Hello, would value your thoughts on THS support reply to a query.
Im really keen on a particular sit. However, on reading through the details the HO states “I have a housemate who is here some of the time but he has his own room and living area.”
Now to me, that suggests he lives in the same house.
I contacted THS support who dont have a problem with this!!!
I’m confused!!
I sadly won’t be applying as I’m a solo female sitter and don’t want to be in a house with a strange man.
1 Like
If the housemate will be there during your stay and has access to the rooms you will be using and shared common areas - kitchen bathroom etc then this listing doesn’t abide by clause 5.2.13.
“ensure your home is vacated for a Sitter throughout the duration of the Sit , and that no third parties will interfere with the Sitter’s enjoyment of your property;”
2 Likes
Hello @MarieHuggins Thank you for raising this, it does sound odd as that is not in line with our third-party policy. I have passed this back as there seems to have been some confusion by the agent. Please look out for an email from Membership Services.
1 Like
Much appreciated.
I did think.it a rather odd and insensitive response.
2 Likes
@MarieHuggins This is 100% against THS’s policy stating that NO THIRD PARTIES are permitted on the property once the HOs are gone and the sitters are there.
Agents in Member Services need to be properly trained to enforce THS’s policy.
4 Likes
I recently did a sit that had a third party. The HO ran a small business out of her home and had an employee that did office work there. I was told about this on arrival. The third party had a key and no set schedule, she could just come and go at any time. Member services basically said that’s too bad. They said I could file a complaint after the sit. If I wanted to leave I would be required to stay until the HO made other arrangements. However, there was no timeline on that, so if the HO just didn’t make other arrangements, again, that’s just too bad for me. So, think about that, an HO clearly in violation of the T&Cs, but according to member services that’s ok and the sitter would be the one with the consequences if unwilling to accept it. WTF. One of the many reasons I’m pretty much fed up with THS.
7 Likes
That’s dreadful!
Im beginning to think THS is very favourable to HO but not to us sitters.
That’s a flagrant breaking of a fundamental rule!
How long ago was this?
3 Likes
I had the adult son of the HO just walk into the locked house while I was napping after a long walk with the dogs I was sitting. He was sent to check on the dogs. I was frightened to wake up to a man letting himself into the house.
I didn’t have the courage to tell the HO that this wasn’t OK. The review system was open at the time and this was my first sit.
3rd parties are a big issue.
7 Likes
I feel for you on this, I really do. I’ve had more than my fair share of similar situations throughout my time doing this and I’ve become a bit jaded with it all now.
Whenever I’ve escalated these matters to the phone line, there appears to be a lot of floundering and ultimately no loyalty or responsibility to the sitter and it’s all about the HO.
I of course get that the animals need to be protected and prioritised but that should not mean at our expense and that we have to be compromised in order for that to happen.
6 Likes
That must’ve been terrifying.
I was solo cat-sitting once in a lovely house in the south of England. I was having a bit of a lie in one Sunday when I heard the front door downstairs open. Then, I heard whoever it was started running up the stairs and then the door of the bedroom I was in flew right open.
It turned out to be the HO’s son-in-law. He said he’d come to look for his skiing equipment and he believed it was in the room I was in. He was very aggressive and entitled and this whole experience was really unnerving. I felt really jittery for the rest of the day and never really settled fully at that house again after that.
Worst of it was, I’d made a point of asking the HO before entering into the arrangement if there’d be any third parties entering the property and was assured there wouldn’t be.
6 Likes
That’s terrible! These incidences need firm and decisive followup by THS. A HO should be put on some sort of probationary status if this occurs.
5 Likes
I agree but I don’t think it ever happens to be honest. A few years ago, a HO had her teenage kids come back halfway through the sit. I did complain to ThS and they assured me this HO would face a sanction of some description. I always had my doubts about whether this was actually followed up on as the very same HO reached out to me last month and asked me if I’d like to sit for her again. I couldn’t believe her audacity and it goes without saying, it was a definite decline.
4 Likes
@Chatsetchiens what a horrible situation- how disrespectful to you - did you include this information in your review at the time ?
In my early and naive days of sitting, I had an occasion on TH where HO’s adult children came to the house with three mates for a weekend. I cooked and cleaned for them thinking nothing of it, kind of played surrogate mother 
It didn’t bother me then but I’m now older and wiser. Definitely not something I would do now 
1 Like
This suggests to me that THS really do need to focus on the basics - i.e. making sure sits meet the THS terms and conditions and providing accurate information when sits are reported.
Quite honestly if THS is looking for growth in the manner that recent changes have indicated they have to professionalise their systems (this is no disrespect to individuals working for THS who can only operate within the systems provided). It really should not be up to members to monitor and report sits - there should be ways to ensure all meet the requirements i.e. no third parties, at least one overnight etc etc.
Whilst I accept that one or two sits may slip through any ‘net’ the number I have reported let alone all those that other members report indicate to me that the system is not fit for purpose.
7 Likes
There needs to be tighter regulations.
Just 
awful
2 Likes
@Chatsetchiens oh my god. That is just plain wrong!!!
@anon42826925 100% agree. I hope admin are following this thread.
1 Like
@ziggy I’m genuinely lost for words!!!
Having said that, some of the sits i read sou d as if they are looking for an unpaid housekeeper!!!
1 Like
@LizBCN agree. I’ve reported several and I only joined in June!