Community Forum: July round-up

Our Community Forum has been a hive of activity over the past few months as members shared their experiences, tips, and questions about house and pet sitting. We’ve seen seasoned sitters share their top tips for getting 5* reviews every time, while pet parents have been chiming in on the debate over inviting plus ones to a sit. There’s something for everyone, so let’s dive in and take a look!

Must-read discussion

@NCSitterPD kicked off a fantastic discussion when she asked sitters with 5* reviews to share their tips on introducing themselves when applying for a sit. It was amazing to see so many members share their secrets to getting five-star reviews every time, and the discussion is a goldmine for anyone wanting to boost their rep on the platform.

Member spotlight

This month our spotlight is on the fabulous @Nagy26 (and her partner!), who you might remember from a recent blog post.

How did you get into house sitting?

“It’s a bit of a long story! My fiancé and I were both expats in our early 20s in London, and that’s how we met. It wasn’t long after we met that both Brexit and COVID happened, and neither of us could continue living & working in the UK anymore. We weren’t sure what to do to continue living together, as we are from opposite sides of the planet, and neither of us wanted to move back home again.

That’s when we discovered we actually both share a passion for travel and wanted to see many of the same places in Europe. So we decided to put our career goals on hold for a while and travel with rent-free exchanges.

We started off with au pairing… then we tried ‘Workaway,’ and through this site discovered pet sitting and various house sitting sites. As big pet lovers, this really took our fancy! We’ve been traveling exclusively with pet sitting for 3 years now, and really love it.”

Tell us about your favorite house sit so far

“Hmm hard to pick, there’s been so many! We both really loved a 3 week sit we did in Newquay, Cornwall in the summer of last year. It was a really nice home with one cuddly cat and super lovely hosts that we connected with straight away. We were also able to see locations that had been on the top of our bucket list for ages, such as Port Isaac and Padstow.”

What’s one key thing you have learned since house sitting?

“Great communication between sitters and owners from the very start is key to success and will often determine how well a sit will go. Always ask each other a bunch of questions during video calls, and be sure to disclose any and all information that might be helpful or relevant to the sit. Don’t hesitate to reach out to each other if you’re unsure about something or need to share an update! If you’re sitting for or hosting a newbie who isn’t sure of the process, be sure to help them out and point them to tips or information that might benefit them, often found here on the Forum or in the many blogs THS has available.”

What’s your favorite animal?

“Mine: Old English Sheepdogs and Munchkin cats!
His: Golden Retrievers.”

Where in the world would your dream house sit be?

“Rome or Iceland!”

Forum member shout-outs

Shout out to @Catherine.L who shared that her son’s adorable cat, Texas, turned the grand old age of 20! Happy Purrthday, Texas!

@TLH_070460 has been spreading good vibes across several discussions and recently added some words of encouragement to @Amparo’s thread, “Cairo anyone?”: 

“WOW!! I AM SO GLAD THAT YOU ARE HAVING A GOOD TIME AND EVERYTHING IS WORKING OUT GREAT FOR YOU! Congratulations!!”

It’s also been great to see members like @TravelMan welcoming each other to the community: 

“Greetings @DMOrod Marie and Dan, Thank you for the feedback. As a HO, you are going out of your way to ensure a smooth sit…Welcome to the community!”

Top pics

Could @Catherine.L’s furry grandson, Texas, be any more excited to celebrate his birthday?

@Louise7 shared a very special mug with us, prompting other members to show off their tableware.

@Mrsmo5 captured a beautiful sunset image in Florida, which was shared in our Sunsets and Sunrises discussion.

@Catgoddess_99 shared an adorable photo of her fur nephew, Poo Bear, looking like he’s ready for a treat!

What’s new?

RAF updates

We shared a quick update about the Refer a Friend page – you’ll now be able to see members you’ve referred, track your total rewards, and check out your invite options. Woohoo!

Inbox insights

There was a mini update on the new inbox discussion, which cleared up important questions like whether the app inbox would change (spoiler: it won’t!).

Members in the media

We created a space to share stories of members who’ve been featured in the media. Who knows, maybe you’ll be our next celebrity sitter!

Meet the vacation team

We also introduced some of the lovely new faces you may see around the Forum, @Mark_B and @Lily_V. They’ll be keeping an eye on things while the core team is on holiday. 

What else has the community been discussing?

Is the nomad life for you? 

Sitters have been sharing stories about the trials and tribulations of nomadic life, offering a fascinating glimpse into life on the road while pet sitting. Are you living the nomadic dream? Travel on over to the Forum and share your adventures with us!

Video call tips

Sitters also told us what they look for in their initial video call, from happy, smiling faces to introductions to the pets. It’s great for pet parents to learn how to connect with potential sitters, and it also gives new sitters tips on what to ask during their first call. If you’ve got advice to add to this thread, we’d love to hear it!

Adding plus ones

A pet parent came to the Forum to ask for advice about her sitter bringing a partner along. There were lots of interesting views on the subject, from both owners and sitters. Have you been on either side of the situation? Pop over to the Forum and share your experience!

Join the conversation

Want to add your voice to the mix? Come and join us on our friendly Community Forum, where we’re always looking for new insights and ideas to inspire and help other pet lovers like yourselves.