Hello!
This is my first time using the platform. What happens after you confirm a sitter? Do you get access to their full name and contact information?
If not, do you ask for a copy of their identification, etc.? We are doing FaceTime meet ups with people, but I’m also hoping to know their full names, etc. Is it normal to ask that?
Thank you!
As a sitter, I can’t remember any home owner asking for my full name, but I have no issue with providing it. THS already has my ID so I don’t see any reason to provide that but if a home owner was very nervous about having a sitter, I’d be happy to show it.
Once a sit is confirmed, I normally ask them how they’d like to stay in contact during the sit and I usually give my email address. Once I arrive in their country, I give them my phone number as well.
ETA: usually once we start emailing, I sign my full name on the bottom just to give them peace of mind as well.
When a homeowner confirms us for I sit, I send them my full name, as well as my husband’s. I also send our address, email information and phone numbers. Once they receive my information they send me their contact information as well. This is something I’ve always done.
Thanks! We’re preparing for our first sit - a long sitting engagement while we’re out of the country, which is part of why it feels odd to me to not have that information since they will be living in our house. Of course we’ll be comfortable offering them the same! But I’m trying to figure out how to ask for it without it feeling too “interview” like. Any advice?
Hello @SRach I’ve been a sitter with THS for many years and, thinking back, can’t remember a homeowner ever asking for my last name. However, once I’m confirmed, I have us exchange personal email addresses and phone numbers. Both of those will display my full name, which is fine. At some point, either then or later, we exchange other forms of communication that will work for us, such as WhatsApp or Messenger. I tend to work with whatever the homeowner prefers. I have never been asked for my home address, and can’t see a reason why it would be of interest to the homeowner.
The only reason I can think of for you wanting to have this information early on is so that you can ‘google them’. If so, these post threads may be of interest to you:
Sharing Facebook page with homeowners
Owner asking sitter to add them on social media
I’m wondering why you would want a copy of their identification, other than if you needed it to add to a vehicle insurance coverage, or to allow access through a monitored security system. That would be needed after confirming the sitter, but not before.
My suggestion is that you consider why you are asking for the information. Then ask for what you feel you need, and be open with the sitter as to why you are requesting it.
Like the others, after many sits I’ve never had a HO ask for my ID or even last name. But if someone did, I would be fine with that. It’s ok for it to feel a bit like an interview because it IS a bit like an interview. You’re both interviewing each other to make sure it’s a good fit for the job of caring for your home and pets.
We have been asked a couple of times for our full names and to see ID - The majority don’t ask but I think it is a perfectly reasonable question from those that do.
I always give the sitters our full names, phone numbers, home and email addresses right after we confirmed them and they have agreed. We always received all their information right after they got ours. I never asked to see an ID however.
Thank you! Appreciate the time and perspective.
I really appreciate all of your perspective and insight being new to this - thank you for taking the time to share.