It did come as a surprise, I left her a good review in regards to her pet care. But she failed to water the garden for three weeks, broke the umbrella, ruined a brand new set of sheets . Why would someone be skeptical of a response - for example she said I was not hospitable. I pointed out that I picked her up at the bus station, made her dinner and drove her grocery shopping the day she arrived. She also stayed two extra days after the sit …..if I was that inhospitable why stay! It’s water under the bridge but I wont leave a negative review again. I just simply won,t leave a review.
Based on what you wrote, my guess is that she knew you were mad about the dying plants, the broken umbrella and the sheets, so she pre-empted the negative review with one of her own to damage your credibility and weaken the blow to her own. Next time don’t express your displeasure as there’s nothing to be gained and everything to lose. Just act like everything is fine right up until you drop the sitter off or they walk out the door for the last time.
What you do about the review is up to you. No review, honest negative review pointing out the problems, or do what I did in a very similar situation, leave a false positive review to avoid conflict, but only do that if you have no reason to expect you’ll be the recipient of a negative review.
I really wish people would be honest. Not vindictive, just honest. If you are a bad host or sitter then people need to know. Not leaving a review to avoid conflict? Don’t worry I look at that with concern too. State the facts and leave it at that. If your location is good you will likely still get applications because some people will accept a less than ideal situation for a great location. If your location is not so great then what might make the sit more enticing? Either way I wish everyone would get over this tit for tat mentality, it does nobody any favours.
In an ideal world, everyone would be perfectly honest despite the repercussions.
The truth is another story.
You’re not going to change human nature simply by asking nicely.
Well you could be part of the solution instead of part of the problem. Apparently you have a very desirable sit so likely you could get away with being more factual in your reviews. Start a new standard?
I’m no martyr.
Yeah we all know.
I’m just trying to fit in.
Not leaving a review for a sitter makes that sit invisible to the THS community. Not helpful.
I’m confused that you think your review of the sitter caused the sitter to give you a negative review. Since August 2023, your sitter could not see your review of them until after they did their review of you. Once a review is submitted, it can not be changed. So the idea that the sitter reacted to m something you wrote does not work. Before August 2023, it was possible, caused a lot of problems and triggered the change in the review process.
Not in the forum. You’re just trying to be controversial. I don’t mind. I enjoy some controversy, so I will keep replying for the time being
You keep assuming that what you do represents human nature in spite of lots of people on this forum saying otherwise.
You’re suggesting that what “lots of people say on the forum” is correct and because I tend to differ on this matter, I’m wrong.
Consider for a moment that the problem of dishonest reviews by members fearing retaliatory negative backlash was so rampant that THS moved to a double blind system.
Yes it’s human nature to put the needs of the many aside when it conflicts with one’s own goals. On this platform lots of members do it by not leaving a deserved negative review.
I’m one of the few that openly admits to it.
There you go again! Considering you were not a member of THS until a few months ago, you have no actual proof of this being the sole reason because you never experienced the review system when it wasn’t blind. And just basing your opinion on forum comments isn’t proof where forum membership makes up a small percentage of total membership and many new members have joined, like you, who only know the current review process.
Please educate me. Why did THS implement the double blind review system if not to discourage members from leaving false positive reviews or no review at all, to avoid retaliatory negative backlash in the form of a negative review directed back at them?
Why not contact THS itself and seek that information then you will have it straight from the horse’s mouth @idocsteve?
I already know the answer. 
Here’s the AI answer to my query:
TrustedHousesitters uses a double-blind review system where reviews are hidden from both parties until one person submits their review or 14 days have passed after the sit ends. This system allows both the homeowner and the sitter to leave honest feedback without fear of immediate retaliation, as they cannot see the other’s review beforehand. After the 14-day window closes or one party submits their review, the reviews become visible to both members.
No, I am not at all suggesting that what people say on the forum is correct. I am openly saying that I assume they’re telling the truth. As many people say they write honest reviews and I assume they’re human beings, their actions may be taken as representative of “human nature” as yours.
Even that is arguable but that’s not the point. Not everyone considers that writing an honest review goes against their own goals. You just seem to be diversity blind and tend to think we are all moved by the same motivations.
I know, I know. Lots of your posts
So you’re now quoting against your own point.
You have strongly argued against this part
You’re incorrect, however I understand your confusion.
The double blind review system was put in place by THS because, as I said, it is human nature to fear negative feedback and the consequences of such, as retribution for leaving an honest deserved negative review. Human nature being what it is, the problem was so widespread among the THS membership that this policy was necessary in order to encourage members to be more honest in their reviews.
Although the double blind system is an improvement it does not completely mitigate the problem, as a member who leaves a deserved negative review can still be subject to a retaliatory reply by the member for whom the negative review is left.
This turns into a he said/she said situation where future members are left deciding who is to blame, and in many situations it can be damaging to both the offending member and the injured party. Especially if the injured party has less positive history than the member they are leaving the negative review for.
That is why I chose not to leave a negative review for a poor sitter. I had only 1 prior review, against this sitters multiple 5 star reviews. My negative would have stood out like a sore thumb and future sitters might very well have said “this host must be unreasonable to rate such an excellent sitter like that”. In fact most of those 5 star reviews were probably undeserved, for all the reasons stated above.
If you have further questions or require further clarification, please feel free to ask.
At the risk of being repetitive, because there were so many members who left dishonest positive reviews, or who neglected to leave any review because of fear of negative retaliatory feedback, it was necessary for THS to implement the new policy.
Forum members may claim they leave honest negative reviews, but they are in the minority as evident by the new double blind policy which addresses the countless members who do not leave honest negative reviews.
