What would you do?

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gillybean129
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What would you do?

Post by gillybean129 »

I have got back from a holiday, having employed a cat sitter for 2 visits per day. I hasten to add I have used her twice before.
I felt bad enough as my cat is an indoor cat and very nervous, so I was dreading leaving him.
Imagine how I felt when I check my cctv to see he has only had one visit per day and it was for on average 10 mins long.
Yes he was OK though he cried non stop miowing and was very verbal for the first 2 days I was back. I feel like saying something but it feels like I have been checking on her.. I am so disappointing as I trusted her but it's clear there has been no interaction with him at all, though yes he's been fed and tray cleaned.
I won't use her again :(
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MarySkater
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Re: What would you do?

Post by MarySkater »

Next time you book a sitter, tell her you have CCTV, because you want to observe how your cat copes with being left. That lets the sitter know that she is under observation too.
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Lilith
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Re: What would you do?

Post by Lilith »

Oh that is ****! :evil: :x

Seems you have the option of telling her you know she's been ripping you off (I'm assuming she charged you for the 2 visits) and why shouldn't you? You don't need to confront her; this was a business arrangement and you could email or write to her with a brief account of how you know she wasn't keeping her promise and that you won't be using her again and can't recommend her to anyone else (this ought to hurt her more than your discovery as small businesses depend on word of mouth.)

Or you can vote with your feet and simply not use her again.

I know how you feel as recently I was involved with a workman (long story) who expected - perhaps still does - to get the maintenance contract for the appliance concerned. He won't. If he or his boss (who is fine) ever contact me, they'll be told. If not, I'll just put it down to experience. But leaves a bad taste in your mouth and that was just over a string of trivial matters.

But as to having been conned into trusting a living creature to a crook like this! I'd be mad, all right!

I'm glad your boy's recovered from his 'home alone' experience, poor chap, but you've every right to be angry imo and to let this woman know. There'd be a lot of people taking her to court or at the very least demanding a refund!
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ThorpeDave
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Re: What would you do?

Post by ThorpeDave »

gillybean129 wrote:I have got back from a holiday, having employed a cat sitter for 2 visits per day. I hasten to add I have used her twice before.
I felt bad enough as my cat is an indoor cat and very nervous, so I was dreading leaving him.
Which ever way you look at it, it's a breach of contract and a breach of trust.

Assuming that you are paying for the service you should - at absolute maximum - only pay half and make it very clear that their services will not be required in the future.

If it was me, I would not pay them a penny

You have clear evidence what has happened and therefore have nothing to fear.

Regards

Dave
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Ruth B
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Re: What would you do?

Post by Ruth B »

My advice would be to email them, firstly asking if they had any problems the week you were away. This not only keeps all correspondence in writing should you ever need it in evidence, but gives them an opportunity to admit they had problems (overbooked, unwell etc) offer an apology and partial refund.

If they claim that everything was fine during the week then I would be asking why they only made one visit a day for 10 minutes when you had booked them for 2 visits a day (and I would assume somewhere it would state how long those visits would be, or at least what would be included each day). Mention the CCTV casually, that you wanted to check on how the cat coped when no one was there rather than saying you have it as proof that they only visited once, let them make that connection.

I do feel that you are due at least a partial refund but I also understand that for some people making waves just isn't their thing, in which case just vote with your feet and go else where.
gillybean129
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Re: What would you do?

Post by gillybean129 »

The CCTV is only on the outside of the property, and she wasn't under observation, I was just checking on the foxes (I like to see them collect scraps I sometimes put out) and it occurred to me to check the times she came, in a way I'm glad I couldn't see him pacing or stressing out.

I know it was one visit, sometimes as late as 1130am (which upset me as he's used to food earlier and twice a day) I could see when she left the gate was left open and it was in the same place until the next visit.

I also know she brought her husband and left the keys in the door whilst she was indoors and she didn't put the bin out ask requested. I also know he'd been sick as there were marks on the carpet and flooring I could see that had been wiped.

She asks for cash upfront, I'm not bothered about the money just I feel very let down but more importantly let my cat down, I didn't provide for him and I'm so mad at myself, it's left a bad taste when I thought I could trust her. I don't feel I can even approach her about it.
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Kay
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Re: What would you do?

Post by Kay »

is there anywhere you could leave a review for her? the worry here for me is not so much what happened, but any future cat sitting jobs she takes, as it may well be she would cut visits completely if she thought she could get away with it

this is a potential problem with all private cat sitting arrangements, and why I prefer a cattery - even a properly run cat sitting business could fail the owner if the booked cat sitter doesn't communicate when there is a problem
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MarySkater
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Re: What would you do?

