Perhaps the tone and the contract scare off lots of the sitters you wish to attract, and results in more applications from people who didn’t reaf the listing. If they haven’t read it, they won’t be put off…
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Usually guests can be of all ages, but many such communities limit how long guests can stay and sometimes what amenities are available to them. Like in some communities, you’re not supposed to share your badge with guests, so they can only do stuff with you accompanying them. Of course, some people don’t follow the rules.
That happens sometimes — I see listings that make me think, yikes, skip, skip, skip. And you can see the host is actually self-sabotaging, given how they’ve written their listing and what they demand.
Personally, I’d rather never sit again than pursue a listing where the host seems to think that anyone would be lucky to sit for them and would be like staff. Luckily, there are plenty of other sits to choose from.
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@Maggie8K
Yes, same here.
I’d rather not travel, or pay for accommodation , than sit for someone like that.
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SiobhanFL: Please don’t lose hope. I believe that most THS Sitters are responsible. (Hubby and I carefully read over our Home Owners’ listings, make copious notes then write our application letter and refer to our notes during a video chat). I’ve just read your listing and feel that your heading, all in capital letters, comes across as rather unwelcoming. I see that you require your Sitters to sign a contract. Why? During our 8 years as members of THS, We’ve never been asked to sign a contract with our Home Owners. We’ve always thought it is a matter of trust. Have you tried inviting your previous (5 star) Sitters back to sit for you? I wish you the best of luck in finding a suitable couple.
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@SiobhanFL I have read your sit and I don’t see any issues with what you have written at all. EXCEPT for the contract bit.
I have sat in over 55’s gated communities and respect all your requirements. Meeting the neighbours I didn’t want to do either but it ended up being a godsend. As everyone is living in such a close-knit community, it is only fair and reasonable that neighbours know who you are and why you are in someone’s home. I ended up having Christmas Day with my neighbours and joined in other activities due to them being aware I was there alone. I was free to have as much or as little interaction as I chose to but it didn’t hurt being introduced to some people. It’s kinda nice, and welcoming!
All this being said, I would personally never sign a contract either. Probably wouldn’t even stand up in a court of law but I am not a lawyer nor should legal issues be discussed on a public Forum so I won’t go down that road.
Insofar as whether you would prefer a couple to a single, that is absolutely and entirely your choice, but I did notice you had previous singles. Did you have issues with them??? You have considerately explained in your listing WHY you prefer a couple and I get that totally. A young single in her twenties for example, may not feel part of the community and also I know that some communities actually have age restrictions on who can stay. But personally as an older sitter, I am positive a single could fit in just as well as a couple. We as sitters aren’t looking to live there, it’s only a short stay so lifelong friendships and bonds don’t need to be formed 
We just need to be kind and do what is expected of us.
Apart from what I have said, I don’t find your listing rude or anything else and using capitals simply shows your frustration. If everyone read your post again, your reasons are completely understandable and you have explained fully WHY you are frustrated.
CRUX OF MY POST…Your topic listing really has nothing to do with the contract bit or anything else. Your post is about people NOT reading the listing before applying and the responses you have outlined clearly shows this is the case! I am flabbergasted at what you have written as to the replies you have received and I would be frustrated also. The OP even states that she is NOT DISCOURAGED BY ZERO APPLICANTS AT THIS STAGE so again, her issue is not about her listing, it’s about the RESPONSES.
People, please let’s stick to the original reason why the OP has posted, her reasons are completely valid and nothing to do with contracts or anything else. The topic is…
Sitters, PLEASE read the listing before applying (which she describes VERY accurately)
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Guilty. Once I read and applied to a listing with VERY lengthy info in every category. And the very last line said ‘Only local sitters’. I saw it when I looked back over it after I was declined
Sorry.
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Pretty sure that anyone who needs to be reminded to actually read the listing isn’t going to be active on this forum, if at all. OP says that sitters should scroll on by if we’ve read her information and then decided we’re not compatible; many of us are merely pointing out why that might be the case.
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Well, yes, I guess we did get a bit off topic and perhaps unfairly picked her listing apart. I am sorry for my part it that. I wanted to give SiobhanFL some reassurance that there are some very good, responsible Sitters out there and for her not to lose hope.
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I doubt people who don’t read listings are going to be on a forum reading about not reading, LOL.
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When any host posts a listing, the goal is to get good applicants. If they’re getting a concentration of duds, it’s worthwhile to consider why that might be happening. Like if they’re turning off good sitters who don’t even apply, they’re creating their own problems.
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A host might be frustrated for good reason(s), but that doesn’t matter when sitters are reading their listings cold. No one’s normally going to think, oh, there must be a good backstory, so let me apply and find out what that is and see whether I can dispel their frustration. Instead, most people will just skip the listing.
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Tone is subjective. If a listing draws a bunch of negative reactions, the host might want to take that into consideration and adjust, so they get better results. Just venting will not make that happen.
