I left one 5 star review and took away one star from communication (she came back 2 days earlier as agreed and on the last days she yelled at us ) and I took one star from another section ( I don’t remember anymore) her answer to that review she just lied about what we did .
And she is still texting me how we emptied her honey and coffee ( we replaced the honey ! And she offered us the coffee) and we wanted to replace the coffee as well but didn’t have the time bc she came back earlier .
I saw a reference for a young man that was only 3 or 4 stars, and it was from his dad.
That’s hard
Just finished a sit and I feel the exact same. Candidly the house was not in the best shape, but they clearly seemed to be struggling with what they had to juggle and I don’t have the heart to/don’t know how to reflect that in a review, particularly as I gave the all-fine when they asked how the sit was going.
How to get around that now when I do morally believe in telling the truth and looking out for other sitters… the truth is it was fine because I made it fine, the “fresh” sheets they had left on the bed smelled stale and I didn’t consider sleeping in it for one second, but fortunately the fold-out in their spare room did the trick for me. Plus the cat was just adorable. But it was cluttered… but free of dirt/grime at least… I don’t know how to do this, but the sit I’m on now has only reinforced how far below standard that last one was D:
Just be honest. The owners were kind and the cat was adorable but the home was a bit cluttered and not as clean as you would personally prefer.
You can be honest without being harsh. Like you could do a pros and cons review. Or you could do a review that says, this sit is good for sitters who prioritize X, Y and Z, but not so much for sitters who prioritize A, B or C.
I had a sit late last spring in a house that was absolutely filthy. Besides being dusty and greasy, there were mouse droppings in every room, including on the kitchen counters! I cleaned and cleaned and cleaned. The homeowners claimed they’d cleaned “for hours” before my arrival and I forgave them as they were both quite elderly, although they were obviously affluent enough to have paid someone to come in and clean.
When I wrote the review, I gave them positive ratings and said nice things about their hospitality and the location, but I rated the cleanliness of the house quite low. They had given me a review, which of course I couldn’t see until I posted my review of them. I think that’s fair for the most part as otherwise people might be retaliatory, which would compromise one’s chance to be selected for future sits. However, I felt it was only right to warn potential future sitters that the couple’s house was horribly dirty!
I have NEVER had anything but a glowing review for my services. Like everyone here, I am deeply conscientious and strive to do a great job. It just irks me deeply when homeowners don’t respect me as well, whether it’s by being overly demanding, misrepresenting the situation with home or pets, or leaving me with a filthy house.
One thought I had is that THS could make it possible for sitters to connect with each other for private references. This could also work for homeowners. I don’t know.
Ultimately, after I left my mixed review of the sit with the filthy house, the homeowners sent me an angry email saying “I busted my a** to clean before you came!” Clearly, that didn’t happen. I didn’t respond to the email. What would the point have been? Ugh.
I feel you. I had a filthy sit and left an honest review. HOs left me a raving 5* review but when they saw mine opened a dispute with a bunch of made up problems. We both waited almost the full 2 weeks to leave our reviews but somehow the didn’t discover that I’d stolen their keys, broken their cabinets, and flooded their kitchen during that time and only discovered it after they read my review of them. It was difficult leaving a bad review as they were very kind and also elderly but the home was gross and smelly. I’m sad it ended that way because I loved the little cat I took care of and would love to see her again, but that’s not going to happen now.
Oh, wow! That’s terrible! I’m so sorry! Fortunately for me, the HOs only sent me a nasty email.
At least we have blind reviews now. I was a little surprised I didn’t get a nastygram from the HO, but not disappointed.
I asked Copilot (AI-tool) to suggest a review based on your post. It said:
While the house was not in the best condition, it was clear that the owners were managing multiple challenges. The home was cluttered but free of dirt and grime. The “fresh” sheets provided had a stale smell, so I opted to use the fold-out bed in the spare room, which worked fine for me.
The cat was absolutely adorable and a joy to care for. Overall, while the experience was manageable, it did highlight the importance of clear communication and setting expectations for future sits.
I asked for an even more positive and got:
I had a lovely time with their adorable cat. The house was cluttered but clean, and while the “fresh” sheets had a bit of a stale smell, the fold-out bed in the spare room was comfortable and worked perfectly for me.
The homeowners were clearly juggling a lot, and despite the challenges, they were kind and communicative. Overall, it was a manageable and rewarding experience, especially thanks to the sweet cat.
Hope that helps.
Yes, I ultimately did put my big girl knickers on and write something similar! One of the many perks of personal development sitting can bring!