I’m currently out of town. My welcome guide states that I have outdoor cameras for security purposes. I just saw that my sitter had a guest. As they were backing out of the driveway, I happened to see someone in the passenger seat. This visitor didn’t enter thru the front or back door so not sure when they arrived. I would’ve said yes to a visitor but would’ve preferred that they asked permission first. Should I say something now or wait until the petsit is over?
If you can’t see how they’ve entered the house maybe it was a local friend who picked up/met your sitter to go out for a coffee or something?
What is it exactly that you want to say/are worried about? Given that they don’t seem to have entered the house, did you specify that the sitter shouldn’t have anyone within the boundaries of your property, including the driveway?
Being a sitter, I would never have guests without the homeowners approval so it’s understandable you’re concerned. Maybe continue to monitor your camera activity and determine if it’s ongoing. It’s a tough situation as you want to be sure your pets are the priority and having unexpected visitors is not something I would want as a homeowner.
Hello @RMRL are you sure the guest has been in your home and not just in the car on the driveway as that’s pretty tenuous to bring up if so? Totally fine to specify asking for visitors but you’ll need clear facts or a very open type of question to start the discussion. If you raise it as an issue now then gently does it. If you’re not sure then perhaps on return is better as an in person chat. Do you have good comms with your sitter? #allaboutbalance
My concern is that I was unaware that other people were going to be in my house without prior knowledge, granted I never mentioned anything about having guests. The first time I saw the video all parties were outside but they have since returned to inside the house. I want to say something now because I really don’t really want this ‘guest’ to sleep over but I also don’t want any repercussions.
Oh yes, she has been inside. And by the looks of it, is spending the night there as I write this. I can’t sleep knowing this. I do have good communication with my sitter.
Yes, your concern is completely understandable if they’re staying at the house.
In my experience, it’s a good idea to discuss this in advance - I have been to sit where it was stated ‘we’d rather no visitors came to the house’ (in this case they ran a furniture business from the property, so it was a security thing). Personally, I’d never have guests unless the HO expressly said this was ok (which they often do, tbh, as I usually do long/repeat sits).
I think it’s totally fine to raise this with your sitter, especially as you have good comms. It could be just misunderstanding, and that s/he thought it was ok to have visitors in the absence of being told otherwise. I’d just be be upfront.
Remind the sitter of the guidelines and be clear that you DO NOT approve of guests in your home. The sitter is putting you in a pretty crappy position:-( Maybe preface your comms with
Example text:
“I’m so happy that you and “pet” are getting along and you are settling in. I was surprised to see a stranger on my doorbell camera… I want to keep the lines of communications open and let you know that the THS guide advises against unapproved guests during the sit. I DO NOT approve of guests, other than you, in my home. If your guest is still there (in house), please ask them to leave. I really appreciate you taking care of my pup and I want to keep the lines of communication open. If this is a problem, please let me know. I hope all continues to go well and you are enjoying the location. Please let me know if you have any questions.”
- Do not invite anyone else into the owner’s home without prior permission from the owner. If this has been agreed, remember that your guests respect the home and pet(s) that you are caring for and that you are responsible for your guest(s) good behaviour and for ensuring that they behaving in accordance with your agreement with the home owner.
Good Luck and I’m really sorry you have to deal with this.
That’s not on at all @RMRL. Message your sitter and say that you haven’t agreed to guests and it’s breaking the THS third party policy by having them there. Can she please get in touch asap. Then you can discuss & put it right. #bestofluck
It could well be just a new made friend who had offered to pick up, or an old friend. I have done a couple of sits where I have been approx a half hours drive or so from a friends. Once they did not come into the house but simply parked outside and I walked the dog out with her for a couple of hours, had a meal at a pub, had another wallk around before she drove home. No coming into the home at all. I didn’t mention as only knew the night before she could come and basically never came into the home. The second occasion a friend drove and picked me up in their car on the drieveway, I was then dropped back later. These loccasions did not seem worth mentioning. If they had wanted to stay, or come inside then I would have asked permission but they didn’t. As mentioned that camera’s never showed this guest entering or leaving the house it could well be the same, just being picked up by a friend etc. As not coming into the house, sitter likely did not think worth mentioning. And to be honest it really isn’t. Would kind of come across as if you were spying on them.
They entered thru the back door and not the front door. I didn’t know how to mention it without seeming like I’m spying.
Since your Welcome Guide states that you have outside cameras, your sitter should know that guests would be seen. I’d address it the way akqueenQ1 suggested.
I’m on a sit with 2 approved friends, right now (no outdoor cameras). One of my fellow travelers had a friend from another town that wanted to visit with her. I isent a text to the homeowner immediately and asked if it was ok for the friend to come over briefly before they headed out for a lunchtime catch-up. She got right back to me and said, “of course”. That’s the way your sitter should have handled it—and certainly NOT to have a guest spend the night.
My current sitter knows I have a doorbell camera and I love seeing that my dog is getting 3 walks per day. She figured out how to meet both of their needs, since she’s an online worker all day. She also asked ahead of time if her brother and sister could come over for a few minutes one day so they could all go out to eat together. Upfront communication on both parties is definitely the key and you have the right to expect your sitter to follow the TH rules.
Best wishes.
They entered thru the back door and not the front door. I didn’t know how to mention it without seeming like I’m spying.
Well, you are spying. And you are worked up about it. I think you need to own that and say something to your sitter. Clearly the two of you aren’t on the same page.
As a sitter I would NEVER have anyone enter the home without permission, let alone stay there. But I also strongly prefer not being spied on.
I took the advice of akqueen01. The sample wording definitely helped. I didn’t know how to initiate it without coming across angrily (which I was) and thinking worse case scenario as a repercussion. Instead, the sitter was very apologetic and explained who this ‘friend’ was. This sitter is new to the platform so they could consider this a lesson learned in the future. I’ve been using THS for a little over a year but is still a learning process for me, as I’m learning that EVERYTHING should be spelled out - no guests without prior approval, how long sitters should leave a senior dog alone, etc. I didn’t think to specify things like ‘no guests’ because if I were a sitter, I’d never do that.
I appreciate all of your help with this. I had a sleepless night last night thinking about this.
Thanks for the update @RMRL great to hear that it’s worked out and you have kept good communication with your sitter.
As the OP you should see a tick box under @akqueen01 post which you can tick to show that she has solved / answered your question .
I too had a sitter who had had guests over despite my verbal and written instructions not too. My neighbors confirmed seeing different cars in my driveway on several nights and I saw two different people on the property via my outdoor cameras (pointed out to the HS) prior. This sitter also failed to follow many other instructions, including leaving my elderly dog outside in the heat while gone for hours. After I was home I saw my dog on the camera desperately trying to find a way back in. In utter amazement at the behavior I thought perhaps house sitters need to pass a quiz before being accepted. And maybe even signing a contract to follow some of the most important rules. It makes me think of hotels that have you sign an agreement to pay $250 if you smoke in your room. Aren’t our pets and homes not worth that much?
@Gentlefarm sorry to hear of your experience. Did you raise a member dispute with THS about this ?
@Gentlefarm Please tell us you left a factual review about this sitter.
As a HO, I need factual reviews as I consider potential sitters.
I wasn’t aware of that. Done…thanks.
I did not as I feared retaliation (sitter is local enough) and I didn’t tell TH for the same reason, and I’ve read here that they don’t do much anyway. I did cancel my membership which expires this fall. Really a shame as I’ve read about great sitters too. It’s a huge deal to let strangers stay in your private home and with your beloved animals.