I’ve a notification saying I have one unread message. When I click on the notification it brings up my Inbox, but I’ve no idea which is the unread one.
Can I filter by ‘unread’.
On a similar topic, can I search the Forum by text ?
Thanks
Hi @Liffy99 in your TrustedHousesitters account inbox, messages in white are unread when read they appear “greyed out” you can search the forum using the Spy glass and entering key words , topic titles and categories.
I hope that helps
Thanks, but only a partial solution.
The ‘greyed out’ difference is quite subtle and easy to miss, especially if an unread message needs scrolling down to find.
As for the Search facility, this is only of use if you know what you are looking for. I would not know what an unread message is likely to contain !
Surely it is not too difficult to add a read / unread marker to a message, and then be able to sort by that marker ?
Regards
Stephen
Hi
Hope you got my previous reply and understand what the problem is.
On a separate note - we have been invited to several repeat sits, some of those invitations have simply been made by phone or email, others in the usual way through THS.
In the former case of course there is no option to leave feedback as the sit was never advertised. Is it possible for THS members to add further feedback without a sit having been advertised and completed in the usual way ?
Thanks
Hi @Liffy and I’m going to tag @Therese for further clarification on your questions, but my understanding is that it isn’t possible to add reviews or feedback retrospectively if the sit hasn’t been properly listed through the TrustedHousesitters platform, or to go back on the original feedback to expand beyond the first reviews (I think that’s what you were asking?)
As long term sitters we have experienced similar situations to you where for repeats the owners frequently reach out directly via Whatsapp or email, because that’s been a preference for sit reporting.
We learned very quickly to ask them to put any agreed listing dates on the platform so we could accept them for the very real benefit to both, as you mention in your post. Reviews / feedback are important for both sitters and owners and especially repeats, because they demonstrate the build up of trust that’s so important to many. If I look at a sit and see that a sitter has been back more than once or many times it tells me this is a good house sit, and that works both ways, for owners looking at sitter history. I know there’s no guarantee, but it does give a fair indication 
We haven’t been in a situation yet where an owner has an expired account where they’ve asked us to return, but I think if that were the case and they wouldn’t invest in the membership, we would now reject the sit.
That doesn’t solve your current problem, I’m sorry, but hopefully gives some insight in to how I know many of us handle repeat sits and something to consider for future repeat requests.
Personally we love repeats now after years of continual new locations, it’s like going home to family!! But I know many do like somewhere new each time as they travel. What’s your feeling about repeats and why they are important to you?
Take care, Vanessa and the team
@Liffy99 Just to follow on from @Vanessa info.
I have made a note for our tech team to look at the colouring of read/unread and your suggestion read/unread marker on the message block. There is also another thought in the meantime that you could also create your own labels and attach these as you go through your messages. It would mean backtracking and am aware this may take too much time and be a bit tedious.
If you do have repeat sits, and have not officially confirmed them on the website, do come through to membership services and we can do this for you. We would need confirmation from the other member that the sit did go ahead, as a matter of protocol.
If a HO/HS account has expired just after a confirmed sit was completed, one can still write a review/feedback. To confirm, that at the time of the sit, both members need to be active.
If a HO’s account has expired and asks you to sit, this is this then a mutual agreement outside of the website, and does not fall under TrustedHousesitters’ umbrella so there can be no membership services support for these sits as well as no review or feedback.
I hope this helps clarify a little more.
I also love repeat sits and find it so easy to slot back in with the home and pets, and I am sure the owners feel the same way, as well as adding to my reviews. 
Kind regards
Therese
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Thanks Vanessa
Yes, that’s exactly the issue - albeit the world is not going to end because of it !
We’ve one sit that has become a regular ( 5th time coming up in September) which is nice for both parties as trust etc has been firmly established. But, as you say, we cannot evidence that on THS (as they have continued to invite us as their preferred sitters they have let their THS membership lapse). We will ask them to re-join, but will continue the relationship whatever they choose to do.
Regards
Stephen
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Looks like you have a nice number of reviews, but for anyone new in your position for who first reviews are so important, my suggestion is always to ask for a review anyway by whatever means you can get it. It could always add to bottom of your profile or when messaging for those with few reviews. Another thought is you could request it as an external reference Ideally for everyone of course is that they renew
BTW I spotted that picture of you in the microlight? … is that yours or was that an adventure? We often pass through Glastonbury on way to my mum in Burnham on Sea, Ian (my partner) would LOVE to try that!! Have a lovely day!
Not mine but just an adventure ( second time up). Flights from Westonzoyland airstrip.
Great fun, and they are so fast taking off - like a big motorbike with wings.
We also run a very amateurish blog to capture all our adventures and have added a feedback section to try and get non THS responses. Hope it works. See www.shaggydogstory.weebly.com
Just putting our latest trip of last week up there - our second visit to see Nero (my wife may divorce me to run off with the pooch; he’s gorgeous).
Ho hum . . .
2 Likes
Love that and so will he!!
You’ve given me great inspiration for his BIG birthday next year! I will check out your blog - thankyou. I think many house sitter husbands take back seat on house sits 
Thanks for chatting and enjoy the day ahead!
Only one problem for us with a couple of our regular sits - we hate saying no as we feel we are letting people down. It has been manic the last few weeks - for July and August we have received 11 unsolicited invitations - accepted 2 but had to decline 9, including one of our regulars. What can one do ?
Locating Unread Messages
There is one unread message in my inbox that I have been unsuccessfully trying to locate for the past 5-6 months. I know that read and unread messages differ in color; however, the colors are so subtle (just a simple color shading) that they are impossible to spot.
How do I locate that unread message?
Wouldn’t it be more practical for all parties to have the unread messages well visible. maybe in red?
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@RadarInc I can help you with that as I found the unread message in your inbox and will DM you the details.
That’s a good idea, feel free also add the suggestions for inbox colours etc to the suggestions thread: