We’ve received several great applications for a September housesit, and have decided on one. What can I say to the sitters we’re not choosing when they’re all people we liked a lot and would love to hear from again?
Hi @MARYzPA
Perhaps you could write something along these lines:
Hello (sitters name)
Thank you so much for applying for our September housesit. We were very impressed with your profile and reviews and really appreciate your interest in taking care of our home and pets.
After careful consideration, we have decided to go with an alternative sitter this time. However, we were very impressed with your profile and would definitely like to be in touch for future dates. Thank you for your understanding.
Kind regards,
Mary
4 Likes
Better would “with one of the other applicants”.
Because this sounds as if the HO found someone outside THS. Maybe a niece, etc.
I like to leave a bit of mystery 
1 Like
Short ‘n’ Sweet but positive is best.
Hi, XYZ -
Thanks so much for applying for our September sit. We really liked your profile and reviews and appreciate you responding to the post.
We’ve already agreed with another sitter for this time, but truly hope in future we’ll connect on a different date.
Cheers, MaryzPA
5 Likes
I have posted this before but thought I would add again here because there’s just no pleasing some people sometimes. This sitter stated in her profile that she preferred long sits and my sister’s sit was only for a week. Pretty rude even after a gracious denial so you just can’t win sometimes 
2 Likes
I wouldn’t repeat how impressed the HO was with the applicants reviews. One time would be sufficient. Two times seems an overkill. Just my thinking as a sitter.
1 Like
Honestly as a sitter I’d see a long-winded rejection as a bullet dodged.
It could read like:
“Sorry, we think you’re qualified, but we went with someone else this time. If we post dates again and they work for you we’d love to have you sit for us”
Personally as a sitter I find it a stretch to imagine the stars aligning dates and location-wise ever again, but you never know.
2 Likes
@ziggy - that is truly shocking.
My advice to anyone who is interested - don’t burn your bridges.
A couple of years ago I applied for what appeared to be a dream sit. I received a lovely message to thank me for my application but on that occasion the sit had gone to someone who was previously booked to sit.
The HO had to cancel her break due to Covid lockdown.
I marked the sit as a favourite and a week ago some dates came up which I can do. I contacted her and she was delighted. After a few questions about the cat’s sleeping arrangements and arrival/departure times the sit was confirmed within the hour.
8 Likes
I agree with you @Twitcher on not burning your bridges. A few months back I was declined for a sit in a highly desirable country and the HO sent a short impersonal decline. But I replied with a “That’s great you found someone suitable. If things don’t work out for any reason, please feel free to reach out to me”. I have now been invited to that sit THREE times since and will be doing a month with them in the new year when our dates have finally aligned. Not everything is always as it seems 
8 Likes
I agree with @Twitcher .
Our very first sit we secured after initially being declined. When we were declined we responded politely, thanking them for letting us know. A week or so later the home host contacted us again saying that their initially agreed sitter could no longer do the sit and asked if we were still interested.
We were, we did the sit, received a great review, and our pet-sitting adventure started!
5 Likes
@Colin and @ziggy - as we say in Yorkshire ……
Don’t cut off your nose to spite your face 
Happy Travels
6 Likes
I landed a couple of sits like that early on. I’d likewise say that hosts should consider that, especially if their sits aren’t unique, because there might be a limited number of sitters for them, including those with local connections.
For most sitters, because they sit sporadically and do few sits annually, especially if they’re flexible about locations and don’t need to stack sit dates, there’s essentially an infinite number of sits, though.
Along that spectrum, I’m on that end. That affords ultimate freedom, especially for folks who can afford to travel without sitting. Like I once received a decline msg from a host who said they’d consider me for future sits. The tone sounded off — like whomever they’d choose would be lucky — so I just ignored it. I considered that dodging a bullet, because I’d rather never go to that city at all than sit for them. And in any case, I can easily go there without sitting.
I agree that’s a much better way of wording it, as though the decision had already been made.
We are less likely to apply if we feel we weren’t first choice the first time around, so wording of this makes it appear like you’d already chosen before we applied. So we’d still be open to future sits with you. It’s very wrong… but it will work better for you.
1 Like
When I’m in that situation I write back to them and say ‘We have decided to select another sitter; however, I would like to stay in touch and the next time we have a sit I will reach out to you to see if your available.’
3 Likes
Well, in fairness to HOs, they may have gone further in the process with one sitter than others so… We’ve received notes like the one I proplsed and later had wonderful experiences with the HO who didn’t choose us first time around! Ya never know, right? You didn’t get it, oh well, thousands of opportunities around the world!
1 Like
Ziggy - Maybe she had a really really horrible day and needed to vent at someone.
Pretty dopey though.
HO was probably pleased they hadn’t chosen a sitter with that attitude!
1 Like
Yikes. I’ve experienced, and also seen from friends some passive aggressive type replies for polite declines. It’s just a little fact that you can’t accept more than one sitter per sit 
Getting more than one great sitter applying (which is pretty much always the case) means declining at least one great sitter. Nothing personal…
4 Likes
Precisely. Even now with the monkey on my back (negative review), I have resigned to just be my kind and loving self.
I reply with. “Thank you so much for your kindly consideration. I’m sure you’ll find the perfect match for your situation. Take care”
1 Like
Yes. That happened to me with a couple of sits. Actually I’m not longer applying. I’m allowing HOs to see my “favorite” designation and contact me. I cannot rely on HOs who aren’t analytical enough to deduce a couple of reviews via both parties story.
I mean you say I was suppurb, but I was terrible all in the same review. Yeah, I’m taking it easy these days. I’d rather them choose me, and then I hit them with a plethora of new questions I have.
My say