Home > Blog > Homeowner Treats Application as Confirmed Booking
Quick Facts
| How common is this? | Very common with new homeowners or those returning after a long absence from the platform |
| Why it happens | Most cases are simply a misunderstanding of how platform confirmation works |
| What counts as confirmed on THS | Both parties clicking confirm through the platform. verbal agreement is not enough |
| If the homeowner treats it as done | Send a friendly message asking them to confirm through the platform |
| If they push back or make a fuss | Withdraw the application. poor communication at this stage predicts a difficult sit |
| The Italy situation | We kept the sit open while the owner decided, found Ostuni, and withdrew politely |
| Red flag | A homeowner who cannot communicate clearly before confirmation will be harder during the sit |
This misunderstanding is one of the most-read threads on the THS forum (1,267 views) and it is mostly caused by new homeowners, or homeowners returning to the platform after a gap, who simply do not know how the confirmation process works.
Based on 18 sits across 11 countries with TrustedHouseSitters, we have been on both sides of this: a homeowner who selected us before the video call had even happened, and a sit in Italy where the homeowner treated the process as confirmed before we had pressed the button.
This article covers how to handle it calmly, what message to send, when to walk away, and what the communication pattern tells you about the sit you are about to take on.
Our full THS review covers how the platform is structured and why the confirmation step matters.
Use our 25% THS discount when joining.
Why It Happens
In almost every case, a homeowner treating an application as a confirmed booking is not an attempt to pressure you. It is a genuine misunderstanding of how the platform works.
THS requires both parties to confirm through the platform before a sit is official. The confirmation button is in the sidebar of the chat within the platform. To a new homeowner or one who has not used THS for several years, it is easy to assume that selecting a sitter verbally and sending them a message is sufficient. They have said yes. The sitter has said yes. What else is needed?
What is needed is the button.
Our current Portugal sit homeowner had used a platform in the past but had not been active for several years and had zero reviews. A homeowner with no reviews is one of the red flags worth checking before applying.
When we submitted our application, she reviewed several sitters and chose us, all before having a video call. We asked for one before committing, which she agreed to. After the video call went well and we were happy to proceed, we asked her to confirm through the platform and adjust the dates. She did not. We had to ask again before the formal confirmation came through.
This is not unusual. The verbal intention to sit is present. The platform mechanic is the missing step. A gentle reminder is almost always all it takes.
What Actually Counts as Confirmed
On TrustedHouseSitters, a sit is confirmed when both the homeowner and the sitter have clicked the confirm button within the platform dashboard. Until that point, no booking exists. The sit can be cancelled or declined by either party without penalty. For the full cancellation process see our THS cancellation guide.
A message saying "I would love you to sit for us" is not a confirmation. An email exchange agreeing on dates is not a confirmation. The homeowner telling their neighbours you will be there is not a confirmation. Only the platform confirmation is the confirmation.
This matters for both parties. As a sitter, you should not make travel arrangements, turn down other sits, or act as if the dates are locked until the platform confirmation is in place. As a homeowner, you should not inform your employer, book flights, or make any plans that depend on having a sitter until the platform has processed the confirmation from both sides. Our video call guide and waiting for homeowner guide both cover how to manage this window between interest and confirmation.
The Message to Send
When a homeowner is treating the application as confirmed before the platform step is done, the message is simple:
Here is the message that works in almost every situation:
"Hi [name], we are so looking forward to the sit. Just to make sure everything is properly in place, could you confirm through the platform when you get a chance? Once we both confirm, the sit is officially locked in. Happy to answer any questions in the meantime."
This message does three things. It confirms you are enthusiastic about the sit. It explains what is needed without making the homeowner feel criticised. And it keeps everything friendly while creating the expectation that the confirmation step will happen.
If the homeowner has also not yet adjusted the dates correctly, address that in the same message:
"Could you also update the dates to [correct dates] before confirming? That way everything is accurate from the start."
When the Homeowner Is Moving Ahead of the Process
A more pressured version of this situation occurs when a homeowner has told other people the sitter is confirmed, shares logistics you did not ask for, or starts asking you to make commitments before the platform step is done.
This is still usually a misunderstanding rather than an intentional pressure tactic, but it requires a clear and early response:
"We are keen on this sit. let's get the platform confirmation in place first so it is all official."
If the homeowner reacts badly to this request, that reaction is useful information. A homeowner who cannot process a simple, polite request to follow the platform's own procedure is demonstrating how they will communicate throughout the sit itself. Poor communication before the sit starts is a reliable predictor of poor communication during it.
We once had a homeowner in Italy who needed two weeks to decide whether he wanted us. Our guide to waiting for a homeowner decision covers exactly how to manage this window without losing other opportunities. We told him clearly that we would continue looking for other sits while he decided, and we asked him not to formally confirm on the platform until he was ready. He agreed. When we found the Ostuni sit, we let him know, and we withdrew our application. The communication was clean, nobody felt deceived, and both parties moved on without friction.
Compare that to the Portugal situation: a homeowner who communicated warmly, had a productive video call with us, selected us, and then simply did not press the confirm button until we followed up. No pressure, no bad intent. Just an unfamiliarity with the platform mechanic. One follow-up message resolved it entirely.
The Communication Pattern Tells You Everything
The way a homeowner communicates in the application stage is the best available preview of how they will communicate during the sit itself.
A homeowner who responds promptly, follows through on simple requests, handles the video call professionally, and processes the platform confirmation without friction is a homeowner who will answer your messages quickly if something comes up mid-sit. A homeowner who is slow, vague, resistant to the confirmation process, or defensive when you ask a simple question is one who will be harder to reach when you need them.
We had a direct experience of this in Portugal with the barking dog. When we raised the dog's behaviour, the homeowner initially apologised. Then she became defensive, and began trying to argue that the dog was fine.
She took our honest account of the dog's behaviour as a personal criticism rather than useful information. We were not trying to make her look bad. We were telling her what was happening in her home. For any undisclosed behaviour that affects your safety, see our homeowner misrepresentation guide. That defensive response was a communication pattern that had been present, in milder form, from the beginning of the sit.
The application stage is where you can see the early version of that pattern before you have moved in.
When to Walk Away
Not every unconfirmed booking situation needs to be resolved. Sometimes the right response is to withdraw the application.
If a homeowner has treated the application as confirmed, is making demands based on that assumption, and responds poorly when you explain the platform process, that combination is a clear signal. Withdraw. Find another sit.
No matter how appealing the home, the location, or the animals are, a sit where communication is difficult from the start will be a sit where communication is difficult throughout. When something goes wrong mid-sit, you need a homeowner who responds quickly and thoughtfully. One who cannot manage the confirmation process without friction is not that homeowner.
The mechanics of withdrawing are simple on THS. You decline or withdraw the application through the platform. A brief message to the homeowner is courteous: "I wanted to let you know that we have decided to move forward with another sit. We hope you find a great sitter and wish you a wonderful trip." Clean, warm, final.
Conclusion
A homeowner who treats an application as confirmed is almost always a new user or someone who has been away from the platform for a while. In the vast majority of cases, one clear and friendly message asking them to confirm through the platform is all it takes.
If the homeowner responds poorly to that message, you have learned something important about how the sit will feel. Trust that information.
The confirmation button exists for a reason. The THS cancellation feature guide explains what happens once a sit is officially confirmed and what your options are if circumstances change. Until it is pressed by both parties, nothing is locked in. That protects both sides equally.
Join TrustedHouseSitters with 25% off using our discount link and read our waiting for homeowner decision guide for the full picture of managing the window between application and confirmation.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do if a homeowner thinks my application is a confirmed booking?
Send a friendly message asking them to confirm through the platform. Explain that the sit is only official once both parties have confirmed through THS (or whichever platform you are on). In most cases this is a simple misunderstanding and one message resolves it. If the homeowner responds poorly to this request, that reaction is a useful signal about how the sit will go.
What counts as a confirmed house sit on TrustedHouseSitters?
Both parties must confirm through the platform dashboard. A verbal agreement, WhatsApp message, or email exchange does not constitute a confirmed sit. Until the platform confirmation is in place, either party can decline or withdraw without penalty. Do not make travel arrangements or turn down other sits until the platform confirmation is done.
What if a homeowner is pressuring me to commit before the platform confirmation?
Respond clearly and early: "We are keen on this sit. Let's get the platform confirmation in place first." If the homeowner reacts badly to this, consider withdrawing. Poor communication before the sit starts is a reliable predictor of poor communication during it. No home or animal is worth a sit where the homeowner dynamic is difficult from day one. Our what not to do when house sitting guide covers the other warning signs worth watching for from the start.
Can I apply to multiple sits at the same time and withdraw if I find a better one?
Yes. This is standard practice. Until a sit is confirmed through the platform, you are free to continue applying and to withdraw if a better fit comes through. Let the homeowner know promptly and politely if you are withdrawing. Our waiting for homeowner guide covers the parallel application approach in detail.
