I recently returned from an 8 day trip. The sitter initiated contact twice during the stay, once - on the first evening of her stay - she had not yet arrived, and the second to ask how to work on an appliance.
I texted her twice to find out how things were going.
I wish I’d been more clear and direct at the outset that I require at least a quick, daily text update to put my mind at ease.
I was surprised, in filling out the review, that there is no category for “communication” or “sit updates.”
As homeowners, do you put how often you’d like updates in your listing, and then specify it in your pre-sit interview? Sitters - how frequently do you communicate if homeowner hasn’t specified?
We always mention the frequency of communications in the video chat and again when we do a walk around after the sitter’s arrival. We expect a daily text message in the first few days of the sit because cats are sometimes affected by the smallest of changes in their routine. We want to be reassured that “inputs” and “outputs” are as expected. After that a few times a week is fine if there are no issues, with a few pictures of course because my wife misses her cats and we don’t have enough pictures of them . If a sitter likes to send more updates we don’t mind.
Host and sitter should discuss this at the outset. I ask directly if it hasn’t already come up.
I typically do at least one update daily, based on my usually sitting for a week or two.
All of my hosts — with one exception, who was fine without updates — wanted one daily. Not a problem for me at all. I typically do them during the morning, local time at the sit.
The amount of updates I like depends on if I am leaving both my cat and dog with a sitter or if only the cat is there. If my dog is included, I want daily updates and photos of both animals. If it’s just my cat, I’m fine with every couple of days as my cat is pretty easy-going. I think this question is very dependent on the owner. I also firmly believe that it falls upon the owner to clearly state the expectations to the Sitter and the Sitter should follow the requested instructions. I can’t say if I’ve actually put it in writing in the past, but after reading this post, I’m realizing I’d feel much more comfortable putting it in writing via the THS app messaging so that if someone does not follow my instructions, I will mark that accordingly in the review, Probably under reliability. Normally I’ve been taking care of this topic over WhatsApp or in person after we’ve agreed on a sit. Thanks for bringing up this topic. Also I’d like to mention that I don’t think it would be fair to mark someone down any stars if they did not message you updates every day if you didn’t explicitly tell them what you want (or you can’t remember). Of the sit gets underway and youve forgotten to specify, I think it’s fine to ask when you realize it’s not sufficient. Just my two cents.
@GardenCat, we have found that there is no ‘right’ approach to communication during housesit period. Pet Parent preferences vary dramatically in terms of time frequency and content depth/type. And communication can vary depending on duration of sit, or if there’s a pet medical/other, or sensitive property matters. But it’s an important topic. If Pet Parent needs are very specific then include expectations in the listing. Otherwise discuss at commencement of sit (though by then, housesitter may decline any unreasonable expectations).
For what it’s worth, we find that most Pet Parents seek daily updates for first 2-3 days (check all ok); daily updates for last 2-3 days (check return info); and lesser periodic frequency in middle period.
Doesn’t happen. We ask homeowner expressly in regards communication. Otherwise two-way guesswork seems likely to be ineffective for both parties.
You should honestly assume nothing because everyone lives differently.
If communication daily was important to you, it should be called out in your profile, when you’re vetting the sitter, and/or in your welcome guide along with any other defaults that are deal breakers for you…
Shoes on allowed in the house? Smoking non smoking? Food allowed to be shared or no? Etc.
There’s tons of posts here as well as guidance on the THS blog about how to set clear expectations around what to share, where to share it, and questions or tidbits you may be making assumptions about to call out explicitly. Definitely worth doing a bit of research so that you’re not uncomfortable in future where there was no expectation set.
This has been discussed a lot on the forum and every owner is different. As a sitter one of the questions I ask at handover is how often the owner would like updates. Rarely do owners want daily updates and they usually say “every couple of days”, “if there’s something interesting” or “when you feel like it”. I always send photos and sometimes videos if dogs. You can put it in your listing or just remember to say your preference at the handover.
We always ask how often HOs would like updates, but clearly not all sitters do this.
As you’ve acknowledged, @GardenCat, you wish you’d been more clear and direct about your requirements, and this is the way to go for future sits. State required frequency for updates verbally, and reiterate in your Welcome Guide, so that you and your sitters are both on the same page.
The amount of updates isn’t the issue, the “what” is communicated is. Of course, for the first days I would like at least one update per day, just to see if things go smoothly.
I’ve had a sitter, who wrote one message per day but, as my older cats needed daily meds, I was very upset to being informed via WhatsApp that one of them didn’t take her medicine.
No specification which meds (there were several) and nothing more for me to advise her some tricks, which might work. After this message I didn’t hear anything from the sitter for 24 hours. I tried to text, I tried to call but she didn’t reply or answer the phone. I was furious.
