Internal cameras are not permitted on THS sits for very good reasons and having them would not necessarily prevent thefts -
If cameras were permitted and the camera recorded a sitter stealing something , The most THS would do ( when a member dispute is raised and the evidence is presented ) is ban the sitter from the platform.
They would not get involved in recovering the item or any claims for compensation for the loss. You would need to get the police involved and your insurance involved for this.
I understand that. We have no internal cameras and the police are not interested in any thefts. We do not claim as it raises our premiums. I make this point as so many of the posts seem to complain about the HO. Sometimes with. good reason. There are a fair few sitters that are never held to account. This does the really excellent sitters no favours. People are a lot more blunt on social media but I do not like posting and commenting on these platforms where there is no control.
If people don’t write honest reviews and raise disputes by letting THS know, they’re contributing to the problems.
If THS gets complaints, then they can at least track and react as needed. If not, how do people (whether hosts or sitters) think anything will magically improve?
It’s already been said, but apparently bears repeating: Reviews are blind, thus avoiding any aspect of retaliation. If you are 100% positive a sitter stole from you, you should contact the sitter to ask about it, and then mention in the review.
We had a sit where we noticed there were cameras in the lounge and kitchen. My husband was working at the time and using company credit cards. So very confidential. We looked online to find the cameras and were very surprised to find they were like tv cameras with full audio. So I put my phone near one with music next to it and stuffed the tall cats climbing frame next to it with a cushion on it. ( we were looking after five cats at the time. ) That was ten years ago with THS. We are now vigilant looking for cameras but generally ask first
I am very troubled by this. You have had only seven sitters. That means that two of them are allegedly thieves.
Below are excerpts from the seven reviews you left for thieves and non-thieves alike:
1) “I would highly recommend them to any house sitter and will be very happy to welcome them back again.” 2) “She has been a pleasure to have in the house and we will welcome her back anytime.” 3) “We would love to have you back anytime.” 4) “We would love to have you back anytime and would not hesitate to recommend you to anyone.” 5) “We would welcome [name redacted] and [name redacted] back anytime.” 6) [Review from you inaccessible as member is no longer on the platform] 7) “We would very much like them to sit for us again and could not recommend them enough.”
So - assuming #6, now no longer on the platform, was one of the thieves - you said you would welcome one of the other thieves back at any time?
I dug down into the reviews for the members still on the platform. All of them had repeat, glowing, five-star reviews (with the occasional docked star for “clean and tidy”) I dug through their other reviews from other hosts, and none - not one - mentioned things going missing.
So I feel compelled to ask - what was stolen? You seem to imply the theft took place in the kitchen. Was it, say, a stand mixer that cost hundreds of pounds? Or was it a packet of crisps or a £7jar of truffle mayo?
The reviews were written before the items were missed. One was for about £150 and for us this was not a small amount. The other was a small item again not missed immediately. It was an historic artefact that is irreplaceable although probably not of great value. I would not be bothered in the slightest if it was a packet of crisps! We tell our guest that they can use the food. It did go through THS and did everything correctly. You cannot change your reviews. I now lock most of our rooms
Many years ago I did an extended sit in Germany (not through THS). A few days after my departure the hosts called to inquire about a small, exquisite platter I had admired upon my arrival. It turned out to be a treasured family heirloom that they always kept on the dining table in honor of a family member, and they were somewhat distraught that they could not locate it after I left.
Well, over the many weeks of sitting there and eating many meals at that dining table, I had placed it in the china cabinet. It had lots and lots of other platters and knick knacks, and the treasure was invisible amongst them. They were overjoyed to have it “back” (it was never gone), and admitted, somewhat abashedly and with extensive apologies, that they assumed I had taken it since I had admired it so much. The real purpose of the call had been to get me to 'fess up and mail it back! (We are now great friends and I visit them frequently).
How did your sitters respond when you asked them about the missing items?
If I’m locked out of certain rooms of the house then I know the HO doesn’t trust me, not the vibe I look for in this excahnge known as THS.
I mean Trusted is right there in the name.
If I know there will be rooms locked off from me before the sit, I’ll take a pass.
On all my sits I rarely go into rooms beyond where I sleep, where I eat and/or prepare food, or where I relax. But feeling like I’m barred from portions of the house due to lack of trust is an overall bad vibe IMO.
If I accepted and completed a sit without knowing there were several rooms locked off, you can bet I’ll mention that in my review by documenting that I was barred from XX number of rooms which was not disclosed ahead of time and which made me feel as if I was not completely trusted with the contents and pets in the home.
How rude and unpleasant. Please do not comment on something you know nothing about. We have a cleaner and a gardener. You would have the whole days for visits.
Relax, I wasn’t commenting on your house, I didn’t realize your comment was anything other than a possible example of the size of a home that would be advertised for a sit.
But note that Blindly isn’t part of the Trusted House Sitters name.
We have locks on our master bedroom closets letting us put away whatever we don’t care to share about ourselves to brand new acquaintances.
It strikes me as ironic that certain sitters take umbrage at any suggestion that HOs maintain some boundaries in their homes, with their pets or use of the vehicles while, in other threads, sitters balk at the “privacy invasion” of sharing their full ID and home address with the HO. Trusted is a 2 way street and is rarely absolute even between close acquaintances and family members. Sitters might also keep in mind that HOs inherently bring much more trust to the THS arrangement than is required sitters.
It is possible rooms are locked for the safety of the pets. In many homes where I’ve set, certain rooms were locked off to keep the cats from either breaking highly valuable fragile items or getting lost in tight hiding spaces. I never took it personally.
Without knowing the situation you assumed that you would be an unpaid estate manger. I have seen a lot more being asked of in a small house with just 2 dogs. Not to be left alone for over 2 hours etc. Your comment is unjustified and not based on fact.
