So here we go again! Your comments please, Sitters and Hosts. Current appointment in Switzerland, use of car offered in post then early video discussion, our Driving Licence documentation sent on confirmation of ‘Sit’ (Australian licence with International endorsement as per Swiss requirements). We arrived by rental car as our following two Swiss ‘Sits’ have cars included, so we returned the rental car (a long arduous day doing so!). Then as Hosts are actually leaving, we’re told the car/s cannot be used as our Licences would not be valid in Switzerland and the Host’s Insurance would not cover any damages! Ironically, comment made that if emergency for dogs, use the car….??? No time to discuss (we were a bit stunned anyway) but we’re now stuck in a village without local transport. Fortunately we know Switzerland well but did want to visit some local features including the annual local Cow Parade nearby in the autumn valley Festival. Train travel not an option. We feel very disappointed to have this occur as after 70+ ‘Sits’, we feel a tad taken for granted….
@Tasmazias, yikes. Surprises on arrival at housesit are typically bad for housesitter.
Many of our housesits have kindly included use of pet parent vehicle (~say half of ~50 housesits). This is acutely relevant for us as perhaps one-third of our housesits have been in UK and the cost of car rental/insurance for non-residents is high, typically much higher than for residents.
But we’ve had learning experiences. Now, at video call stage we determine if the use of car is a nice-to-have or a dealbreaker … we decline rural/no-transit sits that do not include a car. If use of car is a dealbreaker then we require pet parent to confirm details with insurance company prior to sit confirmation.
But we’ve had one housesit where use of car was suddenly unavailable on arrival at property. And we’ve had one housesit where shortly before housesit then pet parent asked that we fund car insurance costs. Both housesits had other challenges. Learning experiences. Housesitting is a trade, and we’re very open to consider funding incremental car insurance costs - as part of decision to accept sit. Surprises after we’ve booked flights or arrived at property, in our view, simply reflects poor personal values; a transactional intent; and/or an employer mindset. Can effortlessly understand why you may feel that you’ve been taken for granted.
Enjoy Switzerland. Don’t return to that pet parent. We enjoyed two housesits there earlier this year. Was lovely, if frighteningly expensive.
Is your license valid there? If you believe it is I would have had a discussion with them before they left. I would now send them proof that it is valid. So wrong of them to spring this on you last minute. If they said you can use the car with the dog just take the dog with you where you can. So sorry this happened to you.
I live in Switzerland and offer my car to sitters. My understanding of the insurance is that the car is insured, not the person. Restrictions might be placed on users that are not named on the policy, such as a higher deductible or the policy holder to notify the insurance of any occasional users. My limited understanding is that usually, all users are just covered.
Licenses are valid if they’re in English, German, French or Italian so you um shouldn’t need an international license anyway (I find this such a uniquely Australian requirement- all my family insist on having it when they travel, but I never get it and have never needed one)
So I’m not at all saying they are lying but maybe they got cold feet about you using their car for some reason? I’d ask if there is any flexibility in this area because it’s pretty poor to offer and then take it back.
Thank you ‘Seniorsitter’…. no opportunity to discuss as Host told us as they actually walked out the door! Yes, Licence plus International Endorsement valid, we use all the time in France AND Switzerland! Host had these well prior to us arriving but no response comment so of course, we assume we’ll have use of car as posted and agreed. We don’t go off for the day but for a grocery shop and local scenery/ visiting, we need a car! My husband has an unblemished driving record ( ‘touch wood’!)of 55 years!
Thank you ‘PrepsAndPrince’… yes, crazy International Licence endorsements from Australia but some European Car Rental companies insist! A nice money maker perhaps!!
Too late to discuss with them but coincidentally, our Host has indeed recently had an accident with repairs so…..
@Tasmazias, sounds like you have a great deal of international driving experience.
In case helpful and to our knowledge, that is probably incomplete, UK car insurance policies are unique in covering the driver … so adding a housesitter driver incurs incremental cost (and may be disallowed under policy terms). In US, Canada, all Schengen countries that we’ve visited then car insurance policy covers the vehicle … so adding a housesitter for a limited duration typically incurs zero cost.
My understanding in Switzerland is that the car is insured not the driver. This is bad form on the part of the home owner and I hope you would review them accordingly.
Yes, ‘Oztravels’, correct! We’ve never previously had an issue in Switzerland, nor France, until 1300 hrs yesterday… as the Hosts left! Never mind, we’ll manage but if we’d known, we’d not have returned the Rental car we had to get here! Two more Swiss Sits ahead, cars confirmed, IN WRITING now which is quite disappointing under the TRUSTED banner!
So you only discovered you couldn’t use their car until you’ve arrived & they are leaving? That’s terrible. It’s totally fine for any pet parents not to let you use their car, but in your scenario when they had initially said you could use it is really bad.
The least they could have done is let you know ahead of time, so you could figure things out hire car wise, or even let them find another sitter.
