Sounds like an iffy sitter. Most experienced sitters would be more consistent/reliable with communications. And having sat for you, I know that you’re a hospitable host who doesn’t make unreasonable demands.
I was disappointed by a 4 star for communication although I sent photos every day and a video. This was for two cats.can anyone help me do better next time is there something I missed.they were healthy no problems eating playing usual stuff.
We would only be guessing, just ask the host what she felt was lacking. If I am looking at the correct listing it was 4 stars overall and a dropped star in the Pet Care category. She mentions communication felt like the minimum.
Your response to the review was that the images in the listing were inaccurate, no sea view etc. but you have given 5 stars for Accuracy of Listing.
Maybe she has updated the listing but it does say countryside and the map shows it some distance from the sea.
Going forward I would ask before the host leaves how much communication is preferred. We have had everything from ‘no need to contact us unless there is a problem’ to ‘daily updates please’.
Update
I have just noticed the heading does say sea view so very misleading.
There’s no “communication” category for sitters, only for hosts. Did they tell you your communication was not good enough?
I’m just not sure what more could I do apart from send photos every day and a video.if there was a problem then I would tell the house owners right away.never had this before with any sits.i will just move on just felt upset.i was trying to be kind there were things I wasn’t happy about but i should be more honest for future sitters.
The only way to know is asking the HO. They should have told you, especially if they want more than that.
I have now read the review and it doesn’t sound reasonable.
For future reference, in responses to reviews, I would recommend addressing only what has been mentioned. In this case, the frequency and amount of pictures and videos and the fact that nothing specific had been requested.
I was not happy with a sit ( ie cleanliness, comfort, pet behavior) and I addressed all of these in my review so as to warn future sitters. You didn’t address any of your issues and yet ask what you could have done… isn’t seeming all that balanced out, maybe. You also mention sending pics…were there any texts along with pics? I’m on a sit now where the owners asked why cat’s collar wasn’t on in a photo…I immediately sent another photo where it was clearly visible along with reassuring text about how happy the animals seemed, about our schedules, and just giving them peace of mind. After all, they don’t know me! So if you’re talking about being responsible for someone’s pets, it’s good to be proactive and not wait for a problem to communicate. That’s my two cents.
As a sitter my husband and I communicate daily with photos etc. What I usually tell the homeowner is that if they are busy no responses required but that we will continue to send daily updates to put their mind at ease.
As owners, we’ve included in the responsibilities section that we appreciate daily updates.
As Sitters, we always ask how often they prefer updates.
Our current host said, “please don’t send me photos every day. I’m on holiday and will enjoy the break. Twice a week is plenty.” Less common approach but always good to know and actually makes for a more chilled sit. #settingexpectations