Just a few days before starting my current sit, which ends soon, I was messaged by the owner asking if I had my own car. When I said I did the reply was good because I would need it to take the dog for its walks.
At that stage I should have asked for a contribution towards my petrol/wear and tear, and I will if that happens in the future.
The listing said no car was available, when I got to the sit there were 3 cars between 2 people, one of which they were using to go to the airport. I asked if I could use one of their cars to take the dog in but was told no as it was difficult to drive.
The dog is very big.
They put a rubber mat and towel in my car and I had to put the back seats down. Daily, to go to the two walks, it’s about 12-14 miles total. There is no way I could take the dog from the house for walks as it’s on a busy main road and there are no pavements.
I’d like to know if others have experienced this as, if I was the owner, I would leave money for petrol. It’s a bit of a cheek to expect the sitter to use their own car and not contribute I feel.
HOs may be even less inclined to make such an offer once booking fees start.
@smiley It would have been respectful of them to have offered a contribution. How long is the sit? Did they request that you use your car or was it an instruction? Did they give reasons why - a few days before the sit began - you could not use one of their vehicles? .
It is indeed. In my ‘book of conduct,’ an owner should be responsible for any and all expenses incurred (but not provided) for their pet’s care. In other words, if a dog needs to be driven daily to the park, the owner should provide a vehicle. If that isn’t possible (due to a breakdown, for instance), they should, of course, reimburse the sitter for for the use of their car, that is fuel and professional cleaning. There is no room for discussion on this point
What? Definitely, they should pay you. They would have the costs anyway if they where home. Its absolutely ridiculous if you have to pay this.
Please write this in the review!
I doubt that I would take such a sit, even if they provided the car.
I think that has nothing to do with it, as both owner and sitter pay those fees
Sure wish you would have called them on it right then and there (when they informed you about the new requirement).
If a HO (or a sitter) presents new information just before a sit occurs – information that, had it been presented during the introduction stage you would have declined the sit – then you are within your rights to walk away.
We’re sorry that happened to you. We are HOs and sitters, so it really burns us up when we read about HOs or sitters pulling these kinds of pranks.
Of course it’s not related. But in the HOs mind they may feel ‘I’ve already paid a fee’ and feel less generous. A few sitters have posted that they are less likely to leave a gift for the HO because of paying the booking fee. But you do you
If people are not leaving a thank you gifts over a small $12.00 booking fee then that is ridiculous. The PP doesn’t get the $12.00. If people are so strapped for money then how are they traveling. They can go to premium for a yearly fee that would be less than one night at a nice hotel in the US. As I read one poster say, if you can’t afford to travel then stay home. This company can run it anyway they want. If I agree with their new decision or not it does not matter. I can choose to stay or leave. And to get back to the OP question, yes the PP should leave gas money and give you a gift card as well as a big thank you!
I think this is crossing boundaries, and presenting this at such short notice would be grounds to walk away or re-negotiate the sit. Many sitters would avoid sits where it is required to use your own car, even if getting reimbursed for petrol - as it will be more expenses, more work and wear and tear on your car, possibly also accidents (peeing, puking or just mud and scratching on the interior which will impact the value of your vehicle). I think it is important to be transparent in the review, so other sitters know about it, whether they will refrain from applying, make sure they get reimbursed or just knowing this before they confirm. It is all about a good match. That is a benefit also for the host.
Different ways to put it, of course. For instance
«The dog was lovely and the home was comfortable. The pet is a large dog and the use of one of the owners’ cars or reimbursement of petrol costs was not offered. Walks required driving 12–14 miles per day, as the house is on a busy main road with no pavements, so the sit is for someone who can use their own car driving the pet for walks.»
To me, walking the dog means heading out the front door. If driving is required, owner should at least pay for gas. Ideally they should provide a car so the dog doesn’t mess up the sitters car.
I think a lot of these things come down to intent and graciousness. I would expect that a HO that requires you to use your own car should offer to reimburse you. If they don’t that’s where the intent comes in and IMHO doesn’t bode well for the sit. Saying that though these details need to be thrashed out during the video call.
I did sit where I took the 2 dogs to a beach which had a council run Pay Meter for the only car park. it was a short sit, but I kept the daily receipts, and before they returned I told them how much it had cost me. I left the receipts and my bank details on kitchen table, (as I was leaving before their return), they paid the £12 or whatever into my bank account on the same day. There was no drama. I guess they didn’t want to risk a bad review from me.
You’re right about that. There isn’t a snowball’s chance in hades I’d be carting a big dog around in the back seat of my Bentley (which isn’t what I drive but the host wouldn’t know that and what I drive isn’t really relevant to the issue anyway).
Sounds like a sit accompanied by the theme music to Jaws.
At this point, you might need to contact them to ask, but I don’t understand why if they showed you this and told you this when you arrived, you didn’t ask for gas money. EG:
“Oh. You must have forgotten to mention that a car would be required to safely get the dog across the road for walks. No problem. I can accomodate that and don’t mind having the dog in my car with the mat you provided, but I’ll need some cash for the extra petrol and to get my car cleaned at the end of the sit.”
Personally, I wouldn’t have the dog in my car unless there was something to prevent the dog from climbing into the front sit as this is a liability.
We have a 19 year old Maserati with cream leather seats…. and no dog is ever allowed in it! We would’ve had to laugh in their faces and walked away I’m afraid or given them this option: they’d have had to arrange and pay a daily dog walking pickup service.
One owner was happy for me to take the dog in my camper to the local garden centre for my meals. No offer of restraining harness, safety belt or petrol money..
The dog had anxiety and barked its head off if left.
The owner took the dog there and tied it up while he ate his lunch..
That was said in passing out for his holiday trip!
If you really want to know what the dog is like when you’re out?
Check with the neighbour! They tell you the truth straight out!
Of course you’ve accepted the sit by then but you don’t need to return for a repeat!
Oh @Smiley !
I’m really surprised you agreed to that. It’s far more than a bit of a cheek, it’s downright unacceptable to drop that on you at such short notice.
What would they have done if you had said you don’t have a car?
This happened on my second sit. She had a cover for the back seat and I was expected to take the dogs to the dog run every day. No money for gas, or petrol. I probably spent $40 US on gas, and it is much cheaper here. But it was my second sit. And I didn’t know what to do. Now I tell them I have too much in my car, unless I want to take them. Like, recently I took the dogs to the ocean, they had never been. But the HOs are very generous and I have cleaners etc etc. I have a month long sit and they are leaving their car for me to take the dogs on big hikes, but probably take them in my car. But I figure when the exchange is worth it. When they expect you to drive them, then I think they owe you gas money. And I would be upfront about it.