Switzerland is very pricey for you to find out after you’ve arrived. Are they newbies? Just wondering if they realise it potentially affects their score from you on communication, hospitality, and accuracy of listing. I hope they are nice in every other way.
@Tasmazias This is really bad form on the part of the homeowner and I hope you review accordingly. Something that has been discussed and agreed upon as part of the exchange shouldn’t be retracted, especially at the very last minute which leaves you no time to make alternative arrangements. Do you think it’s something that you might be able to negotiate once they have arrived at their destination? Or might they be willing to contribute towards a hire car?
I’d feel taken advantage of, as no car presumably limits not only your ability to do the basics, eg. grocery shopping, but also what you’ll be able to do in terms of exploring the area.
I honestly feel you are taking this too graciously. It was an amenity offered, agreed to and expected. It is essential to you enjoying your sit as planned. I would message them stating, car was promised and you expect to use it. I would tell them I expect a response within 12 hours, so they don’t ignore you, and it is their choice to either reaffirm use of the car as agreed or I would be leaving in 24 hours. This is entirely on them and you will forever feel taken advantage of if you don’t stand up for yourself. I will do a lot for people gladly, but I will not let them misuse us that way. Good luck.
They’ve changed the terms of the sit. Maybe they don’t realize that you could cancel based on this major change in what was agreed to. You traveled there and made plans based on having use of a car, it’s not appropriate for them to decide at the last minute that you can’t use it. I would contact them to see what can be worked out, either they can provide use of the car as agreed or they can pay for a rental.
@systaran, @WaterJill - walking away from a housesit is not always easy. @Tasmazias noted two further Switzerland housesits (way to go!). Were they to determine to leave this housesit on the basis of no car use - assuming that is acceptable grounds - then they would have to find alternative accommodation and probably be ineligible for THS Sit Cancellation Insurance. Switzerland is an expensive place so could be an expensive decision. It’s certainly possible that Pet Parents knew this, but determined not to add housesitter to car insurance policy; not to fund incremental cost; and/or not to advise housesitter. Don’t think such behaviour is against THS policies, but it is bad form that can be remediated via housesitter review process.
A fair outcome may be to speak with Pet Parent and have them fund, or contribute towards funding, of a substitute car rental. We’ve had at least two pet parents that funded our car rental cost - on basis that they had rural location; recognized need for vehicle; wanted us to housesit; and voluntarily determined appetite to fund related costs. Very nice of them, appreciated, and enabled us to accept sits.
If the sit is not as advertised, then the sit cancellation plan can apply in some cases - but would require that the sitters provide the proof of the issues ( screenshots of original listing / discussions with hosts about use of the car being included etc )
Not straightforward but no sitter should feel that they MUST stay if the hosts have not been honest or upfront and the mutual exchange that was agreed on is not abided to .
@Silversitters, interesting perspective. There have been a steady trickle of THS Forum threads in regards Sit Cancellation Insurance. But don’t recall use of vehicle as cause - is this enough to trigger eligibility?
To our knowledge, the scenario that triggers eligibility is sit cancellation. Pet Parent has not cancelled sit.
Would be interested to hear from any housesitters that have successfully claimed Sit Cancellation Insurance based on pet parent not providing promised vehicle.
@GotYourBack I’m aware it’s not easy to walk away from a sit. I’m sure the HOs also know that and chose not to tell the sitters of this change in plan until they had already traveled there. But this is a big change in what was agreed to and is a valid reason to cancel. We all go in trusting that each side is going to honor what was agreed to. It’s not the case that HOs can just make whatever changes to the agreement they want and sitters just have to go along with it. My suggestion was to talk with the HO and work out a solution since it sounds as if the location requires a car and the sitters should not have to take on that expense unexpectedly just because the HO changed their mind.
If the car was one of the amenities listed then screenshot the info & the messages back & forth about agreeing use of car and insurance docs etc and talk to THS. You may be covered by the insurance. We’ve driven host cars on several Swiss sits with no issues (UK & Turkish licences). I think they’re lying about the insurance not being possible and simply changed their minds. Yes Switzerland is expensive (have had sits cancelled here, one as we landed at Zurich ) but it is possible to sort a plan B. Completely out of order to throw this at you last minute and super tempting to ditch them to sort it themselves and not be held to ransom as they hope. #pushback
Very bad form on their side and I hope that your review reflects their change in an essential part of this sit at the last minute.
They’ve broken the rules, gone back on their word and removed a crucial (I’m assuming that you would not have taken the sit without the car ?) aspect of the sit.
Unacceptable on every level.
There is no excuse for this given your prior discussions with them and the fact that you’ve met all necessary requirements for driving in Switzerland.
You may or may not have standing here (and may or may not have the desire to waste your time) but letting THS know about the HO’s renegue might be in order.
In any event, I hope that the home, the pets and your sit are otherwise lovely !
) but it is possible to sort a plan B. Completely out of order to throw this at you last minute and super tempting to ditch them to sort it themselves and not be held to ransom as they hope.