I was looking at a thread about “booking fees” that had drifted into a discussion of the new “arrival times” and I realized that I have had to develop a “workaround” or strategy for almost everything on my listing and my profile (since I do both). So I’m posting this in the owner questions since more workarounds apply to owner listings than sitter profiles, but the thread is to discuss how you “workaround” various THS restrictions eg five application rule, booking fees, listing arrival times, guests, whatever. I’ll start with a couple of mine:
Booking fees: – Don’t pay them, have premium on an extended membership. Won’t pay them for a sitter for many reasons. Fine if sitters don’t apply or withdraw for that reason. This isn’t mentioned in my listing because so far no one has approached me to ask, but if it starts to be an issue, I’ll issue a warning on my listing.
Arrival times: Prior to THS adding them, I always edited them in in the first paragraph of the listing, and will continue to do so, so I’m just going to go wtih “TBD" in “Home Essentials.”
Five Application rule: I start by inviting previous people before listing publicly. I decline applications until I have suitable people. In other words, I work around the 5-limit as much as can. Nobody asked for the five application limit.
Guests: I hate that they made “yes” the default and think it will lead to problems, so I’m saying “no” in the Home Essentials, but explaining in the listing that it’s really TBD and discussed prior to confirmation.
Smoking: Amazing that this is not filtered! I have my no-smoking policy at the begining of the home section, and also reconfirm it during chats.
Being asked as a homeowner to pay for the booking fees? There really is nothing that doesn’t exist…
I haven’t heard about that yet but if a sitter asked about me paying for the fee, I would say no.
So far my renewal isn’t due before October and I might get another 2 months for a new referral. For me as a homeowner it’s not a big deal even if I renew my subscription, but I just feel enough is enough. I don’t like these new implementations and I will switch to another, just launched platform, as soon as a reasonable number of sitters have joined.
With the 5 applications limit I do the same. I quickly decline those who are not 100% suitable, which includes copy and paste applications without showing that they have read my listing. By now I have some sitters who I would invite back anytime and before I post dates I ask them and if I’m lucky they say yes.
I do allow guests but just for da daytime visit, not overnight and I want to be notified when and who it will be. I don’t want surprises and I don’t want people I have never seen in my home without being asked before.
It actually never crossed my mind to mention that my house is a non smoking place. Thank you for pointing this out. I will put this in my listing.
I haven’t changed anything to be a ‘workaround’ lately, but a lot of what you mention was already in my profile.
Booking fees - haven’t posted a new sit since these started, won’t add anything unless it becomes an issue.
Arrival times - I’ve always put when I need the sitter to arrive, as most of my departures have been very early morning (need a handover the day/night before, and I always offer to host that night. Some take me up on it, others don’t).
Five Application: I totally get how this has been detrimental to long-time members, but it has never been a problem for me. There are 1-2 sitters that I have given 1st dibs on a sit before I post, but even when I have declined and opened up for new applicants, by sits have always gone to someone in the initial 5. Not that they are necessarily “better”, or that people who got shut out couldn’t be great, but I’ve always had a suitable candidate in the first 5.
Guests: This one I will be choosing NO as the default, even though I am open to it in some circumstances. THS would do better to include an option that reflected that stance.
Smoking: I state clearly that my entire building is non-smoking and I say no vaping either.
I’m glad I saw your post. I did not know that Guests was set to yes as a default. Clears things up nicely for me. I sent an application to a family friendly sit, which also had guests upon approval checked. I stated we would be traveling at the time with an old friend, 60, animal lover and respectful. Later same day I got a decline, no explanation. Kind of strange, but no problem. New HO, so likely not wanting guests, or maybe even families? She probably thought, what a pushy sitter. So thank you for the info. Going forward, I will try to read between the lines as to whether or not they are open to others.
I would NOT recommend “reading through the lines” before applying and then not saying anything until the chat. From the homeowner’s point of view, it makes you look less than transparent.
I was referring to the very recently added “Home essentials” section in which guests were added as a default. “Guests” in this case doesn’t mean people accompanying sitters, but people dropping by for dinner maybe or something.
