Having been on THS for a couple of years now we have had our fair share of experiences that are awesome, and lacklustre.
Right now we are hanging on the line waiting for a Pet Parent to reply to messages about a video meeting they wanted to have with us today. We’ve set time aside in our weekend schedule and waited in both Zoom and Teams for 40 minutes - crickets.
I would like to see THS build in a rating system on the back of interactions between both parties where things measured include the timeliness of communication, quality of the communication, etc. so parties on both sides are visibly rated for their communication standards.
This is not the first time we have been ghosted or stood up as Sitters, and it is really inconsiderate and annoying.
At this stage, having submitted an application to sit as a part of the process, we can’t retract or decline the sit based on any range of factors, such as poor communication experiences or other aspects that imbue a lack of confidence in the Home Owner / Pet Parent.
This, in my opinion, is a significant failing on the THS platform, and as Sitters who have covered sits from Bundaberg QLD to Traralgon VIC, we have made significant investments in time and travel to go to places and sit within the constraints of the THS terms and conditions.
Some form of mechanism needs to be considered for situations like the one we have right now IMO.
Until the sit is confirmed you can withdraw your application at anytime.
We have done this for the same situation you describe HO requests a zoom call and then we don’t hear any more from them for 4 weeks. Meanwhile we apply for other sits for the same dates and if we are accepted for one of those we withdraw our other applications.
You just have to press ‘cancel’ at the top of your application- by the dates- to withdraw your application. You can do that at any point whilst the sit is unconfirmed. If we confirm another sit we will immediately cancel any other live applications we have out there OR if we get disenchanted with hosts who keep us waiting too long. If we’ve already had some form of contact with the hosts we will add a note of explanation. If the hosts has read our application and not acknowledged, or responded, in a timely manner we may just withdraw without comment.
Cancel your application and move on. These people would be horrible to sit for. There are plenty of nice home-owners out there [ahem ], go and find one of those.
Personally I don’t think anyone should be reviewed before a sit is actual agreed, as neither of you have made a proper commitment to one another at the moment, but fortunately their lack of communication tells you everything you need to know, they aren’t the right fit for you, remove your application. Just un-click their dates to remove yourself, and move on to those that really DO want to chat with you.
@Matt-and-Chrissy this is what the T&Cs that all members agree to say
“5.1.13. respond to communications from other Members in a timely manner, but in any event, within 72 hours;”
However , this is not enforced by THS . Members self regulate - if you feel that owner / sitter is taking too long to respond withdraw / decline the application/
], go and find one of those.