message them.
We are looking at reintroducing the ‘paused’ notification when a homeowner pauses their listing, as this will stop any confusion. Unfortunately I cannot give any timing on this.
I hope this helps clarify a little more.
Kind regards
Therese
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Some examples:
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an applicant who writes a very boilerplate application with no reference to details in my post.
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An applicant who doesn’t explain why they want to visit my location.
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An applicant with no experience medicating cats when I had a cat that needed medication.
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An applicant who wanted to start later or finish earlier. I could accommodate that by asking friends to check the cat, but it’s not ideal.
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I would love that feature/
Ben,
There is a lot of negative feedback here on the forum about pausing applicants at 5. The majority of both homeowners and sitters don’t see this as either a benefit or a need. If people do the workaround suggested of sending a quick note and applying later it encourages a knee-jerk response instead of a considered one. The important thing becomes to be in the first five and that may be impossible for people in another time zone. This new rule is not the premise on which owners and sitters joined. There are unanswered questions on this thread - can they be addressed?
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Is it maybe possible to have the auto-pause set at 10 or fewer as a default, but to allow experienced HOs to turn auto-pause off completely if they know they want a full pool of applicants to consider?
I understand that many HOs may only get or may only need 5 or fewer applicants.
But there are also many HOs who like to collect and vet all interested parties, very often more than 10, in a deliberate way, without messing around with continually unpausing the listing.
And as a HO pointed out above, it’s common to get a few “maybe” applications, ones that aren’t rejection-worthy… but to want to wait for more applications in case the “ideal” applicant shows up. Especially now, when sitters are a little harder to book. You don’t want to “reject” a sit applicant who would be fine, in order to un-pause your listing, only to realize that you’re not getting more applicants.
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NAILED IT 
ones who apply just to send me a note that they aren’t really interested in my summer (Florida) dates, but would like to be kept in mind for winter dates.
There’s no other way to communicate with a HO except by submitting an application… so…
Anyone who sends any kind of note to a HO is going to take up one of those coveted 5 slots and will prevent someone who is interested in and available for that particular sit and that set of dates.
THIS kind of thing is going to be a MESS with this system.
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Good points.
I am afraid I am one of these people. As a teacher in the UK, I frequently scroll through sits in my free periods in school. I spend a lot of time composing a v v personal application on each and every occasion, but I might not have 30 - 40 minutes to do so right there and then. So I send a: ’ Hi, Can I send you my applic in about 3 hours time please? I would really like to apply for your sit’.
Also, I am odd in that I don’t have wifi at home. So in the evenings in te UK, I can’t type a long application. I have to do so the following day: either in school or wherever I can get wifi.
And Florida is always on my target list!
Needs must!
When an occasional person did this in the past for the reasons you mention it probably did not have any major impact and makes sense. However, when the rule of five comes in it will drive this behavior as maybe the only way to be considered. Not good for homeowners or sitters.
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I totally agree with you and the recent point made by one of the moderators is even more confusing.
I feel that I will need to be even more specific in my profile to hopefully rule out “non starters” that apply…eg… asking to bring babies , that at the time of applying, hadnt been born, can I bring my pet dogs, , do we really need a car ( yes, there is no public transport to the Vets), can we smoke inside and can we have visitors staying over. Despite most of this info being in the profile, these where questions asked by the first 5 applicants I had when I posted my July Sit.
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