Regarding people travelling with you in addition to the people listed in your profile, you would do better to mention that in your application note and to offer the person’s bonafides – a license, a website, something to show the person’s identity and/or have them present at a chat, as it’s a lot of heavy lifting for a homeowner to be responsible (in terms of liability) for a complete stranger not covered by any THS insurance within their plan and to provide accomodations for that person. Some homeowners might be fine with it especially people you’ve previously sat for, but many will not.
I don’t think I was clear. I meant I would not apply if I didn’t think they were open to it, if it were a sit I wanted to bring someone extra. I never want a homeowner to do anything they are not comfortable with. Each sit I do is individual and I only apply if it seems the HO and I will both feel at ease. I have had sits with everything from don’t let anyone near the property to anyone you are willing to vouch for is fine by me. I just won’t assume they checked a box when the reality may be they didn’t notice they needed to uncheck a box.
Good topic! You inspired me to make a change for the guests allowed part. More on that below.
As a HO i have this in my Intro section: We prefer single or couples for sitters, no families, no pets, and non-smokers.
This spares my precious 5 applications and also shows me when someone didnt bother to read my listing and I can easily decline, without giving a reason. Some sitters always want a reason, but as a HO if the reason is obvi because my listing doesnt match their app, I dont feel the need to put effort into typing a note w/ the Decline.
Regarding the Guest Allowed, I just changed mine to NO. The reason I did this is that if Sitters dont read the ACTUAL DEFINITION OF GUEST per THS they can misconstrue it and think they can bring along a friend for the sit. I am pretty uncomfy with having unvetted strangers in my home or on my property. Here is a screen shot of the info on the HO profile as we see it so you can all see the details.
Having no guests allowed may be limiting the applications to my sit but thats OK. My sit seems pretty desirable based on 200+ people saved it as a favorite. I can also invite past sitters or new sitters with a private message indicating I am open to guests if I start having trouble filling a sit.
I put this under the Responsibilities section which I think is found under the About The Pets.
That definition is not visible for sitters. There’s a small print note saying it has to be discussed with hosts, which is what most people did anyway. So this is not a useful addition.
As others have said, I quickly sort through applications and decline as I go to keep the listing below the 5 applicants. I personally hate it though when THS sticks a ‘low applications’ label on the listing. Many people than think you’re desperate so you get more inappropriate applications to decline.
For guests I state in my listing I’m open the daytime guests but no overnight ones. For the field I would change it to ‘No’.
I do have no smoking / drugs inside or the yard in my listing. This absolutely should be a filter.
I filter No for families and bringing pets, and really hope I stop getting those (mostly the families).
For arrival times, I just state the arrival day as the day prior to our departure. I do state that we’d love to host the sitter for dinner so for future listings I would probably state an arrival time that day anytime between 10 am - 5 pm. Departure would depend on return travel for us so I would leave that as TBD and discuss on the video call. We prefer sitters stay one extra night but many sitters prefer to leave just prior or after our arrival. If it’s domestic flights I am ok with that but we usually clear that up on the video chat.
For booking fees - I am premium. If a sitter asked me to pay their fees I would be ok with reimbursement at the completion of the sit, but they have to pay upfront.
I don’t think it’s going to limit application unless it’s part of the filter. Again, I changed mine to “no guests” but explain that there may be exceptions if discussed prior to confirmation.
On a lighter note, we recently stumbled upon a Pet Parent workaround for unsolicited invitations. Cocktails .
Recently approached in regards non-public listing dates and suggested meeting [local-ish] Pet Parents for coffee to discuss. They instead proposed cocktails at their [lovely] property. Positive conversation. We agreed the sit - guess workaround worked as that’s first time we’ve accepted an unsolicited invitation!!
If I did lost a sit over a major holiday (like Christmas) I would change to Guests Allowed.
But otherwise for me it’s a strict no overnight guests but daytime guests are fine. I can’t believe they didn’t make that an option, it would seem obvious.
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