From my personal experience and what I’ve read on this forum, I’d say the vast majority of sitters withdraw their applications after a certain time if there’s no answer or the application has not even been read.
My question is: does anyone write a message explaining the reason for the withdrawal?
I don’t or at least I haven’t so far but I am considering to start doing it. We have read complaints from owners who feel frustrated by withdrawals and think this is a lack of commitment so I think it might be useful to let them know that it is because of their poor communication.
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I did this just recently. After 2 weeks, I emailed the homeowner to follow up on my application and if they were pursuing other applicants. I indicated if I didn’t hear back by the next day I would withdraw my application which I did. Sometimes I have just withdrawn my application without any message.
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That’s a good idea, to give a warning first. I’ll do that. Thanks
On a couple of occasions, I’ve been offered the sit after messaging to check on the status of my application so it certainly doesn’t hurt.
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I’ve tried both approaches. I have withdrawn without sending a message and, more recently, have withdrawn with a note stating that since I hadn’t had a response in 10 days (or however long), I will assume I am not what they are looking for and wish them well in finding a suitable sitter. Both approaches have garnered exactly the same response, i.e. no response whatsoever.
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I withdraw within 48 hours and don’t send a message. In a number of cases, the hosts quickly get in touch to say that they’re sorry that I withdrew. If I reply, I wish them luck with finding a sitter.
I partner only with folks who have their act together and reply and decide promptly. THS is a matching platform, so it makes sense that various people won’t match.
By contrast, I hear quickly from hosts I end up partnering with. They’re good at communicating promptly, send welcome guide info well ahead of our sit and write reviews within days of our sit wrapping up, without me having to nudge.
That’s exactly what happened with my most recent sit, which I wrapped days ago, for instance. My hosts quickly wrote me a terrific review. And the next sit I’ve got booked has unfolded that way as well (with the review to follow, of course).
Like that host sent me their welcome guide within a few hours of our mutually accepting the sit. And we’d video chatted within hours of my applying. During our video chat, they voluntarily showed me around their home via video, as well as showed me their two cats.
That sit won’t even happen till February, because I’ll be taking a break from sitting for the rest of 2024. And I’m very selective about which winter sits to do, because I avoid snow.
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I sometimes write an answer in addition to withdrawing, sometimes not. If I write a message, then something like « As I haven’t heard from you I assume you’re going forward with someone else and withdraw my application.» Whether or not I withdraw my application with a message attached it will usually have the same result - no answer (although it is sometimes read immediately).
I’ve also found that when I get a sit, the host has usually answered within 24 hours, so for me it has made sense to have a cut off. As Maggie8k says, it is a sign of the communication-style of the host and a probable sign on how the actual sit will be.
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I’ve had a couple of recent experiences where I have withdrawn an application with a note attached. The first one had actually acknowledged my application within minutes, wanting a video chat and ended with “chat soon.” After 3 days of nothing and doubts about the sit, I messaged saying with no further communication, I was withdrawing my application. I hadn’t even pressed the withdraw application button when there was a message “chat in 20 mins??” “No, too late!” I received a very childish reply back, just confirming I made the right decision.
The second had a different outcome as owner had been away for work in a remote area with little communication who asked would I re-consider my withdrawal. I agreed to a video chat and that sit is now confirmed.
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If it isn’t a sit that’s shut down in no time with the 5-application thing, but rather one that has less than that for a few days, would you still withdraw? I assume people are waiting to see what further applications they get, and then will start making decisions once they get the 5. That’s really not many to choose from. If I still didn’t hear for a while, maybe I’m still in the running but they’ve declined a couple & are waiting for a few more.
I don’t apply for a lot of sits at any one time anyway, but, the one time recently that I didn’t hear for days and wanted a specific area/dates, I just went ahead and applied for another. I got that one, still didn’t hear from the first until some time after that when I simply got the auto declined message.
I figure, “I didn’t hear from you so I applied for something else. You snoozed, you loozed.” 
What do folks think is the benefit of withdrawing vs. just applying for other sits? Sincere question.
It is not a matter of benefit for me. It is a part of my vetting for sits, and a host that doesn’t reply in a timely manner proves to be not a good match. Call it «fail the test» if one must 
If you have Low applications - why would you hang around to see if something better turns up if you get an application from a sitter that seems good? Why risk that a good sitter gets a more attractive sit-offer than the sit that is clearly not considered attractive? A host that would drag out just to see if he/ she gets a «better» offer is not a good match for me. I prefer hosts that think I’m the great option - not what they had to settle for. 
