Wow! It really is helpful to read the forum posts!
It would never have occurred to me that it could be invasive to use the streaming platforms when they are offered and there’s no guest account. I’ve done that in several occasions. I may have also left subtitles on. I now feel bad about it, I’m even tempted to apologize although it would not make much sense to do it now.
Again, I think clear information is key. I’d rather have a long detailed guide with lots of boundaries than try to guess what it is important for the HO. There are quite a few things you can tell by the state of the house but not everything is that obvious. I always try to leave the house spotless and to place things in their original position and never use food or toiletries unless clearly specified by owners and even then quite moderately but the platform thing has really caught me by surprise.
@Newpetlover
Don’t stress.
We always use host streaming platforms, No host, to my knowledge has ever been offended, and if they ever were, I wouldn’t be bothered at all.
It’s hardly the crime of the century. Some people are far too sensitive.
We use them too. But it takes only a few minutes to set up a guest account so you dont screw with their viewing status of movies and series. It also means you can set your own preferences so the suggestions are more in line with what you like.
Yup, I’ve got multiple profiles set up on my own account. Like when people with kids come to visit my place, I connect them with the kids’ profile. That’s because I don’t need weeks of the algorithm recommending that I watch cartoons or kids’ shows, LOL.
someone complained on the forum about the cushions being left in disarray by the sitters
I just finished a sit which had pretty much every streaming service imaginable and was very impressed that on every single one there was a profile set up specifically for house sitters. I’ve never encountered that before. Especially while the owners have had house sitters on a couple of occasions before they weren’t like super frequent users (at least as far as the website is concerned). Nevertheless I still “cleaned” up after myself and made sure that there aren’t any half watched
Shows/movies sitting on the profile. It’s pedantic I know.
Can we create a post on “things we wouldn’t let a home owner get away with”? 
Don’t stress. Anyone who finds that their world caves in because their Netflix algorithm has been accidentally disrupted by a house-sitter is a very lucky person. Unfortunately there are far worse things to lose sleep over.
Please don’t feel bad. It is not realistic or reasonable to invite someone into your home and say “oh yeah, you can only walk my dogs, sleep in the bed and use the restroom. Please dont touch anytjing else in my home”.
Mutually beneficial. Don’t forget.
No need to stress or overreact. To recap, a host just said this:
A pet peeve is minor and everyone has them. Shrug.
If you’re not familiar with guest profiles on streaming accounts, they’re easy to set up and many people already have them. Like my husband and I each have our own profiles. We have totally different tastes in movies and shows.
Platforms like Netflix created that feature because many users worldwide wanted separate profiles. (I know folks who work/worked there.) Also, parents often want to limit what their kids are exposed to viewing wise. So for instance, families who sit might actually want to use different profiles among themselves even if they’re using the host’s account.
Again, no biggie.
What an interesting topic!
After sitters covering the basics:
I) arriving on appropriate date/time
ii) looking after all the pets and plants (i.e. all living things) really well
iii) leaving the house clean and tidy
iv) not taking/using any of the HOs personal belongings/household goods that have not been specifically offered
V) no major breakages and basic polite respect for the HOs home and privacy
I would find it hard to believe that anyone would give a bad review for any other issue. Unless they have clearly specified something in their profile/manual that has not been taken into account by sitter.
For example, I am a wee bit of a cleanliness freak and leave everything pristine, but expect it to be that way when I arrive too. So I say so in my profile. I may miss a few sits in places I’d love to visit but so far have never had to clean on arrival (not the case in many Airbnb’s!).
My own ubersweet cleaning lady hasn’t learnt after 10 years where anything goes in my house!! 
So putting cutlery in the wrong draw, and similar “misdemeanors” should not be taken into account IMHO.
Reading this interesting exchange of thoughts, I think I have been really lucky with HOs…(and they with me 
heehee). I think a reasonably lengthy video interview allows sitters to filter out HOs who may be impossible to please and/or that tend to treat you in the interview as if you were going to be a paid employee. And let’s HOs filter out personalities or traits that would not be of their liking.
I do understand that the sitter lifestyle is great for us (if you’re very choosy and careful) but we are also great for the HOs. And the gratitude has to go both ways. If this is not obvious in the interview, I tend to get put off. And I guess vice versa.
This is a fascinating lifestyle full of adventure and adorable pets (hate that word - we’ll have to come up with a new one).
I have an Amazon Firestick with all my accounts/subscriptions on it (Netflix, HBO etc), that travels with me to all my sits. Just plug it in the back of the TV. Very handy. And no messing with HOs apps/accounts.
I open up all kitchen drawers and cabinets and take photos at the beginning of the sit so that on the last day, it looks exactly the same.
This is what I’ve been doing recently. I have bad memory at times so this helps me make sure I put everything back in place
Unfortunately I didn’t. I was not aware of the review format update and chose to leave no review at all for the person who peed all over my bathroom.
For the lady who wanted to lock my pets up, we couldn’t leave a review as we cancelled her hours before the sit started.
Thankfully almost every experience with sitters has been amazing otherwise.
I wish @admins would update the TOS to add a clause for situations which make a sit unsafe for pets before the start.
I hope they read your post.
Thank goodness for your response!
Great idea, I just did that
That is so gross. Reminds me of a guy from Couchsitters who watched my cats once. Not only did he not bother to clean up after himself, but he left a literal pile of hair on the toilet seat, as if he shaved! 
My daughter came over last year and rearranged the KFS order to SFK or FKS…god knows. Just get the knife, fork, spoon out, use it, wash it, put it back…somewhere