Professional House Sitting - Unsuccessful Sits
Getting Started
You decided to take the plunge and apply for a sit, and despite telling yourself not to, you’ve got your heart set on the beautiful vista and delightful faces of the fur children. You can already see yourself curled up before the fireplace with the snuggley Bernese Mountain dog with a book in one hand and a glass of wine in the other. Or perhaps you can see yourself swimming in the crystal clear ocean in Nice, just walking distance from the house sit of your dreams with a smokey grey kitten.
Your phone pings, and your heart races! Is it the owner? Have they selected me for their amazing, once in a lifetime sit?
We’ve all had the experience of seeing the disappointing phrase ‘Application Declined’ appear on our devices, whether it be a notification from an app or an email in our inbox.
Why are sits declined?
There are any number of reasons owners decline sit applications, but these are some of the most common.
Multiple Applicants - when the sit advertisement gives you butterflies, you can bet your airfare that there have been a dozen other sitters who have had the same reaction. There have been times I’ve seen sits in highly desirable locations, such as Iceland or Norway, where more than 50 people had applied before I’d even finished reading the ad!
The sit is an unsuitable match:
For me, as a traveller overseas, I don’t have my own vehicle to get around. There have been sits I’ve applied for where the owners have replied and advised that their home is too remote to be suitable for a sitter without a car. Keep in mind to avoid applying for sits if it is clear from the ad that it would be unsuitable.
Some sits have pets who require higher levels of care, such as very strong dogs who need more than one person when walking. I have had sits declined due to the preference of the owners to have a couple to care for their dogs.
Sits where a significant amount of ‘work’ is involved. If you apply for a sit that is located on acreage or farmland, sometimes there is a list of ‘duties’ or tasks that need completing each day. Sometimes owners consider these sits to be easier for couples or pairs of sitters.
Unique pets - some owners prefer to have sitters with experience with their animals. For example, owners of horses or reptiles may prefer sitters who have experience working with their types of animals.
A previous sitter becomes available - I have had owners contact me whilst mid-coordination, to advise that a previous sitter had offered to take up the sit, and for ease and convenience have decided to offer them the sit instead.
Change of Plans - There are occasions where owners change plans and must cancel their sits. This can happen during the application process and may not come with an explanation.