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@ABGM It takes only a few seconds to acknowledge a sitter’s application and say “thank you and we’ll get back to you in a day or two” or whatever. I find if they have listed their sit then they should be on the lookout for applications. If they read them then there’s no response, I only wait about 48 hours, irrespective of how many applications they have received. I’m not dependent on sits as I’m not full time so it doesn’t worry me if I miss out or withdraw.
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I don’t want to partner with slow people at all, no matter how great the sit otherwise. No need to, since it’s not that hard to find hosts who aren’t slow. YMMV.
I’ve done 19 sits in about 18 months, and turned down a bunch of unsolicited invites and repeats. I have access to more sits than I can do, even while being selective. And I sit only part time and enjoy home time as well. Sitting is just icing to me, so why bother with folks who are slow?
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I’ve previously let my applications just sit there, but I’m going to start withdrawing if I hear nothing after they’ve been read.
I’ve had better sit experiences with hosts who read my application and profile and think ‘she’s 100% what we are looking for’ and want to quickly secure me (sometimes within minutes of applying) than those who think ‘she’ll probably do but there might be someone better’ and wait. Better match with the pets and overall sit. And more considerate/appreciative hosts, to be honest, who are more likely to treat me as a welcome guest instead of ‘the help’. Happier sitter, happier hosts. They take the time to write more detailed and complimentary reviews too, which helps the cycle of getting quality sits and faster responses
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You can do both. Doesn’t have to be either/or. I apply for more than one sit at a time if I have that option and I withdraw an application if there is no response or when we confirm another sit. Very occasionally a host messages back straight with an apology after I have withdrawn. Too late! But usually the non responders continue not to respond!
I don’t understand hosts who list dates and then don’t monitor their inbox for applications! We’ve had one on the go for days- still not even read. The only reason I haven’t yet withdrawn is that it would be a very useful gap fill and there are no other sits with those exact dates.
And another scenario- when a host declines with a nice message saying they have found someone else but would love us another time… and then they don’t confirm the other sitter and the sit remains ‘reviewing’! We are in that situation right now with an attractive Christmas sit. Still ‘reviewing’ 5 days after declining us…
Anyway I prefer to be consciously and enthusiastically chosen! It gives a better feeling all round!
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@Lokstar We had a similar experience-the hosts said they had offered the sit to another sitter but would keep us in mind for future sits …the sit stayed at “reviewing” for several more weeks - we contacted the hosts to enquire and they said that they had confirmed the sitter but the sitter hadn’t accepted yet.
So everyone ( hosts & other applicants ) were in limbo because a sitter hadn’t accepted promptly.
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Sounds a bit weird unless they were waiting for a sitter they know and that sitter is still figuring out if they can make it.
Just like not all HOs know they need to click the button to officially offer the sit, not all sitters know they need to accept to officially accept the sit. If everything was done verbally they might not have realized that the confirmation message needed action on their end as well. Hopefully the HO has reached out to them with a “hey, we noticed you never accepted the sit so it’s not official in the THS system. If you’re still available for the sit can you click the button? If not, please let us know ASAP so we can accept another candidate.” message
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Yes, I think that was something like that - their first choice sitter was waiting to confirm their availability ( maybe waiting to hear if they had been accepted for another sit)
Eventually the sit was accepted by the sitter at which point we got the (auto generated ) declined message .
I always write a message to explain why I am withdrawing, but I wait the 72 hours that the HO should reply by.
If I have not heard from the HO within 24 hours, I lose interest anyway
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I am curious, you mean you literally say “I am not interested in your sit any more”?
My original question was a bit on that line. I mean, if we are not clear about the fact that it is something they have or have not done ( in this case communicate promptly), they may think it is because sitters have something else and were not originally really interested but that is not often the case. Not for me. If I apply I am both available and interested. I have thoroughly read the listing, the reviews (both ways), examined the pictures and looked up the area as well as accessibility if that is not specified in the listing.
I would like to find a polite way of saying that, unless there is a reason for their lack of communication, I would not feel comfortable being in charge of a house and pets whose owners don’t respond promptly and in an appropriate manner.
IMO, the decision to be polite and acknowledge that an application has been received and is being considered shouldn’t take long, it’s a natural process in people who are considerate and mindful of others.
There may be a few cases of owners that, for some unexpected situation, are not able to answer and yet another few that are inexperienced and perhaps too busy to put themselves in the sitter’s shoes and compensate for that lack of experience. But I think most HO who don’t communicate well from the beginning of the process are either on the “I’m an employer offering a very desirable job and I’m going to take my time because I’m in search of the very best” mode or they are simply bad at communication and I don’t want to sit for either profile of HO.
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