Post by MarySkater »

Kay wrote: even a properly run cat sitting business could fail the owner if the booked cat sitter doesn't communicate when there is a problem
This happened to me in the past. I used what seemed to be a well-run agency for pet visits, house checking etc. They had a number of agents on their books, in different locations. I had used them several times for my two cats - one visit a day, second meal placed in timer-feeders. On one occasion, though, the agent messed up with her bookings. As a result, nobody came to my cats for the week I was away. Fortunately I was always a bit twitchy about going away and leaving them locked in the flat, so I always left two big dishes of water, and they hadn't quite got to the end of that. But they starved for a week. For several days after I got home, they slept a lot, and I think/ hope that they spent their week in a kind of semi-hibernation. There were no ill effects, and both of them could afford to lose a bit of weight (they lost about 300-400 grams each) but that's not the sort of diet I wanted for them.

I blasted the agency by e-mail, they were very apologetic and refunded my payment (although didn't offer any compensation). They also assured me that they were introducing a new checking system to make sure that all contracts were being fulfilled and had not been forgotten. I did use them again, because I also had logistical problems about using a cattery (no car, nearest cattery some distance away). But I insisted on a different agent being put in charge of my cats, and that she was to text me every day - nothing elaborate, just "cats ok" to reassure me that they hadn't been forgotten.

Happily, since I retired and changed my location, I have a nice cattery not too far away, who do a collect and deliver. I'm happier with that.
gillybean129
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Re: What would you do?

Post by gillybean129 »

Well it really upsets me not least because itrusted her. Now I have to find someone else
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mr_frisky
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Re: What would you do?

Post by mr_frisky »

I wouldn't pay them.
gillybean129
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Re: What would you do?

Post by gillybean129 »

I already did, cash up front. It's not the money that bothers me (though £60 per hour is a fair crack) it's the principle.
I feel I should let her know I know but she'll know I have been checking up
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Re: What would you do?

Post by booktigger »

Wow, that seems very expensive
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Lilith
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Re: What would you do?

Post by Lilith »

Blimey. When I got a quote from a pet sitter (just in case) it was £15 per day for 2 visits.

Why shouldn't you check up - especially at that price?

I understand how you feel though. I chickened out myself over the unpleasant gasman - though I'm ready to tackle him if I ever get any questions as to why I won't have him back. You sort of get stuck between confronting them or just putting them down to experience, but trouble is, you're not going to trust the next pet sitter (though as Mary says, you can let them know about the CCTV.)

Do you know anyone who can write a stiff letter or email for you and tell this person that you know what they've been up to? Or do you have a local CAB who could advise you? You have every right on your side and there are some people who would enjoy venting their anger (lavishly) on this cheapskate ... oh how I hope she gets caught by one of THEM next time she tries her tricks!

All the very best x
gillybean129
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Re: What would you do?

Post by gillybean129 »

When I say £60 per hour, that's what it equated to, she actually charges £12 for 2 visits.

I also had another incident, which sounds like your situation maybe, I paid for the gutters to be cleaned, little did they know they were on CCTV and spent 10 minutes with a bucket just removing a weed that had grown. I paid £40 for this, I daren't tackle them as they seemed a bit 'rough' and he insisted on cash in hand but I also insisted on a paper bill, he said he couldn't s his printer wasn't working, after I said I wouldn't pay without a receipt it soon seemed to work OK! You live and learn.

I was recommended her by a local cat rescue place, I might just let them know my findings...
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Lilith
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Re: What would you do?

Post by Lilith »

That sounds like a very good place to start :) Especially as you don't want to confront her directly.

With my ghastly gasman, il maestro, the menace from Venice, it wasn't what he didn't do, it was what he DID ... he knew his stuff but needed a slave to pick up after him, prevent him from using my best soup bowls to drain mucky water from radiators, stop him from brushing a new worktop down with the brush and pan I use for spilled litter, stop him from letting cats out, replace a cable clip fixing that prevented me from opening the dishwasher; he also invited a stranger into the house and my bedroom without asking me first ...fixed a sink unit and taps that fell to bits ... I bodged the doors, the tap still wobbles... his last visit was just the last straw, arrived an hour before he said he would and got cross because nothing was ready for him ... he did have a rather operatic personality but then so do I lol. All trivia. But it all mounts up, doesn't it?

I'm going to be asking the firm that subcontracts him (no problems with them; it was just him) to be putting up some shelves for me soon to cope with the book infestation in this house, knee deep in books here lol, any questions and I'll tell them. C'est la vie.

Yes, I'd tell them and hopefully they can deal with it, good luck :)
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Re: What would you do?

Post by Summercat »

Definetly let the rescue that recommended the sitter, know that she skimped on her visits.... No wonder she charges cash upfront.
I had a bad experience in the past as well with a cat sitter, she made one visit and when I came back there was tons of cat food and water scattered around and quite a mess, overflowing litter boxes....
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Red wine lady
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Re: What would you do?

Post by Red wine lady »

Ironically I had booked the same service for November, that was until I read a review on Facebook (which the sitter has now deleted). In a nutshell what happened to you has happened to someone else locally AND the sitter was also caught snooping around their house !

I have now booked our house cat into a cattery for a couple of days...he may not like it, but I would feel much happier.

I personally would contact them with your grievance and ask for your money back and / or write a very bad review.

xx
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