Is that why you have set up a Brighton Lewes meet up 
https://forum.trustedhousesitters.com/t/brighton-lewes-etc-sussex-gathering-monday-april-15th
The hosts are a couple and I don’t recognize either of them. Their profile says they’ve been together for ages.
The sitter seems to have always sat solo. The reviews mention only one person, judging from a skim — like they all start of with mention of one individual’s name.
Yes, I’ve done that, too. It feels like responsibility, because who wouldn’t feel badly about being involved if any pets got a bad sitter. And just generally, all of us who love pets want to hear about them getting good care.
Yes a few times I’ve gone back and read the reviews of sitters who followed us just to see if the review we wrote matched their experience too. In one case the next sitter followed one of our solutions for a night time barking puppy. That felt quite satisfying tbh. In another case the 10/10 adorable dog got another rave review from the next sitter.
The sad thing is missing the pets, but knowing you’ll never see them again if you don’t want to repeat the location.
We’ve secured a few sits through the forum by knowing some kind members, but we always communicate with them before approaching a homeowner or referencing them.
It’s possible the other sitter may have casually said something like, “M might be a great sitter for you,” and the homeowner took that as a recommendation and ran with it.
They obviously don’t realise how unlikely it is that M might be available
We’ll have to discard the break up theory, then. But, please, keep us updated. I’m looking forward to the resolution of this mystery.
I do love a good mystery so will be eagerly following to see if anyone can solve this one! Is the sit in the US @Maggie8K ?
@BonnyinBrighton what is worse than worrying if the next sitter will take good care of a favourite sit pet, is hearing from someone else who knows the pet that in their opinion they did not.
Hey Maggie — is the sit in Seattle?
I got an unsolicited invite about a week ago for a local cat sit; nice place. Told them I was already traveling but suggested they sign up for the Forum and try posting in Last Minute Sits as I knew there were a few here that enjoyed Seattle & lived within driving distance.
I didn’t mention names, & no idea how they’d have found you specifically but 
On a separate note, I received a rather odd unsolicited invite 2 nights ago myself. A mature couple from Georgia (Atlanta suburbs) literally begging me to sit in June. They didn’t say it was a referral & I don’t know anyone in GA, but their message bore an oddly familiar tone, as if they knew me or knew of me. I sent a polite response when I declined, but they never replied back with any explanation for how they found & selected a random sitter in Seattle for a sit in Georgia 3 months from now… 
Will let you know if anything happens, but it might go nowhere, because I told them I couldn’t commit so far ahead. I said feel free to check back with me in a month or so, if they don’t find another sitter. But the sit looks like one they shouldn’t have problems finding someone for.
Not Seattle.
Who knows. The first sit I accepted on joining THS was an unsolicited invite — on the opposite coast. I was living on the East Coast at the time.
The two sweet, easy dogs turned out to not even need walking, because they’d both had back surgeries previously, as senior dogs. They slept most of the day and cuddled.
The house was lovely, near the beach in San Diego, with lots of amenities. Three guest rooms to choose from, with a beautiful yard and a late-model car for use.
Six weeks long, but I asked them to split it and they did, because I don’t like long sits. They found another sitter for me to bookend.
I had joined without any references, so they were going only on my sitter profile, since I hadn’t applied and we hadn’t video chatted. I wasn’t connected to their city. And they turned out to be lovely sits, without surprises. (Except that I learned to not split sits, because the other sitter cut corners.)
The hosts went above and beyond in hospitality, including picking me up at the airport, offering cocktails and dinner, plus lots of groceries.
I never asked how they picked me, because I was too new to wonder.
Yes, @Debbie. On the West Coast.
Latest update: After I told the host I can’t commit so far ahead and to check back in a month or so if they couldn’t find a sitter, they replied this morning that maybe I could sit for them another time.
I imagine they will have no trouble finding sitters, because it looks like a lovely sit. But they’re newish, so maybe are looking ahead. They had only the one sitter review.
I now wonder whether the sitter went looking for profiles to recommend, because our profiles and reviews are similar.
It’s odd that the hosts said she said I could check with her, though, because wouldn’t an experienced sitter know that sitters can’t contact sitters?
Generally, I think sitting as a solo older woman, especially if you telecommute or are retired, is an advantage. Hosts probably assume we will take good care of pets and homes. And once you start getting good reviews, it becomes even easier.
Try checking out the sitters reviews to see if you have a sit in common, if so, that’s your answer.
We’ve had the odd owner mention other good sitters to us before, and tbh I’d trust the word of the owners we sit for, but I’m not sure if I’d recommend a sitter I didn’t know, but I’d certainly have a warm feeling about them.
No, I mentioned above that we have no sits in common.
Perhaps the mystery sitter learned about you not only on the Forum but on Facebook and was able to figure out who you are, and then recommended you.
It was not me! I would have DM’d you first.
I think if they saw me on Facebook, they could’ve DM’d me. I have been invited to sits that way – strangers via the Facebook group, or via this forum.
This is a most curious situation @Maggie8K! Do you think Membership Services could do anything to help? I could ask them to get in touch if you think they can?