When the HO cancels, tell them they need to cancel it officially on the THS platform with a reason.
Has to be within 14 days of start date to be valid
Contact THS HQ within 24 hours of the sit being cancelled & send the screenshot - we did this by email to support@trustedhousesitters.com
READ the Ts & Cs a couple of times to cover yourself!
Look for another sit on cancelled dates in same area - screenshot the non availability
Look for accommodation within 20 miles of the sit location (NOT where you were coming from or are going to next). Screenshot the Google map from new accommodation to old cancelled sit.
Book accommodation - cap is $150 night (but you can go higher); cap is also 10 nights at that rate (or I believe more nights but at a monetary value of $1500 MAX over 30 nights per membership year)
Get a copy of the invoice marked as paid
Submit to THS via email - the cancelled sit notice, the unavailability of alternative sits, the distance of accommodation to old sit, the bill for the accommodation
Ask for confirmation back that they have it
Follow up a few days later to check nothing is missing
Stay in touch - they advise 3/4 weeks but ours was only 2 weeks
14 days later they emailed to say "all fine, signed off, fill in this form for payment into an account of your choice (it could have been UK or Turkish)
Remember they’ll take $150 excess off your claim value
It was reimbursed into our UK bank a few days later
Total claim was $900 for 6 nights accommodation which was full length of the cancelled sit - $750 paid back in GBP (not the most amazing rate but hey, it worked!)
#devilisinthedetailsforsure
Great write up. Thank you.
So, when HO cancels or curtails a sit, do MS immediately amend the sit dates in your dashboard or do they first contact you to confirm? Is it necessary to screenshot the originally agreed dates?
Well written mate! 
@Cuttlefish
@Happypets
In our case ( curtailed sit with <24 hours notice ) HO did not contact THS .
The host sent us a message via WhatsApp .
We did a live chat ( with a human )with MS.
MS then sent us a very helpful e-mail which outlined what we needed to submit with our claim . We submitted screenshots of the messages ( we only had WhatsApp messages at this point -importantly they showed the day that the messages were received ) . This was by submitted by e-mail.
We followed up with a phone call on the Urgent Support Line ( who were very supportive and helpful ) to make sure that the screenshots met the requirements and having seen the screenshots MS said they would amend the sit end date on the system . To note this didn’t happen immediately . We checked the app a few times and it was mid afternoon when we could see that the end date had been changed .
There were no sits listed that started that same day or even up to 10 days later. However even if there had been sit listed that started on the same day by the time the sit end date was changed ( mid afternoon) that would have been too late to apply .
Bear in mind we were speed packing and taking care of the pet / covering our work and we would need to apply , chat to prospective host / confirm we couldn’t leave until the evening and then we would need to travel to the next destination .
In reality IMHO if it’s a short notice cancellation it’s highly unlikely that you’ll be able to arrange a sit that starts that same day . So the best you can do in this situation is arrange some alternative accommodation to cover you for at least a day or two giving you a breathing space and a chance to look for a sit that covers the rest of the stay. This is the advice that we were given when we contacted the Urgent Support Line
THS did not require proof that there were no sits available to apply for . However we did a search as another sit would have been our preferred option . We also took a screenshot that shows there were no listings for the dates ( just to cover ourselves )
Bravo! Fantastic writeup
Well done but I doubt I’ll ever upgrade to Premium membership and just could never be bothered with all this hassle!
I have premium and will be downgrading, because I decided to skip all the fuss and just pay for fallback plans as needed. I don’t care about lounge passes, either, so no point. If I wanted them, I can access them via credit cards.
Another question: If, like @Silversitters, one has to arrange accommodation late in the day, is it possible to opt for something cheap, cheerful and readily available (like a Travelodge, for example), then move to more appropriate accommodation when you’ve had more time to check things out?
I’m guessing, @Silversitters , that you didn’t confirm your replacement sit immediately, so how did you negotiate the length of stay at your replacement accommodation, and what was the implication regarding receipts for THS?
@Happypets In our case there were no sits listed to apply for the next 10 days and 10 days alternative accommodation maxed out the amount we could claim ( even a travel lodge would be ÂŁ75- ÂŁ 110 per night in this location ) - so we booked alternative accommodation in one block as we wanted to submit our receipts asap and get the claim submitted.
There would be no issue with having to book several different hotels as long as they fell within the 20 mile radius and you would have to wait until you had all the receipts for your claim to be submitted.
@Cuttlefish, great write-up. glad worked out. I’ve added noted on our experience in a related thread. I’d add couple incremental comments:
- Onus is on housesitter to take control of remediation efforts. THS can help clarify terms but execution takes bit of time, effort and likely stress to secure alternative accommodation and execute insurance claim.
- Pet Parents can cancel housesit prior to start date. If housesit already started then only THS MS can cancel sit on platform
- insurance payout is in same currency as alternative expense
- Sit Cancellation Insurance policy does not seem great coverage for short sits ($150 deductible) or for long sits ($1500 max)
@Silversitters That’s very useful to know, thank you. 
I’m glad it worked out for you. In my situation, I found that Trusted House Sitters did everything they could find a loophole to avoid paying Even after I followed these steps. I didn’t even realise I was a premium member. Until I called immediately after I heard that it had been cancelled with my concerns.
It wasn’t until I insisted on a coffee of the telephone transcript that we had that they backed down and paid as during the telephone conversation. I was told that I was 99% able to find alternative accommodation. It was incredibly stressful though. I am glad that in the end, I managed to get my Sit covered but I just wanted to make those of you aware that it’s not always clean
Welcome to the forum @Cleobury thank you for the tip about getting a transcript of the conversation with Member Services - this is useful information.
Can you clarify what you mean by this - was this a sit that the host cancelled or a sit that you had to leave because the sit broke the THS T&Cs ?
The HO cancelled two days before. I did nothing wrong.
Cleo.
Edited to remove personal details as per the Terms of Service.
We had a cancellation and the Pet had to come home early and we said we had to go and get a hotel
HO sent us lots of different available sits in the area. But they were appropriate for us. We’re not prepared to go and sit in, a small home with many house cats or numerous rescue dogs.
Do you think they still payout if they were sits nearby but not appropriate?
No I don’t think so. They found you a sit for the dates @Gayle2025 and so am pretty sure that would be that even if it wasn’t one you would choose normally. #tsandcsmightsaymore
I am slightly confused by your post @Gayle2025
HO - is this the Home owner
or member services ?
“But they were appropriate for us.” I assume you mean not appropriate ?
It’s the first time that I heard of MS sending a list of sits - but even if you had time to apply - which if owner comes home early is hardly anytime at all , THS can’t force those pet parents choose you as their sitter .
Welcome to the club my friend. Definitely not worth the money or hassle. And unfortunately, bad reviews, especially when cancelled or changed DURING a sit only reflect badly on the sitter not the host no matter how delicately they are worded…
Premium member
Sit Curtailed 30 Oct-
Claim submitted 30 Oct
Claim approved today 5 Nov ( 6 days later)
Will update this post with more details and the dates when funds are received .
So far very impressed with the process and the support from member services .