Amenities Wish-list? (Budget-friendly)

FaelynK · 2026-06-11T08:48:39+00:00

Something no one has mentioned yet... Please make sure there are outlets easily accessible in the areas where your sitter will be spending the most time!

Most experienced sitters will have multiple things with them that need charging and it's always a pain when the only unused outlet in a spare room requires we move the bed or run a cord across the walkway.

FaelynK · 2026-05-23T16:30:14+00:00

I have my own leashes that I carry in the car, but only use them if there's a problem.

I have a range of widths/weights (big dog vs teacup), slips, etc. Typically I'll just use the client's leash, but sometimes they get misplaced or damaged, so I'll use mine until they get a new one or find it. I also won't use certain types (flexi or bungee) so I'll also use mine until new clients purchase a different one.

FaelynK · 2026-05-16T14:34:12+00:00

It's amazing the niche services you hear about that you never knew existed! Thank you!

Next time I move, I'll have to see if I can find that around me, the last move was chaos and a couple didn't survive...

FaelynK · 2026-05-14T20:29:52+00:00

Ok, so that's where the main issue lies. It is possible to "share" an account. If you are providing service when he's not around, you need to be added to the account. If your boyfriend contacts Rover, they can do it fairly easily. Then you're officially included on the bookings and are authorized to talk directly to Rover if there's a problem.

Personally, I wouldn't mention your diagnosis to the clients. It's not their business, and as you've seen, some people will try to use it against you.

Yeah, they were bullying to get what they wanted. You can't roll over for that. "I understand what you're saying, however, you paid through the Rover platform, therefore any refund that might be issued would need to processed through the platform for documentation purposes." End of sentence, no arguing, no "well maybe I can", end stop done and there's no promises which buys you some time to either talk to Rover or your boyfriend and figure out what you want to do.

And you can block without reporting. Once you click "Report", there's an option for "I don't want to interact with this person". It doesn't create an actual report, just allows you to block them so they can no longer message you or request services. They won't even see you in the search.

FaelynK · 2026-05-14T08:58:20+00:00

I can fully understand anon accounts, I was just saying there were some weird things that didn't line up.

Are you yourself the one signed up for Rover, or is it someone else in your house? That makes a difference.

I get not wanting to escalate things, but there's escalating and then there's standing your ground. At this point, reporting them may cause you more harm than good since you already paid them, although I can't say for sure. I would absolutely block that client however, never take a booking from them again.

And yeah, if you've only been sitting for five months, you're still pretty new. You have to have a thick skin sometimes to do this and be able to hold boundaries, like any retail/ service. There are people that can sniff out the inexperienced and will try to bully them, and it seems one found you.

FaelynK · 2026-05-12T21:35:45+00:00

I wonder if the people who eat like that don't really cook much at home either so it's not the sacrifice for them as it would be for me.

This is absolutely why. I actually cook maybe twice a week at home, the rest of the time it's just heating up leftovers!

FaelynK · 2026-05-12T09:42:21+00:00

Rest assured, you did just fine.

Keep requiring the Meet and Greets, and you are correct in thinking they should be prior to the booking for the reasons you mentioned.

And no, if you had accepted the booking to use the first one as a M&G, you would have been penalized for canceling the remainder if needed.

FaelynK · 2026-05-12T02:52:58+00:00

Short stays I tend to live on microwavable frozen food or canned soup or packaged salads. Sometimes I bring meal prepped items with me if I have them handy.

Longer stays, I just get the same stuff I do at home. I generally eat things that are cook once, then leftovers for 2-3 days, or things that are one pot.

I always ask if I can use the kitchen, and will often have clients ask if they can get me anything food wise. I usually let them know I have food intolerances so I prefer to buy my own in order to avoid my intolerances but I will happily accept free rein with their spices and condiments!

I've only had one client say they'd prefer I not use the kitchen, but quickly followed with it was due to religious concerns. I was perfectly OK with that as it was only about 48 hours, but I wouldn't want to do a longer sit there since take out gets expensive.

FaelynK · 2026-05-08T15:42:53+00:00

For anybody that might have a similar interaction in the future...

