Why it doesn't really work for me

Sitter Questions, Advice & Chat
1

Long-term member of THS, 2017 to 2023.

Over 40 5 star sits.

I gave up after all the changes, mostly because of the 5 limit applications.

I recently had a look, again, at the THS site, and I spotted a sit I was interested in.

I can see “available” sits, but can’t apply, as I am no longer a member.

Fine. I agree with that. However, I also know that as a non-member, what I see is not always what is true.

If I join, the sit I see may actually be already at the “5-application” stage or even already booked.

I really do want to continue using THS, however, they just put so many restrictions on sitters that it is just not worth it.

If I knew that the sit I was interested in was actually still accepting applications, I would rejoin, and apply.

But I am not going to take that risk and just throw money at them.

If there IS a shortage of sitters, they seriously need to review their process.

The 5 application rule has completely ruined a great concept.

When you have 200k, 300k members, to restrict applications to 5 makes no sense at all.

2

I’m puzzled how you are able to comment on this forum if you’re not a member…?

3

The Forum is not connected to THS. complteley independant. Run by THS, but not connected. I was one on the first members of the Forum back in 2020.

4

I don’t know how long it takes to reinstate a profile after the time has lapsed, but most desirable sits reach the five application stage within a few minutes. Maybe 20 tops. As I say that as a homeowner with a cat sit in a location that people want to visit. It’s more or less a lottery with a tight deadline. There is always the possibility that the host won’t be satisfied with the first five and will decline and reopen, and I don’t know how long it takes to “reactivate” a lapsed profile, but chances are you would not get the sit you are seeking.

I don’t think most homeowners realize or think about how public the listings are or that they are used as marketing by THS. I think most homeowners would opt out of having their listings as public as they are if they had a choice. Many would be more careful about the information that appears on their listing if they were given warnings about the public nature of the listings and how the information could be used and abused.

If you don’t mind my asking: What are you doing since you stopped using THS? Alternatives? No longer sitting?

5

Still sitting, but mostly repeats. Just finished 3 months in Phuket for a 2nd time.

6

Completely independent is not true. The moderators are paid by THS. The forum rules are not decided on by members. The forum was created by THS and could easily be pulled by THS. In fact, it probably will be eventually. Years ago a certain very large company that started as an online bookshop had a massive “community” forum with multiple threads for booklovers, genre lovers, sellers, authors, people interested in other stuff like politics, and music, etc. When it got too expensive and didn’t seem to be helping sell the goods, they simply shut it all down.

Right now the forum functions for the company as a kind of community help forum. It helps answer questions, and without it there would likely be more calls to customer service. I would not expect it to exist forever.

7

By independent I kind of meant not linked. You can be a Forum member and not have a THS account. Maybe the wrong wording.

8

@springy - there has always been a discrepancy in the number of listings you see as a non member compared to a paid up member.
I raised the topic several years ago.

9

Gave up as well. Perhaps they should keep the fee but ditch the membership charge :sweat_smile:

10

@springy, congrats on 40 5* sits over a bunch of years.

Like many current members, we joined THS after the 5-application limit was introduced. There’s a huge thread on related matters. That said, we did join nomador for one year - platform does not have 5-application limit - and we personally found it pointless to apply for a listing that already had 50 applicants. We joined another platform for one year but found negligible attractive opportunities - we were concerned by no-fee/commitment listings and scant details. We did not renew either subscription.

To our knowledge, and from various conversations, we find that views from both housesitters and pet parents in regards 5-application rule vary. But frankly it does not matter. THS is not a cooperative organization, owned by members. Rather THS management can action as they deem fit.

Alas pros and cons. At this time, we believe that there is no credible alternative to THS. For us it’s a question of whether we want to housesit - for now, that’s still a yes (70+ sits) so we’ll continue to be THS members. But we adapt - and recognize that identifying and applying to high-demand listings requires timely action.

We try hard to take glass-half-full mindset as housesitting has brought us a great deal of joy, if some harsh learnings and challenges. On balance, a strong plus.

11

Possibly the free account shows sits already in review. Whatever it shows, it is absolutely irrelevant. If it’s a desirable sit, by the time someone’s membership is approved, profile written, credit card through, verification, etc what you saw will be completely different.

12

As more and more pet owners have discovered and joined THS, I find (in the western USA) that there are many choices for sits. (I have never researched sits in Asia.) I imagine that many sits do not find sitters. Just looked at the current prices for THS sitter membership. It is $169 USD per year for the least expensive new membership. In my opinion, if you plan to do at least a couple of longer sits in a year, that is a bargain!

13

Absolutely! Good luck finding even one night in a hotel or Airbnb for $169 in the U.S. right now. I’m annoyed at the booking fees on principle, but for me THS continues to make vacations possible and I am so grateful for these opportunities.

14

Do you know that you pay a booking fee for every sit now? Even as a sitter. Unless you buy premium membership.

15

I used to post on a popular mens divorce forum. Guys who had been through the process helping out those in the midst of it. Lots of experienced members, great advice to the newcomers who were struggling with what was arguably the worst situation they would ever face in their lives.

The forum was run by a divorce attorney firm, there was a link to it on the main page of their website.

The topic of divorce attorneys giving their clients false and unreasonable expectations thus perpetuating the conflict which resulted in bleeding their clients to tack on fees came up way too often. Why would a divorce attorney firm go to the trouble and expense of hosting a forum that bashed divorce attorneys?

Answer: They didn’t. The forum was shut down without notice.

I’m surprised that with all the bashing of the company that runs this site, along with all the recommendations of competing sites, that this forum is still here. My guess is it won’t be for much longer, unless the members think before they post and don’t shoot the golden goose.

16

A law firm isn’t a good comparison, because THS’s platform, app, service, sits, etc., all produce various problems that hosts and sitters need help with.

Running the forum helps with that, which helps THS save money in meeting customer support needs and leads to more hosts and sitters helped (in volume and speed).

There’s significantly greater advantage for THS to run a forum, because its needs are different from a law firm’s.

17

At the risk of sounding like a moderator -
The OP’s concern wasn’t about the forum. Can we keep this thread on track?

18

Customer service doesn’t seem to be such a priority on this platform.

19

Which is probably why so much of it is left to the forum.

20

On the rare occasions I contacted customer support, I could see a helpful line indicating the community forum as a source of information.

Isn’t it great that THS members pay a membership fee and also do some unpaid work for the company? I don’t think our booking fees will be used to pay more customer service employees. But who knows?