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@ziggy Well, I will confess I didn’t have time to read a post that long (TL;DR). But the responses you are criticizing have everything to do with the OPs post.
She’s getting a bunch of applicants who clearly aren’t to her standards and who haven’t read the listing. She’s probably not going to get applicants she wants who carefully read each listing and look for goodness of fit for some of the reasons delineated here.
Sitters who are trying to nab any sit without reading the listing are not likely to be active here on the forum.
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Wow! I didn’t realise that people who don’t, or are “unlikely to read the listings”, may not be on the forum and the forum is probably only for a select few 
. I actually thought there were members of all standards/colour/race/religion/nationalities AND mindset on this Forum, not just those we “think” are on here. I’ve read some pretty bad stuff on this Forum over the time and I certainly don’t believe they always come from people who we “think might be on here”.
I do understand where you are all coming from with your posts, my opinion is just that we really need to think about what the OP’s main point is. It’s not just happening to this one HO, it’s apparently happening a LOT. Let’s just think about that. Oh, and I am not the least bit fazed by anyone using lol by the way. I’m sure some know what I mean
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I absolutely agree that it is ‘fastest finger first’ as so eloquently put by Animal_lover. I have been reading postings within seconds of them listing and before I’ve even finished reading it properly, applications have closed. I can see the temptation to send in an application if, after a quick read, you think it could be for you. It is so frustrating - for both sides I’m sure. The 5 limit rule is, IMO, one of the worst things about THS. Also, I’m never sure if you click the apply button and the dates to apply - does it ‘hold’ your application until you click ‘send’ or do you actually have to send it to be in with a chance?
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Have you heard of the acronym “tl;dr” yet? It means “Too Long; Didn’t Read.” It’s a corporate phenomenon, the longer an email, the less likely someone is to read it, regardless of the importance, or how well it’s written. The important aspects of your listing might be buried in the details.
It seems like you have some unusual deal-breakers, so maybe put them up front in bullet points?
I am a 5-star petsitter in every category and I follow the HO’s instructions like it’s the gospel, but I don’t study the listing while I’m in the interview process.
Please read the original post. They didn’t ask for a critique of their listing. They have no problem attracting applications. They only ask that sitters read the whole listing before applying. If a sitter is not happy with the conditions don’t apply. Simple.
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Hi @SiobhanFL
I’ve just found, and read, your listing. As a sitter I appreciate the details- e.g stating clearly your main requirements at the beginning, bed size & mattress type, need of car etc.
Like others I too question the need for a contract and have never been asked to sign one. If it is connected to the community requirements/rules etc that would be OK for me but otherwise not.
I occasionally have to be trigger happy to catch a sit before it goes to ‘reviewing’ but as soon as I’ve grabbed my spot I read all details and apply properly, or withdraw- as appropriate. I cannot understand sitters getting to the point of a video call and not evening knowing what pet you have!!! So I can well understand your frustration!
I did not find your tone unfriendly, as others have said, though perhaps you’ve already altered it? I would however find the need for a welcome gathering with the neighbours a little overwhelming and unnecessary.
My hubby & I are pretty self contained- we love meeting people- but in a more casual way on our own terms- although I understand you want your sitter to feel ‘at home’ in your community- perhaps for a single sitter (which you don’t want) that might be helpful.
As foreigners flying in car rental costs for a longer sit would be the main issue for us.
Good luck- i hope you find the right people soon!
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I think lots of people do read the listing and then scroll on, just like it’s been suggested by several others too. It is a real possibility that nobody who would theoretically be suitable is actually interested
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Hi @SiobhanFL
Sorry you are experiencing such difficulties finding a suitable sitter. The points you raise are exactly the same points raised by a HO to me for a sit I did fairly recently. I think as many others have pointed out the 5 applicant rule makes people apply without fully reading your listing plus there seems to be a spate of new sitters tempted by the ‘free holiday’ advertising THS did.
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Just to say, the contract would put me off. I figure THS covers everything (especially with Premium Membership). Maybe you could specify Premium Members only, so you know they’ve got that 24/7 vet care available. I’ve seen other listings that specify Premium Members only. Plus you’d be able to see if they’re not Premium pretty easily, and wouldn’t even need to get to video chat stage.
Maybe that’s one of the reasons you’re getting bad applicants - most of the good ones are put off by the contract, and the bad ones likely wouldn’t bother about abiding by it anyway. Obviously you’ll get sitters, but the contract narrows the pool of people willing to apply, so it’ll take longer.
Loved the listing by the way (though I’d be deterred by needing a car to just pop out and get some snacks, but I’m a Brit and we have walking rights, dagnabbit ). All those activities on site! It’d be a dream! #lifegoals 
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@Twitcher They are having a problem attracting the applicants they want. It’s quite relevant to discuss why the better sitters who read a listing carefully aren’t applying. We can’t do anything about the trigger happy applicants who don’t read the listing. But perhaps we can help the OP understand why better sitters are not applying.
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