@Olivia412 a very bizarre situation indeed and very concerning that a sitter would allow third parties access to your home without permission . I’m happy to know that you have found alternative care for your cat .
Had the sitter given you any explanation for what they did ? Not that it that would make it acceptable, but it’s a puzzling scenario and it would good to understand why they did this and for how long they intended to pay for Rover sitters to take care of your pet .
Thank you for taking the time out of your trip to reply to each and everyone of us
We appreciate it
I hope that you can enjoy the rest of your holiday
Did you receive a Ring notification confirming this, or was it a blatant lie?
Unbelievable!
So, did the sitter never arrive, or contact you further, at all?
This has to be one of the most bizarre scenarios related on here!
I think you’ve just been extremely unlucky! Going forwards, to reinstate your confidence in THS, possibly choose sitters who have lots of 5 star reviews and who you feel at ease with during the video chat. If you have a very early departure planned and don’t have a guest room available, possibly consider funding one night of accommodation nearby (either for yourself or the sitters), so that you can meet up or facilitate the required early arrival.
For info, we’ve done several sits where an in-person handover wasn’t possible and have encountered no problems whatsoever, so the handover itself isn’t a determiner of a successful sit.
Thank you for replying to the comments on the forum. I really hope this person is removed from THS and banned on Rover. I am so sorry this was your first experience here. As a sitter I had a very bad experience with a mentally ill PP I think on sit three or four. They were removed from the platform. I continued using the platform but understand if you don’t. It is your home and your pet which is different. So many great sitters here who truly care about your pet and home. I am sorry you may not ever experience them. Maybe take a break from THS and try again in the future. You now know the red flags. I suggest meeting the sitter first no matter how many good reviews they have. See how they are with your pet and the gut feeling you get before you leave so you can feel at peace. I hope the next time you post on the forum is to tell us this person was removed from the platform.
@Olivia412 Oh my gosh, go enjoy your vacation!! Our questions can wait. I’m glad your kitten is okay and I’m sure THS will sort this out.
I am so sorry for what you went through, @Olivia412. I have had about 16 sitters at my house and had only one negative experience. It was a few years ago and the sitter double-booked herself on THS (before the “no overlap” rule). She stayed in someone else’s house in my city and just visited my house to check my cats. I assume she was trying to amass good reviews, and instead she got booted off THS.
She lied to me and to THS about staying in my house, claiming she never left for more than an hour. I spoke to the other homeowner who was certain that J had slept in her house and spent lots of time there with HOs dog. My house had clearly not been occupied at all, and I don’t know if the cats got the care they need.
I got a video doorbell after that experience.
The part I don’t understand is not being able to cancel the sit. My understanding is that the host can end the sit through THS when someone has broken the terms, so that they can activate the premium insurance if they have it or find someone to take over the sit. A sitter also I thought could cancel through THS when they arrive to unlivable or dangerous conditions and need to find another sit. I’ve read stories about such events on this forum so I don’t understnad why it couldn’t be cancelled, but if it can’t be, for sure it should be make public in a review.
The platform does not give either party the facility to end a sit that has already started .
The sit that has already started can of course be curtailed ( rather than cancelled ) when there are extraordinary circumstances. To do this it has to go through member services who make sure that both parties are aware of the change and then amend the sit end date . So there is still a record of the curtailed sit and a review can be left by both parties .
https://support.trustedhousesitters.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360001746237-Can-I-cancel-a-sit
Hi everyone, I have returned home from my trip and just wanted to thank all of you for taking the time to reply and share your thoughts with me. I have been in communication with THS member services while I was on my trip and they have assured me that they have started an investigation and will contact me once the outcome has been decided. Until then, I see that the sitter’s account has been inactivated for now while they are conducting the investigation.
Member services was also able to end the sit internally so that I could leave a review, just in case her account is reactivated when the investigation concludes. The sitter did not ever contact me again to provide any explanation or apology. I truly hope that she learns a lesson from this situation but also that this never happens to anyone else.
Words cannot express the fear and concern that I felt in the moment when this all occurred, but I am beyond grateful to have a support system who was ready to step in and take care of my sweet kitten and secure my home.
I am still wanting to keep an open mind about using this platform in the future, but of course am hesitant after this experience. When I signed up a few months ago, I did choose the dual membership as both a host and sitter. My plan for now is to try to do a couple sits that are local to me so that I can experience how other hosts work with and communicate with their sitters and hopefully that will help to rebuild my confidence in the THS platform.
I absolutely love how THS feels like a community and that so many people took the time to read my post and share their thoughts, opinions and feelings on this entire situation. Thank you all so very much for your replies I greatly appreciate it!
Hi @Olivia412
Thanks so much for letting everyone know the outcome of your situation. You make some really good points – particularly in highlighting just how important it is to have a support system in place who can activate Plan B should it be required. Sorry that you’ve had a rough start to your THS membership. Your idea of doing a few local sits yourself is a great one! What better way to see both sides of the coin?
Nobody can know what was going through your sitter’s mind, but just in case it offers you any peace of mind moving forwards, I’m willing to admit that I’ve certainly broken more than one THS rule as a sitter – unknowingly, unthinkingly, and just through general lack of experience. It’s a learning curve!
Thank you for letting everyone know. I hope you will enjoy your sits! I’m glad you are keeping an open mind about this.