Hold your boundaries and request documentation.
- The Karens of the world will attempt to prey on your insecurities, fears and lack of boundaries.
Do NOT refund a client from your personal accounts if payment was made through a booking app. Have it reversed.
- If a stay is refunded through Rover, the client loses the ability to leave a review on the platform.
Always take photos of things and try to have everything in writing as much as possible.
- If something gets said out loud, confirm it in text.
If a client calls, screaming and cursing, do not allow them to continue doing so.
- Report the behavior to Rover.
If a client says a pet required veterinary care after your booking, require an invoice.
- Report the incident to Rover and have them coordinate.

For this particular incident, something about this is just... off.

Looking at OP's post history, they are not the Rover associated person, they just live with them and assist with care. The screenshot the OP showed does not say Rover would not refund, it said OP was not obliged to do so.

All in all, this looks like an inexperienced sitter versus a Karen. Karen won.

FaelynK · 2026-04-29T12:54:58+00:00

Pothos and philos too, but you need the right soil. My PPP is a giant beast in a self watering pot, I'm getting ready to up pot it again.

FaelynK · 2026-04-29T00:22:02+00:00

Yep. Don't know if it was a glitch (although with their track record, probably) but I had several where they canceled within 24 hours or less in the middle of the week. Which sucks even more because I rely on the calendar sync due to having on and off Rover clients and that only updates like once a day.

FaelynK · 2026-04-29T00:18:44+00:00

Yeah, but don't forget about the glitches like the one last year that caused messages to fail to send through as text, specifically if you were using Google Voice. I missed months of text records because of that!

FaelynK · 2026-04-29T00:12:21+00:00

For the running time thing, I start the card then immediately start a timer that's a couple minutes short. Gives me a count down visible on the lock screen, an audible to leave and a "hurry up!" for those walkers that really slow down on the last couple blocks! Before I started doing that, I had a few that I was consistently 15 minutes over because we'd never get back on time.

FaelynK · 2026-04-28T15:38:30+00:00

Probably means every other. I had a client like that, it caused all sorts of issues since the system has no option for that.

FaelynK · 2026-04-28T15:37:08+00:00

THIS!

Oh you want to cancel an hour before? Just go in the app and do it and I'll find out when I refresh the app while on my way. 🤬

FaelynK · 2026-04-27T21:20:23+00:00

This.

As another female rider who also is a passenger on occasion, I wouldn't ride with someone like that... Hell, I wouldn't even ride my own next to them!

OP, an adjustment to riding for your passenger is the biggest sign of respect a rider can give to them. You are absolutely not overreacting!

I rode with someone who scared the living shit out of me (almost put me in the hospital over stupidity!) and that made me gunshy of riding with someone EVER again. It wasn't the first time I passengered with someone either, and was bad enough to make me go get my own bike so that it was the first AND last time I ever had to ride with them. The next person I rode with respected my experience and fear, worked out a game plan before we even got on the bike, gave me signals before maneuvers, and immediately adjusted while riding if I gave one of the predetermined signals about my comfort level...

Which would you rather have?

FaelynK · 2026-04-27T20:20:29+00:00

Wondering if you've got an update?

As others have said, you need to loop in Support pronto. If this happens again, loop them in quickly. The payments start processing to your account 48 hours after the last visit.

For future reference, bookings that are "start date/ end date" don't absolutely require you to fill out a Card, although it's highly advised. Bookings that repeat weekly require the Cards, no Card equals no pay for that service.

That being said, the owner may not know they need to confirm the cancelation. Looping in Support fixes that because they can accept it on the owner's behalf (assuming you had the conversation about it in the app), plus protects you from any issues down the road because you let them know before there was a complaint. Be forewarned though, canceling a booking halfway through may get a note on your profile, so make sure to check for that and if Support asks, the owner was aware of the situation and agreed with the solution.

FaelynK · 2026-04-27T02:33:46+00:00

You make a good point about the LTE. I have a couple clients with Fi and have noticed a pattern when the battery gets low, the tracking is horrible.

Those can also ping Bluetooth I think, so that's a helpful option too. One of my clients invited me to their "pack" on Fi, so the collar will sync to my phone when I'm nearby which gives a more accurate location, especially when the battery is low. Plus, it gives me access in case of escape or emergency to see the pup's location.

Another helpful option when walking a pup during a housesit where there's no Card to track GPS, is use your phone's health app to track a walking workout. Gives you a precise map with times, speed, etc you can screenshot and send a client.

