We are just finishing a dream repeat sit and while the first sit was arranged through the THS route, this current one was arranged directly with the HO. We have another dream sit which we have repeated several times - the first few through THS but the last one was arranged directly.
I would like to ask your opinion on the pros and cons of not going through THS once a very positive, trusting relationship, has been formed between HO and sitter.
I prefer repeat sits to be through THS so that I get more reviews and also the limited protection that THS offers.
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I have done repeat sits before off the app–we sat for one woman regularly for years as she traveled a lot for work and we spent extended amounts of time in the area.
Given that I don’t have the premium membership with cancellation coverage, I don’t see any benefit for me personally to arrange a sit only through THS.
To me, the primary ‘benefit’ and seemingly most useful thing about membership services is the opportunity to discuss issues on a sit, and cover your a## if problems arise, get their ‘blessing’ to leave a sit,etc… and reduce the risk of putting your membership in jeopardy.
All of that is moot if the sit is done off the site.
So between those two things, I personally don’t see any advantage or benefit to doing the sit through THS save the opportunity to get another review perhaps.
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I agree with Alicatorze; I recently completed a repeat sit outside of THS. The HO cancelled the listing as her dates changed, but then followed up with the request and didn’t repost the sit. One of her dogs ended up with an ear infection, her vet was unable to see him quickly, so I reached out to the TH vet line for advice, only to realize they were unable to assist since the sit was outside of TH.
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If the host is still a memeber o THS there is absolutely no reason not to use it. It gives at least some minimal protection to both parties. In my case, I wouldn’t do a sit outside of THS because I need to get a sitter for my own pets. I don’t want to be in a position of cancelling my sitters because I got cancelled. With the premium insurance, I could get accomodations partly paid for and still be away and not cancel the sit.
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There have been stories about sitters doing this, believing they had formed a relation with the host - only to discover that it was onesided.
Ofc it could work out well, also. But as it is no longer a THS sit it is no longer on THS terms or with a possible, although limited, assistance/ protection from member service, vet line and possible consequence of warning/ exclusion from platform. One really doesn’t know how dreamy or trusting it is until something happens that is a conflict between host and sitter. If it is no longer a THS sit, I would assume it could be because the host would like to save even the membership fee (?).
I would say still have a plan B, as for any sit.
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I’d keep sits under THS, because there are standards such as habitable space and no third parties and no surprise pet medical conditions for hosts to adhere to.
Once you go off platform, there aren’t any standards to help keep the host within bounds and you can’t review them if things go sideways. Like I remember how a sitter complained on the forum that a repeat host was getting slacker and slacker with cleanliness after they’d done repeat sits off THS.
Personally, I was asked off platform to do a repeat THS sit that was great. The hosts even offered to buy my airfare. I accepted, then asked them to add the sit on THS, so we’d be covered and we could review each other.
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We’ve done several repeat sits, and it’s always through THS. I don’t see a downside to keeping all sits through THS, and I’m not sure I’d consider a repeat if the homeowner no longer had a membership. What’s the upside to arranging sits off THS?
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Can anyone give specific benefits of going through THS?
We always do repeat sits through THS. We want the reviews- to keep building our reputation- and as this is the main reward in lieu of payment. And also the limited protection and feeling of community. We have never done a sit privately. And would probably only do so if paid. And then I would also request a reference- to add to my THS review/reference count!
One host contacted us directly for a repeat sit and when we discovered her membership had lapsed we explained we only do sits through THS. She immediatey renewed and we’ve sat for her 3 times now.
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We do a lot of repeat sits, but personally, and unless you have plans to leave THS, then I’d do it via THS if you originally found each other via THS, because all of your reviews may help give you get a brilliant sit in the future in your dream destination. I know you probably aren’t thinking that far ahead, but you never know what you’ll want to do next year, or in 3 years time. If I turned back the clock 3 years, I wouldn’t have expected us to discover THS and pet sitting and be doing it full time within 3 months of starting, it was a world we knew nothing about.
We have a lot of 121 conversations going on with HO’s about their future dates, and it’s now become a habit once we’ve finalised the dates between us that I just say for them to pop their dates on THS and send us an invite, they just presume they’ve got to do it via the THS without any talk of doing it privately. I don’t ‘ask’ them, I say it in a way whereby I totally presume that’s going to happen, in an expectant way.
With some, we are their ONLY sitters, and we only sit for them once per year, but they still happily pay the membership price to ensure they have us, specifically return, because we’ve got a bond/connection with both the pets and the owners.
We love return sits.
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To keep the exchange professional and high standards for both parties. TH expects certain conditions for homeowners to follow and standards for pet sitters to follow. Some have written in forums that they have taken it off app and standards fall on both ends and relationships get confused usually by sitters.
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- You are covered by the THS liability insurance
- Access to the Vet Helpline
- Ability to give and receive reviews which could be beneficial to both parties in the future if they need other sitters / you need other sits .
- The benefits of the Sit cancellation plan ( if you are Premium Members )
- T&Cs which protect both parties .
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We have been doing repeat sits for a couple and a dog for over ten years. The first sit was through THS and then they let their membership expire. We sit for them around 4 times a year and we look forward to it. Great couple and dog who live in a fabulous home and area.
It works well for us and the couple regularly show their appreciation and we have the choice of sitting in their other properties as well.
We don’t need any more reviews to enhance our profile and after ten years there are only so many superlatives to express how fabulous we are! 
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I think @Alicatorze, @Maggie8K, @Garfield, @mdarden1x, @Marion, @Silversitters and @Seniorsitter have covered it pretty extensively.
If you have already completed sits outside THS and are comfortable with that, it’s of course your choice.
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I was referred to an owner’s friend who asked me to sit her dog for a long 1-month sit (off the platform). I set aside her dates. She recently texted (not called me) after speaking about her dog since Feb and arranging my time and dropping other sits to accommodate her for months, that her friend is now going to do it, then she had the gall to blame me for not getting back to her, when the dates were already confirmed in text by myself and also by her. Since that experience, I will either require a client to do it via trusted or make them sign an agreement regarding cancellation and the associated conditions of cancellation. The platform provides safety for these issues. Off the platform, people can be as flaky and unaccountable as they wish she literally did not care. I was livid until I realised my time is not to be spent serving immature and entitled people like that. This is not booking.com, it’s a solo service that relies on integrity on both sides. If you want someone to dedicate dates for you - you better keep that promise outside of a personal emergency.
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I’ve completed multiple sits without THS, new through word of mouth as well as repeats. I see THS as a platform that facilitates finding sits, but I don’t always need it. As far as I can tell the membership benefits are minimal, although I’ve never had any need to seek assistance. I’m not aware of any compelling arguments to always use THS.
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Do you charge for these sits outside of THS @TheEnglishFlaneur?
No, I guess I could but then it becomes a business arrangement and I don’t want to be in that situation, I do the off platform sits purely because I like to dog(s), the home, the area and the owners.
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I’d agree, although I’m not really sure how much I’m protected/covered by THS? I have a feeling that the 24 hour access to a vet could run up a huge mobile phone bill.
What I do like is the repeat reviews…homeowners wouldn’t as us back if they weren’t pleased with us.