Why do sitters choose not to leave a bad review even after they have received theirs - I feel let down by my fellow sitters

We can go into our inbox and send them a message if we want? I’ve done that.

ETA: Ignore this. I misunderstood. :slight_smile:

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But we can’t message/email a sitter who has left no review. You can see their name and blank review on the app, but you need to be on the website to access the active link to a sitter’s profile, and those who left no reviews do not appear on the website. I wonder if it would be possible to create active links to previous sitters through the app. I would appreciate this.

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If you go the website, and click on your inbox, you can send a message to anyone you’ve ever sat for, or even if you just applied and didn’t get the sit, they’re all there.

You can access them all on the app as well, just hit the middle icon at the bottom of the screen (iPhone).

Ignore: Thought you meant home owners. :slight_smile:

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@Kelownagurl , yes, you’re right. As a sitter, you can contact any homeowner you have corresponded with in the past. I was responding to Liz, above, re. sitters being able to contact other sitters.

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@mars @liz @Kelownagurl … regarding direct sitter to sitter contact.

One aspect which immediately comes to mind is privacy, for instance when a member joins they are asked if they can be contacted directly by methods other than their registered email address and there is a high percentage who choose not to be and who also opt out of email communications.

Facilitating member to member connections so that meet ups and personal connections, ideas and lifestyle can be exchanged and developed is now possible here on the forum members can DM each other and also connect publicly.

Facilitating sitter to sitter contact to discuss specific sits is a completely different prospect and one fraught with potential issues.

@Lauraa Owners use their membership communication to place listings and communicate with sitters about their house sit opportunities, they don’t use it as a member to member messaging system. If they make connections with sitters which go further they will exchange off site contact details.

I’m sure there are other reasons to do with application but will take this up with the team.

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But we are talking about sitters being able to contact other sitters, which isn’t possible unless one upgrades membership to also being an owner. I use the webpage, not an app on a phone. Is it possible using a phone? @Angela_L

Oh sorry! I got that completely wrong! I don’t know why I thought it said home owners… :slight_smile:

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I really like the idea of having a star system for cleanliness, location, accuracy - similar to Airbnb. I’ve only done three sits through THS and two have been pretty dirty.

One had me come a day early and share a bathroom with the teenage son (yuk!). They left no room in the fridge, no room for my clothes, clothes in both the washer and dryer. One of the dogs was not house trained - which they didn’t mention. I took the dogs out four times a day but every morning that poor dog pooped and peed in the living room. I was only there for six days.

The second one was not as bad but the cat-box stench was unbearable. They had me come two days early - without letting me know they would be there for two days. I spent the entire first day cleaning. Other than that, it was okay. Not clean for my standards but acceptable.

With only three sits here on THS, I don’t want to look like a complainer. But the star system would remedy that.

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I feel your pain - Thankfully ours is only four days so we are leaving tomorrow. It is such a shame as the pets are lovely.

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I’m with Angela on this one as i’m one of those folks who doesn’t want to be contacted. Connect with folk here on the site through private messaging.

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@Angela_L Quick question, can homeowners contact other homeowners on the site?

Our take is that, while the forum is nice to talk about sits in general, it doesn’t allow us to reach out to sitters that have sat for a specific homeowner before. There are often times where we read a review left by a previous sitter and are left with a few questions. Being able to reach out to them (if they opted in to that communication) through the THS inbox (not personal email) would be helpful. In the same regards, we’d be happy to have other sitters reach out to us as well. It also seems like it would be helpful for homeowners to be able to reach out to other homeowners who have left reviews for a sitter they are considering.

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Great ideal @Els ! We’ve always wondered why when a homeowner leaves a sitter a review it’s called a review and gives the ability to give a rating in many categories. While on the other hand, sitters only leave ‘feedback’ and can’t break it down by category.

