Hi I’m new here. I applied to a sit and I noticed that the past sitter recommended not taking the sit. I would like to get more information from the sitter. Is that allowed and how do I go about it?
You can’t contact the sitter unfortunately. If someone recommended not taking that sit, and you are new, it might be better to skip that one… better safe than sorry.
Not every pet owner here is as welcoming and considerate towards sitters as one would wish. The majority are, but if there is a negative review, it seems iffy. One thing you could do is click on that sitter’s profile and see what kind of reviews they have themselves. Then you could decide how credible they sound.
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No, you can’t contact the sitter directly. What you can do is a little investigative work to see if the review has a valid complaint as @andrealovesanimals suggests. Click on the sitter’s profile and see how that owner reviewed this sitter. Until the new review system took effect recently, it was easy for one party to post a retaliatory review in response to an unfavorable review from the other party.
Also look at this sitter’s reviews from their previous sits. Take note of reviews they left for other owners and the reviews they received. Is there a pattern? Has the sitter received a poor review from more than one owner? Does the sitter seem to be overly critical? Does the owner seem overly demanding? You have to weigh both sides and come to a conclusion. If your application is accepted and you get to the point of a phone or video call, you can ask the owner about the last sitter.
In general, do this thorough check before submitting an application to help you decide whether to apply at all.
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Thank you! I appreciate the feedback.
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Thank you. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.
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@SeMon did the sitter give any more detail as why they didn’t recommend the sit ?
If it is about location for example a sit that doesn’t suit one person will be great for another . If it’s about the pets or owners behaviour that might be a problem.
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It wouldn’t do you any good, it’s only one side of the picture. The important bit is what the owners said in response to their review. Also you can click into that particular sitter and read the review the owner left for them. That will give you a more rounded opinion.
Can I ask what country the sit is in @SeMon as we might have info if my sixth sense is correct….
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@SeMon for your first sit I wouldn’t enter into anything with drama - steer well clear
The sit was in the US more specifically VA Beach
Hi @SeMon - I would take the review seriously, however the sit seems attractive to you, ASK the HO about it during the call to see how they respond.
Sometimes reviews are absolutely true, sometimes they are one-sided and embellished for detail, and sometimes they are false - we can never know.
I think it’s a shame for an HO to lose out of future sits because one sitter didn’t have a good time. THS is a learning curve, longer for some than others.
Chat with the HO and see how they respond to the review, how they have addressed the issues raised, ask if they expect you will have the same problems, if their requirements are precise and clear (and acceptable to you) - and go with you gut/ intuition.
If the HO says it was all ‘the sitter’s fault’ - BIG RED FLAG.
If the HO acknowledges issues and shares how they’re rectified them - this could be a better sit for you.
Not every sit is right for everyone, and not everyone has good chemistry. We learn how to use THS he best way for us as we go.
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No, our witchy feeling was wrong. We’re with @Enjaybee - why rush it for the first sit. Drama and complications are to be avoided unless absolutely necessary @SeMon
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@SeMon i actually think I can figure out which sit it was - I wouldn’t do it - the sitter who said to avoid the sit had already sat for them previously with no issues and was very diplomatic in their review the second time just stating that she wouldn’t recommend it due to major undisclosed issues when they arrived. She was also an experienced sitter who knows how it all works.
The homeowner responded immaturely and complained about many silly things which I find very hard to believe considering they still gave them 3 stars it makes no sense - they responded with a lot of emotion and clearly was just lashing out in response to the review the sitter left. You cannot trust these types of people who act irrationally.
The last sitter they had actually didn’t even leave a review which is another red flag.
Finally another red flag is that the HO talks about ‘I had previously used this sitter’
This is absolutely the type of HO to avoid - nobody is using anyone it just shows the mentality of how they treat a sitter. The whole idea is that it’s an equal win-win type exchange based on trust, not about being used for free labour.
If that sounds like the sit you applied for then withdraw now it’s not even worth the time to figure out what the review was about through a phone call.
Many more sits will come up have faith 
FWIW, I had a repeat sit and the host wrote in the second review that they’d “used” me, but it was a good sit. Some folks just don’t express themselves well.
With that sit, they invited me unsolicited even when I was new to THS and had no reviews or recommendations, because I’d not sat before. They split what was supposed to be a six-week sit at my request, so I could spend more than a week at home in between, before doing my second sit, bookending another sitter.
They also invited me two days early to accommodate my telecommuting schedule. Picked me up at the airport. Fixed me a cocktail and got to know me. Treated me to dinner. Let me use their car, which was in good condition. The house was clean and in a great area, with many amenities nearby. I had my pick of three guest rooms. The dogs were super sweet and easy to care for. They had a weekly cleaner and gardener. The couple were low maintenance and easygoing. They also said I could eat or drink whatever I wanted, though I prefer to buy my own food on sits.
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I also read “both sides” but came away with a different view. The homeowners have given great reviews and received great feedback. Their review of the sitter pointed to some specific TOC violations… Of course the applicant can avoid the wiff of any drama, but if the sit was appealing, given the other great reviews by sitters, I’d ask the HO’s about it if this got to the point of video chat.
You can reach out to the sit/owner but that requires applying for the sit, which you do not have to take if once you talk with them you feel uneasy or that it is not a good fit. I put in ALL my applications that I require a zoom call. The owner can not just accept you, you have to reciprocate by accepting their invitation. If you don’t hear from them about a face to face (via zoom) or they just accept you without acknowledging your need for a face to face, then decline and move on. Just my 2 cents 
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Ok thank you
Thanks for the tip.
Hi @SeMon
Did you make a final decision about this sit based on the advice you’ve had?
I wanted to say a big thanks to @andrealovesanimals, @mars, @Silversitters, @HappyDeb, @Cuttlefish, @Enjaybee, @STH, @Maggie8K, @Marion, and @jeccadawnvagabond for giving such great advice and support.
Jenny
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