When I was finally able to talk to her she was acting offended and didn’t understand at all that the meds needed to be given in regular intervals and that I was very worried about how things were at home.
Thank you. I did give the sitter all five starts. I mentioned in the review that I came home to a clean house and a happy cat. I also mentioned that I wish I’d been more clear that I prefer updates at least every day or two. That could indicate to other homeowners our need for absolute clarity.
@GardenCat We discuss frequency of updates with all hosts usually at handover. It varies a lot and we always try to accomodate hosts wishes, as long as they don’t ask for more than once a day- that’s our limit. Our default is- daily pics/msgs for short sits up to a week/10 days or so and a couple of times a week for longer sits. At the extremes we have had hosts who wanted pics of their cats every single day for 3 weeks. And then we had a host whose dog had just been operated and was still bandaged but she did not want any updates at all except a quick message when the stitches came out!! However even when hosts say they don’t need updates except questions/emergancies they all seem to appreciate any updates we send. Its very rare that we have any host asking how things are going so it seem we do manage to pitch the frequency and content about right.
I don’t ask the owner. I tell them, we text upon entry, then again to show the pets behaving as expected, for example, we are all watching a movie on the couch or Fluffy is still under the bed. Then once per day after that. Is that okay with you?
I have never had an owner be anything but pleased with that set up. Short sits, long sits, it doesn’t matter, people want to see their pets and some owners don’t know what to ask for, so I am proactive.
Some sitters disagree with me by saying that’s too much. I am not doing a photo shoot, I am taking a pic of Fluffy doing some they would normally do and it’s comforting for most owners.
Thank you, this is perfect and exactly what I would love.
I think some sitters make too much out of the photos - it can be a really boring snap and doesn’t have to be them doing anything other than laying around.
I just re-read your OP. For an 8 day sit, even if I’d forgotten what was agreed, I would send a short update, with a pic or two, every day. No host has ever complained that’s too much! Most love to see their pets & hear any news. I think its pretty thoughtless & uncaring that your sitter did not send anything about your pets. Updates are a standard part of the exchange. It sounds like she arrived after you left? When we do blind handovers the very first thing we do is send an arrival message (& pic with the pet/s If possible) If I were a host I would find that immensely reassuring and I do think the onus is on the sitter to confirm arrival. If we have not yet seen the pet e g If they are hiding or just out & about we send a pic later as soon as contact is made. Usually on the first day we send an arrival msg, an evening update mentioning feeding etc and a next morning update how the first night went. After that is all established and the host is reassured we revert to our agreed frequency of updates.
We usually explain this process at handover so the HO does not have to ask or beg for contact. I cannot imagine just leaving a host in the dark for days on end- very strange behaviour. Anything could happen, and not only to the pets, especially if its a solo sitter, an accident etc. Good and regular contact is the backbone of a smooth sit.
I would suggest that if the sitter does not bring up the subject of updates before the sit then you yourself should. Make sure you state your expectations clearly, and that you come to an agreement with the sitter. You can also write in your listing and or WG if you feel that’s necessary. The whole point of having a sitter is to be able to relax on holiday knowing that everything is running smoothly on the homefront and everyone is happy. As a sitter I take that responsibility very seriously and always want the host to be relaxed and reassured. Most committed housesitters will have this attitude and that is what you should expect. Happy host, happy sitters and happy pets.
Thanks, Lokstar - it felt very strange. I’d asked the (local) sitter to stay the night before my early flight, but they were not able to. So I asked if they could drop by the week before so I could show them around. They did so, and I took them out to dinner.
I left on a flight early on a Monday morning, and got a text that Monday evening that someone in their life died and that they were on their way to visit a friend and would stop by to check in on my cat on their way. I have no idea when they actually arrived at my home. The next day I texted to find out if everything was OK and they sent me a photo and said all was good.
Then, on Thursday, they texted to ask me how to use the appliance…
I texted again a few days later, in the morning, and got a response that afternoon apologizing for the delay, that they’d been caught up with work (they WfH) and that everything was fine.
We don’t specify update frequency in our listing. I tell the sitter to send an update the day after we’ve left on how it’s going. I ask them to send a photo whenever they feel like it but that I’d like to have one if they take our dog out somewhere in the car. Usually this is when they go on a hike with him away from our local network of trails that start from our house. We just like to know what new places he’s seen. But we’re always delighted to see photos no matter what he’s doing or where he is.
After that a few times a week is fine if there are no issues, with a few pictures of course because my wife misses her cats and we don’t have enough pictures of them 
. If a sitter likes to send more updates we don’t mind.
