Question:
Why would one beware when a sitter says they are a 5 star sitter? If the sitter has 65 reviews and they are 5 stars and 6 people didn’t review them at all, nor did that person review the sitter; it may have been chemistry. Albeit no harsh feelings. Aka I wouldn’t want him/her back, but maybe someone will like them.
I once didn’t give a review because I injured myself in a chair the homeowner claims she knew was broke, but forgot to tell me. I will wear that scar the rest of my life. Other than the injury and something else she hid; the sit was okay. The pet was adorable and easy. The home was immaculate and I left it that way as I ALWAYS do.
My last sit was horrific! Another story.
Your situation is inexcusable!
Are you saying all 5 star reviews are “to be taken with a grain of salt?”
If so, how and what are we doing here. I go BEYOND to do what I do as a sitter. If I get a couple of bad reviews out of three years of impressive ones… Rhetorical.
What I’m saying is there has to be checks and balances. My last homeowner changed her guide daily, even as she was out of the country. She would forget everything she said previously. I became concerned and bewildered and called THS to report her. The rest is a tale of whoa.
Don’t know if this is for me anymore. I do have mostly great memories of the platform. Even the bad sits had a silver lining. The pets; even the dog who bit me; were all precious and loved me to life.
I have multiple repeat sits. So what you’re saying is homeowners don’t know a great sitter from a poor one. Rhetorical
Begging your pardon. Sitters are NOT employees. THS is a platform for an exchange of favors if you will.
Example 1:
Homeowner: I am going in vacation and need someone to care for my home and pet(s).
Do I want a vacationer, a work from home person, a nomad (there are thousands and some take it as seriously as employment because there is a dynamic which says it’s sort of the case).
All of the above mentioned people could be your knight in shining armor or a thorn in your side. You determine that by context clues inside of a face to face interview (WhatsApp, FaceTime…).
As a new homeowner there may be some assumptions. Like you thought the platform is just for pet lovers. Well it isn’t. However; the majority of the people who do house sits are familiar with pets. Many like myself love everything about them. I miss everyone of my previous four legged friends. I’m certain they miss me.
Which above category I fit in? All of them. See, there’s as many types of people as there are in real life, and sometimes we get it WRONG. I’m thankful 95% of the time I got it right.
I had a homeowner return early and kick me out. When I told them the platform didn’t work that way they invited me to stay until the end of my sit. I declined the offer and left them in their immaculate home.
I ALWAYS leave the homes BETTER than I found them. ALWAYS. I determined we may not be employees (we’d get monetary compensation), albeit being a cleaning person in your last day whilst still taking GOoD care of the pet family gave me an edge. That came in multiple 5 star reviews.
It’s a reciprocal arena. If that’s not how you see it; you may be in for many disappointments. I wish you well. And please don’t pick people you like. Pick people who like what they do as sitters. That includes your home AND pet family.
The fact that up to 6 months ago we weren’t able to leave ‘blind’ reviews and feedback has been discussed ad nauseam. So, in fear of retaliation, most people left 5* reviews for each other.
We are all hoping to reap the benefits of the blind review system, hoping for honesty and sincerity.
You can give it your all while on a sit, but let’s not forget that the HO can still be a person more worried about a broken cereal bowl, the fact that you didn’t fold the bedsheets the way they like it, or perceive that you didn’t treat their pet well to leave a not so pleasant review.
The forum is full of such examples.
2 Likes
Two out of over 65 (maybe more )is not bad. Albeit; the last lady was allowed to call me names and diagnose me with a mental disorder. She NEVER practiced medicine. And THS says we’re not allowed to call people horrific names. Now I suppose everything goes. I asked that it be removed. Nothing…
Here is the silver lining when you have as many amazing reviews as I have:
The women calling me a “whack job” and psychotic in all caps is questionable at best.
My last negative review was a woman who we oft times refer to as Karen. She wished for me to read books on slavery whilst I were sitting. Au contraire!!
I opposed and told her I’d choose something else from her library. That sent her reeling. Her review has been drowned numerous times by 5 star opposing reviews from other homeowners. And she didn’t even call me any names. She was simply less than honest.
I’ve also been told the homeowner doesn’t like doing reviews. Hmmm? To each his own. I was once accused of giving a cat too many snacks because the cat had always hated everyone but purred and sat on my lap and shoulders…
All kinds of people. All types of sits.
I ALWAYS attempt to assist new people. They generally appreciate me wholeheartedly. The last lady thought I was being “uppity and a know-it-all.” The one before that determined for the same reason that I’d been a GOoD send and promised to tell everyone she knew about THS.
Human milue and the Aether affect. Oft times we just have to take a deep breath and carry on. Ad nauseam… Seems so.