Cat Sitters in Euxton

REBECCA

Fabulous sitters, communicative, friendly and Cosmo loved them both. I was not there to welcome them when they arrived but they were very understanding and sent us some lovely pics and updates on Cosmo 
They were super clean and would be welcome anytime. :)

Janet

Alyson arrived a couple days before sit started as agreed. I felt very comfortable leaving her in my home. She sent periodic pictures of my cat and was responsive to texts if anything came up. She bought litter which I'd forgotten to restock. Her husband came a week into the 2+ week sit with my permission.  She bought a case of soda to replace a few of mine she'd drank, which I appreciated.
 
I was very disappointed that when I arrived home from a long trip that the house was not clean. I didn't say anything because I wanted to give her a chance to clean it and the sit didn't end until the next day. She and her husband each had cars and they were headed to different states. We said good bye and I thought just her husband was leaving because the house still hadn't been returned to the state it was in when I left. And surely she wasn't going to leave it dirty when my Welcome Guide states:

'Please leave the house as you found it. Cleaning supplies under bathroom vanity as well as under kitchen sink. Broom and Dyson cordless vac are in kitchen. Please only run dishwasher if it's full.'

I believe there was an issue with their toilet as the toilet brush that I had there was replaced with a toilet brush/plunger combo unit. I asked if there had been an issue and she said no - that she got one through a mixed up pick up order. That makes sense except I removed it as I don't want a giant plunger in my guest bathroom. I went to clean it before giving it away and a big ball of dried toilet paper came out of the plunger. Didn't come from the factory that way. Clogged toilets happen.

I was expecting the LR, DR kitchen floors swept, carpets vacuumed in LR, DR and BR, kitchen sink cleaned as well as bathroom. The shower walls were cleaned. There was hair in the shower pan as well as in the bathtub, along with a damp, dirty towel and dirty, wet sponge. She left a baked on lasagna pan in the dishwasher that I had pulled out and filled with hot, soapy water when I got home. It was back in the dishwasher the next AM.  There were oily heel prints on my LR coffee table. OK to put feet up, not OK to not wipe it down along with crumbs. I spent a lot of time cleaning before she came - doing much more than I expected her to do like wet mopping, dusting, clean frig shelves or cleaning windows. Not only did I have a housesitter coming, but I like to come home to a clean house after a long trip. 

I was flabbergasted when I looked out my window and saw both their cars gone! I was tempted to text her but decided against it as she was headed to another state and was already on the road. 

That afternoon, I asked her via text about using the bathtub as it had hair in it and she said she hadn't used it, which I believe. They were using a towel rack over the bathtub where they left a damp, dirty towel. The bathtub didn't have hair in it before I left.  I sent her the picture of the bathroom I was asking about. She asked if there was a problem and I said yes. Told her about cleaning instructions in Welcome Guide. Did not want to get on phone with her at that moment. She got VERY defensive and said my house was not clean when I left. Complained that I didn't say anything before she left...I hadn't realized she was leaving with her husband - because the house hadn't been cleaned. (Her immature attitude on this is why I felt the need for details here.)

Other Pet Parents should make sure Alyson agrees to the Welcome Guide or brings up issues with it ahead of time.  If you want your home left as it was found, verbally tell her that, even if it's in the Welcome Guide. If your home is clean, make a point of showing her. Some people that have live in hybrid housing situations between Airbnbs and housesits can blur the line between the two.