Total newbie here. I’m not sure if I should be alarmed. My partner and I are looking for a sitter at fairly short notice, though we could be flexible on dates if necessary. I posted our listing and within 24 hours a sitter applied. I responded almost immediately to invite them to a video call/chat but there has been no response. I sent another message but still no reply. Is this normal? I don’t understand why someone would apply and then ignore the HO. Am I missing something?
Welcome @Wizz Most don’t stay newbies for long here, as people settle in, participate, and quickly feel like part of this community.
You’ll read posts about ‘red flags’ and a sitter who applied and doesn’t respond promptly can be a red flag. I would suggest you move on from that person for now and consider other options. If they come back to you with a plausible reason perhaps, but otherwise there are many far more reliable sitters with THS.
I see you’ve added your listing to your username here, which is great. I’ve looked at your listing and it’s just lovely, and Hendrix (a Jimmy Hendrix fan maybe?) could steal someone’s heart for sure.
You might want to edit your listing title to show that you are flexible on dates, as that might help. You could also search for sitters by location, offering a sit to another newbie on THS who lives close by, allowing someone to get their first all-important review.
You’re correct about the calendars, and if you use to spyglass and search that topic you’ll see that some sitters choose not to use it. I suggest you invite based on distance from your home, other than if you see the sitter’s dates have a black line across your dates, as that means they’re booked for a THS sit. Most sitters are pleased when they receive a direct invite, so just invite away!
Hi @Wizz and welcome to THS and the forum. You have a very good listing and hopefully you’ll attract other sitters who are more responsive than the one you mention. I’m an Aussie sitter and we’re all aware of the floods in NSW and Qld. Perhaps you may need to reassure sitters in your listing that all is okay in your area.
Hi @Wizz
It seems a sitter can say when they are available but can’t block dates already booked on the site. Also sitters cannot say where they are available to sit.
If I am not correct, could someone let me know how to go about this
Hi @trustSitCommunity In our sitter profile we can show our chosen countries. However, if you mean more specific than that, then I think your only option is to add that to your profile wording. I have my current chosen area shown at the start of my profile.
I block date ranges by using my calendar. I am hopeful that we’ll see an improved calendar option, as the current one doesn’t lend itself to easily blocking out dates where I cannot be flexible and where it may make it so that I couldn’t accept a sit invite. If I am invited and can’t take the sit for some reason (such as this example), I always reply with an explanation. I think that’s just courteous, when someone takes the time to invite me.
Lovely place you have there. And deffinitely would love to share my days with Hendrix if I were closer to you.
I wouldn´t trust in a person that applies for my home and doesn´t answer me within the next 24-48 h.
As @Snowbird said, I would invite another sitter near me
You’re correct. The current system is terrible and mostly useless which is why many people don’t use it. They’re talking about updating it, which I think would be very helpful. I would definitely start using it if it worked in a way that made sense.
Hi Wizz,
Just to let you know that sometimes there is a delay in the system and Housesitters don’t get the message immediately. This has happened to me so I can speak from experience. Someone had contacted me the day before but didn’t receive the email until almost 2 days later which may have made them think I was ignoring them just like your sitters. This is definitely a problem that needs to be correct by THS.
I don’t think you are missing anything. This behavior, of course, is rude. But it is not common. On my first sitter invite she put off our facetime 4 times with various excuses. But since then everyone has been wonderful. Call and have them relist you up front.
Hi everyone.
I’m also a newbie to the forum, although we have been using THS with success for about 5 years (except during lockdowns).
We too have had an applicant MIA, which is a first time that has happened to us.
Our applicant looked absolutely fine, both on paper and initially in a meeting on neutral ground. However, when we asked for some evidence of the applicant’s full name and home address, we had evasive answers and absolutely no information. Since that meeting, total silence! I guess that’s what someone of your correspondents would call a “red flag”.
What we can’t understand is how that person had great reviews from several previous sits, but absolutely no confirmed identity. Surely if we were to invite someone into our home for two to three weeks it is perfectly reasonable to ask for some evidence of their identity? Comments please.
I suppose we will have to start again.
Hi @topscottie and welcome to the forum. That’s a disappointing outcome considering your potential sitter looked good on paper and in person. I’m wondering what verifications they had attached to their profile where you thought they would be suitable. Did they have the ID verification? If so, that is their evidence required by THS. If not, I’m surprised you went ahead with meeting and considering them. Hopefully your next sitter will be fully verified by THS.
Yes @temba, of course the profile indicated verification of email, phone and ID (and they still show this on this person’s profile in your “find a house sit” listings).
I think that you may be rather missing the point by emphasising verification by THS. That itself is not adequate if the sitter then withholds these details from the host.
I have no trouble at all giving the home owner my full name, address, and other contact info. I’m not certain I would give them a photo of personal ID such as passport or driver’s licence though, since I’ve already done that for THS in a protected format.