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I am also guilty through omission.
If the house is not up to scratch I don’t mention it in my review hoping potential sitters read between the lines. I am a very positive person and try to find something nice to say about something. If the whole sit is horrendous, I don’t leave a review but that’s only happened once.
I’ve just read back some of my previous feedbacks on sits and realised my language becomes very stilted when I’m less than happy about something but a stranger will not pick up on that by reading just one feedback.
I will try harder for the sake of the rest of the members. However, there are certain things which are seen as a personal perspective - what I would call messy others would call filthy, etc. I came to realise that we all have different expectations for our experience on THS, somethings that drive others potty we just shrug our shoulders and get on with it so is it fair to “dish” a pet owner because they haven’t managed to reach your own expectations? Maybe research before the sit is accepted is the answer, a video call, some prudent questions and time out before the sit is accepted to give you time to make sure it’s what you really want/need.
It is so easy to be swept along with the enthusiasm.

Elsie

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Hi @ScrewTheAverage the answer to your question is no, owners do not have the ability to contact other owners the same applies to sitters.

@ElsieDownie presents a very valid point.

While I’m sure everyone would have the best of intention there would be no guarantee that discussions would remain factual, fair and unbiased and a sitter might be unfairly influenced, missing out on a sit that could have been right for them, the same goes for owners discussing sitters.

Developing a review system, which works for everyone, is currently in discussion but how we communicate to members the steps needed to assure everyone has the best possible on sit experience is so important and the blog is a great resource, content includes how to create the best listings, meeting expectations, how to prepare for sits/sitters, how to choose the right sit/sitter and much more.

Conversations, like this can be a huge educational influence and having more members join the forum will amplify the narrative … on all aspects of this lifestyle we love.

Communication is the (one) key to success.

Happy July 4th to our American members.

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@Angela_L Thank you for the detailed responses. A healthy conversation is hearing both sides, and being able to see what THS is thinking/considering is wonderful. Thank you! :hugs:

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@Angela_L To a degree I agree but if a sitter arrives at a sit that is filthy then they should definitely say something about the cleanliness in their review. Future sitters then can make their own decisions whether or not to be extra vigilant before taking the job or not. For me, on this sit 4 out of 7 previous sitters chose to say nothing - I feel totally let down by them. What is the point of having a review system if you are not prepared to review your honest opinion? A review system with no bad reviews looks very dubious

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On Airbnb I have left some mediocre reviews for perfectly nice people who are trying to do good. It’s always hard so I try to make complaints about me. For instance, “I’m very sensitive to noise and a light sleeper so the traffic sounds from the nearby road were a bit loud for me.” As a sitter finding a house moderately clean but not up to their standard one could say, “I’m a bit of a clean freak so for my comfort I scrubbed the house on arrival.” Seems like that might send a message without implying the owners were filthy pigs.

If they are filthy pigs I think they should be reported immediately to THS, who can guide them on better practices or remove them. There’s no excuse for laziness or filth or extra people barging in, etc. It shouldn’t have to come down to the sitter review to determine some people aren’t fit to be here. That’s why THS member services exists! Use them!

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Colin thank you for initiating this topic of conversation, all of this feedback will be part of the ongoing discussions about the review/feedback system.

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@Shafofo geeat suggestions!

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Maybe the house wasn’t filthy on the last seven occasions when the pet owner had sitters. They may have had time to clean and tidy the place then but something stopped them this time. Highly unlikely but there might be a reason.
I have sat twice for a pet owner who is an older lady looking after her disabled husband. The first time the house was untidy but clean the second time I scrubbed the rooms we were going to be using. When I arrived the second time I noticed a district change in her behaviour. She was anxious and distracted. We sat down for a cup of tea and she started to tell me how she was feeling - overwhelmed with caring for her husband, depressed because of the long lockdown. I’m no psychiatrist but I felt she was more than low, clinically depressed so I shooed her out the door and told her to go see her family and have a great break away. Should I have given her a bad review to warn others?

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