I get the Trusted times, weekly sit alerts, one on Friday introducing new membership plans, congratulations on your 5 star review please review us. So I certainly get some
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So as a new owner with my first listing who wants to do it right, I read through a lot of the forum postings. My dilemma initially was confirming a sitter quickly. Most of what I read here indicates sitters want answers in 2-3 days of applying. I don’t blame you. But from my perspective that’s near impossible to do. I had 11 applications before pausing after 12 hours on Day 1. On Day 2 we reviewed the 11 applications and whatever other info was in the profiles and reviews. We reached out to #1 choice on Day 2 with a question which they answered on Day 3. We did not feel it was necessary to reach out to every sitter even though they all looked great. But we didn’t reject anyone either until we had a confirmed sitter. Because of a conflict on dates with #1, we reached out to #2 choice that same day 3 and set up FaceTime call for Day 4. We locked in with this sitter on the afternoon of Day 4. The evening of Day 4, I wrote personal declinations to the other 10 applicants. I can’t even imagine if you didn’t know to pause the listing how long it would take an owner to go through 30-40 applications! Not that it’s right, but I can see some owners being flooded with applications and just going through a handful before locking in a sitter. They hit the confirm sitter button knowing the system sends out the automatic declinations. I was so glad I only had to do 10! But there are so many good sitters and you can only choose one!
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Hi @Trudzie - In my opinion, you did it all right. Not allowing too many applicants as it gets overwhelming, reading all your applicants then a couple of days to get your preferred choice and letting the others know - All perfect and, as a sitter I wish all Homeowners were like you.
I applied for a Sit due to start in December - I applied on August 5th and it was read on August 6th. The sit is still live and asking for applications, it currently has 16-20 - and I am yet to receive so much as an acknowledgement for having received mine ! Grrrr
As I understand, sitters do not ask for confirmation or decline after 2-3 days but at least a note how long they might have to wait until a choice is going to be made.
Last week I received 4 applications for my listing in December and answered each within 1-2 hrs. Then I asked all applicants if they can wait to do a video call until after the 24th, because we will be away. I promised to decide quickly after the calls and I let everyone of them know that there are 3 others in competition. All of them agreed to wait and none said the wait is too long.
Again, it’s all about communication.
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You have some great advice so far from @Colin and @anon39388349. As an example, I applied for a sit this evening, within the first few minutes of it being posted. The homeowner sent me a quick email to say they would like to wait a little to give others time to apply. I responded and said that was understandable. Within an hour it was at the 4-7 range. I’m content to wait a while now, knowing they have a job similar to yours ahead of them.
For another recent listing where I expected they would have many applications, I promptly received a response with the timeframe when I could expect a decision would be made.
Great communication from both homeowners, in my opinion.
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Hi @Angela_L would you be kind enough to post what the home owners’ email in relation to preparing for their sitter looks like please. I have yet to sit for an owner who has received one of these emails but know of two very experienced sitters who have received the Spring Clean one and were not at all impressed. That would be my reaction too and I’m sure that of many other sitters. Obviously the email is not being sent to every sitter about to finish a sit. Considering the number of comments made by sitters in relation to dirty and unclean homes they have arrived at and had to clean, it would seem that not too many owners are receiving this email. Could this "Spring Clean’ topic and current comments be moved out of this thread and into a new one as I’m sure both HO and HS would find it of interest?
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Hi @temba I will connect with our CRM team on the owner email send.
I have moved this topic to Owner & Sitter Exchange - TrustedHousesitters Community Forum as the entire conversation is relevant to both owners and sitters
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@Angela_L , Thank you for posting the owner’s email. I would like to suggest a few additions: Along with the items by the second bullet, ask owners to leave space in their refrigerator and freezer for their sitter’s food By the third bullet add, clean pet waste (litter boxes and yards) and make sure your pet is fresh and clean.
A fourth item would be to please make sure you have completed your Welcome Guide and sent it to your sitter.
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Hi @mars they are excellent points all of which are included in the checklist.
We keep email copy as short as possible to encourage engagement and use a CTA … Call To Action directing the reader to view the more comprehensive owner checklist. When emails are too long engagement is significantly reduced, defeating the object of the send.
Colin, have you chased the HO? Personally, I would have messaged them to withdraw my application as waiting 6 weeks plus is a step too far imo.
Thank you, Angela, for posting this as it’s good to see what is sent to owners.
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Hi LTD - I’ll just let it lie until I get accepted for a sit that overlaps the dates. I don’t hang around waiting for acceptance but continue to apply until we get accepted. If they miss out because of their slow response then it is their loss.
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Hi Angela
I just wondered where this checklist could be accessed?
Or is it something that is emailed to HO’s prior to a sit?
Just asking out of curiosity as I’m a sitter!!
On a recent sit I did, very little prep was done which would have been necessary for my arrival & I’m just wondering what is on the checklist out of curiosity.
Thanks
Fluffball 
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Hi @Fluffball the checklist can be accessed from the pre sit emails sent to owners before their sitters arrive, sitters get a similar email before leaving the sit.
All of this information sits on the website Blog however we are looking at having a place on the forum for this information … do you think would that be helpful?
Meanwhile here are both the owner and sitter’s lists
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That’s great!! Thanks Angela!!
Yep, I think that would be excellent to have it in a section on the forum!!
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We’ve done half a dozen sits this summer and not received that email either. Thank goodness. Don’t think I’d like it much.
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I don’t think the system is that clever. It is possibly linked somehow to me not getting the reminder to leave feedback though