Sitters in England - How is it that a sit will get posted and within 3 minutes or less there will already be 3 applicants?? Are you all on your devices every moment, poised to apply? This is getting a little frustrating! I’m traveling, using this site TO travel and explore, not for alternative living arrangements, and feel like I have to be on my device every moment refreshing my screen to get an application in quickly enough. What’s going on here??
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We are all in the same boat @marshmish .
THS said that they made the 5 applications pause rule to stop the same sitters always getting the “best sits “.
There are actually more sit opportunities in U.K. compared to all other countries in Europe- so lots of sits available but popular destinations are highly sought after by those travelling .
Full time sitters often pick up “ low application” sits which are in locations that are less popular with those travelling.
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@marshmish I’m surprised your having that experience in England when there are so many sits. Perhaps you are focussing too much on super popular areas like London? Or perhaps only looking for sits that can be accessed by public transport? If you are able to be as flexible as possible- in terms of location, pets & dates- and also look for sits tagged as ‘low applications’ you may have more success. Also have you set up any saved searches?
We’ve just done a Christmas sit in Kuala Lumpur- we got lucky!- its almost impossible to get a sit anywhere in asia these days- they are often gone to ‘reviewing’ in 10 minutes!!
The 5 applicant limit is extremely annoying and limiting and yes- you do have to be super quick and ready to apply instantly if you spot a desirable sit- anywhere!
But don’t give up! Your lucky break is just around the corner!
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Thank you, I feel like it’s ALL Brits applying for these sits, though. I understand Brits also like to travel in their own country but when I see those month long sits with 3 or 4 applications within a couple of minutes it naturally leaves me to think it’s people using the site for living and not paying rent somewhere.
Thank you, I’m looking at the entire country of England, but yes public tranport is essential. I am doing all of the tricks and can only assume that I have to sit here all day looking at my screen and refreshing it. Good times!
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3 applicants in 3 minutes - sound like London or similar. Loads of sits in UK, many linger on for a long time. Well, 3 applicants means that it is still possible to apply. Really popular sits go to review-phase in one minute, it seems.
I get push-notifications on my phone, and as my phone is an important part of my everyday job it is usually close by. I miss a good portion of most popular sits, but get to apply for sought after locations, also.
The trick for me is to have a draft ready in my files on the phone, and when I get a notification from a search, open up the application tab. when you have opened this tab you are still able to go back and read the listing. Then insert copy of draft and adjust it to current sit. Press Send.
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@marshmish now you mention month long sits I understand more. They are extremely popular and your assumption may well be correct. The cost of living, especially rent, is so high in the UK there will certainly be many sitters using the platform to find their home from home. I have one sitter friend over there who was made homeless after a nasty break up and housesitting fulltime for the last year has been a lifesaver for her. She always goes for longer sits to feel a little more settled and she’s come to love it. Many fulltimers too prefer longer sits as constant change can be rather exhausting.
We ourselves have no family or friends to stay with in the UK so we always use housesitting for our accomodation needs. But in our case we have a car and choose short sits- for variety and as an opportunity to boost our review numbers! We’ve always figured there is power in numbers when the competition is strong.
And it is certainly what helped us get the KL sit.
Keep plugging away and things will start to unfold!
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Nope, I haven’t been looking at London at all, I have no desire for those sits! I have a draft at the ready for pasting in and editing and have actually gotten sits where I was the 3rd or 4th applicant, but realistically homeowners aren’t going to go beyond the first 3 if they all look pretty good, unless they really want someone who is really close by or something. Trust me, I’ve been exchange sitting for more than 20 years, this site has been great at times but it has been even more frustrating and exhausting, especially with no real support provided for sitters, than I have ever experienced in all of those years. Now homeowners are posting sits for backup while they petition neighbours and family and friends to do it, leaving sitters without any response for days, then come back with “oh my sister is going to blah blah blah”. Blah blah blah is right. I won’t be renewing when this subscription runs out, that’s for certain. Thanks!
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I totally understand and appreciate those long-term needs, I’ve been there myself at home, it’s just getting so irritating, having to be on top of it in every moment because of those people. Few people from outside of the UK are traveling in the UK right now, it’s winter! So it’s definitely Brits hogging up the sits! I’m just going to move on to warmer weather, enough is enough is enough, even if I have to pay for my accommos. Done with this nonsense!
Remember to just send a cut/paste simple first application to get a chance of be first!
Later when you are one of 5, write a better application!
Plus try to be way in advance for better chance.
Not at all @marchmish, I’m an Aussie and I just applied for a month long sit in the UK for April / May and got it 
To be transparent I applied for 3 different sits in 3 different areas and two took FOREVER to communicate with me and the 3rd super dooper quick with a video call done Sunday, ticket purchased yesterday and confirmed this morning. Smooth as bro.
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There are currently 32 active listings in England for one month or more
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I know the application limits can be frustrating. It seems the biggest source of your irritation is who you believe are ‘taking’ these sits from you…full-time sitters who are citizens of the country.
Ultimately you have no idea who else is applying for these sits, and while you may be right, there is no way to know for sure. And ‘those people’ have just as much a right to apply to them as anyone else.
And if our greatest source of upset about a situation is based on pure assumption, remembering we actually don’t know if this upsetting thing we believe is actually true, can go a long way in making us feel better.
Good luck…there are so many UK sits that I am sure you will find the ones you are looking for!
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I don’t begrudge HO’s setting up a Plan B, which might end up being their plan A. After all finding a sitter might end up being a gamble, or low and behold, not everyone is 100% comfortable having a stranger stay in their home.
Applicants looking for sits with the same criteria (close to transit, for instance) and in the same areas as you will all be in the same boat, regardless whether they are travellers or people who do it full time. Why would it matter to a HO whether you are a tourist or a person who doesn’t pay rent somewhere? HO’s choose a sitter based on their own set of criteria, at times completely unknown to the sitter.
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As UK is starting to require ETA for entry, it could be considered a hazzle that some will opt out of. I know I find it off-putting, however easy it is - it is still an annoying fee. So less competition 
We’re British and we love longer term sits (4wks+) but most of ours have come from return sits to the same pets, which you would never have known about as we get invited privately.
Head slightly further North for more options, or try flying into a different airport to the one you are currently thinking about to see if that’s any better for you.
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When you get a push notification, that is about 7 minutes after the sit got posted. At that moment there may be dozens or hundreds of notification going out.
Some members seem to operate bots that refresh the screen all the time and send automatic applications.
And? Why should that be of concern?
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Sounds like @marshmish resents them, because they think they’d have a better, easier shot at landing sits if they weren’t competing against Brits who use sits for shelter.
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