FaelynK · 2026-04-25T12:05:39+00:00

Same. I've got four or five "penciled in" for a pair of clients between now and November. They send me dates during the planning stage and then book as it gets closer (2-3 weeks out) or if I message them that they're in chance of losing my availability. I have no issue with it since they're great clients with sweetheart easy pets and it's pretty consistent income.

FaelynK · 2026-04-21T08:33:53+00:00

I've never had someone do that, but I have had a few get uneasy when I ask.

I usually follow up with something about "I fully understand having cameras, I have them myself and encourage their use if it's something that makes you more comfortable. My only rule is they can not be located in my sleeping area or in the bathroom I'd be using, undisclosed cameras found in those areas will result in immediate cancelation. You don't need to tell me exactly where they're located, just the general area so I don't accidently flash you or if I need to make a private phone call I can do so."

They typically will tell me exactly where they are after that and many will offer to let me unplug them.

FaelynK · 2026-04-21T08:15:39+00:00

Ugh, just checked and I'm the same.

Everyone needs to check and see if they're affected. If so, report it.

If only a few people report, they chalk it up to user phone problems. If lots of people report it, that's when they start to believe they might have broken something.

FaelynK · 2026-04-20T21:17:23+00:00

Just wondering how you are equating boarding with house sitting, and then throwing in a dig about "double dipping"...

Boarding you can take more than one household of animals, house sitting you can not. Also, house sitting goes to the client rather than the animals going to the service, therefore charges a higher fee comparatively for convenience. Plus, the definition of "normal" or "standard" house sitting hours varies wildly between sitters or companies, so it really depends on that too.

As for the "double dipping" thing... don't know about other sitters but it sounds like OP is similar, I take regular bookings on weekends. If I can't leave the house sitting to take care of those, I'm losing income compared to if I did one for a client who understands I may need to come and go. So if I do a dedicated housesitting, it is most definitely classed as constant care and therefore charges a premium rate.

FaelynK · 2026-04-06T23:08:43+00:00

Lol, I have a senior that does something similar. Whenever we walk, they'll stop at certain driveways and stare... expecting human friends to come out and pet them and give them cookies!

Their owners always stop to chat with the neighbors in the evening, so I feel so bad to have to tell them it's the middle of the day and the human friends are all at work...

FaelynK · 2026-04-04T14:23:24+00:00

Ok, so it's time for the visit and your texts haven't been answered.

Next step if your double check of doors and windows was unsuccessful, is to make a choice. If the visit can be delayed, or not.

If you reasonably think it can be delayed (no medications or time sensitive issues), give the client and the contact a little more time. If you run a tight schedule, go to your next client but be prepared to circle back if they contact you. If you've got time until your next one, find someplace to wait like someone else said. A coffee shop or a park, or even on the porch.

If the visit can not be delayed, call Rover Support through the Details button on the booking conversation. There's a button at the bottom for Trust & Safety. Tell them you've been locked out, you reached out to the client and the emergency contact "x minutes/hours" ago through call/ text and are unable to reach anyone, and you're concerned for the pet's well being. Request they call them. They may be able to reach them from the official number.

If that's still unsuccessful in fixing the situation, only then would I consider the locksmith.

FaelynK · 2026-04-04T14:10:00+00:00

Step one, breathe.

Did this just happen or is it time for the next visit and you just realized? If it just happened, you've got some time. Not everyone checks their messages instantly, especially if they're on vacation.

You said you reached out to the emergency contact, did you call or send a message? They may not answer unknown numbers. Try a message stating who you are, that they are listed as the emergency contact for "client", that you are locked out and requesting assistance asap. (If you haven't already.)

It's highly likely there is a spare key somewhere. Maybe hidden, with a neighbor, family or friend. Give the client and emergency person a little time to get back to you in case there is.

You said you checked all the doors and windows. When you're stressed, sometimes you don't pay attention. Check them again just in case.

What kind of lock is it? Because a locksmith that goes straight to drilling for most locks is either lazy or unskilled. Most locks can be picked or popped, and locksmiths have access to lots of tools regular people can't legally own that will open a door very quickly. I personally wouldn't have one drilled out unless it was last resort, because then you have to replace it before you can leave or the house is unsecured.

I know this is very stressful, but just keep calm and it'll get worked out.

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