Home > Blog > How to Cancel or Reschedule a House Sit
Quick Facts
| Can sitters cancel directly on TrustedHouseSitters? | No. You must message the homeowner or contact Member Services |
| Can homeowners cancel directly? | Yes. They can cancel with a click |
| THS Premium Sit Cancellation Plan | $150/night, up to $1,500 per sit, 30 nights/year. Premium only. Not insurance. Offered at THS's sole discretion |
| Nomador Standard cancellation cover | €250 per stay if the other party cancels within 30 days |
| Nomador Premium cancellation cover | €500 per stay if the other party cancels within 30 days |
| Leaving a sit early without notifying the homeowner | Lifetime ban from TrustedHouseSitters, no refund of membership fees |
| Most important rule | Contact Member Services before you leave an unacceptable sit. Never just walk out |
You have the flights booked, the dates cleared, and a message ready to send the homeowner confirming you are on your way. Then your phone buzzes. A cancellation message. Or perhaps you are the one who needs to cancel and you cannot find a button anywhere in the app to do it.
Both situations happen. We have experienced a homeowner cancellation firsthand, a week before the start with everything cleared in our schedule, and had no recourse. This guide covers exactly what to do in either case, what the platforms actually say in their terms, and how to protect your profile and your reputation when plans fall apart.
Why There Is No Cancel Button for Sitters
If you log into your TrustedHouseSitters dashboard after confirming a sit and look for a way to cancel, you will not find one. This is not a bug. It is a deliberate design choice.
Under TrustedHouseSitters' terms of service, sitters may only cancel if there are extraordinary circumstances, and must immediately notify the homeowner. The platform makes it intentionally difficult because their entire model depends on homeowners being able to trust that a confirmed sitter will actually show up. An animal left without care is a welfare issue. A homeowner mid-flight with no sitter is a crisis. The friction is designed to protect both.
If you need to cancel as a sitter, the process is: message the homeowner to explain the situation, then contact Member Services to formally process the cancellation. The homeowner can cancel with a click. You cannot. Understanding this asymmetry before you need to cancel saves confusion in a stressful moment.
One critical point from the THS terms that most sitters do not know until it is too late: if you leave a sit early without first informing the homeowner and giving them reasonable time to arrange alternative care, the consequence is an instant lifetime ban from the platform with no refund of membership fees. This applies even if your reason for leaving is legitimate. The protocol matters as much as the reason.
What the Cancellation Plans Actually Cover
Both TrustedHouseSitters and Nomador offer cancellation cover for members. The details differ significantly and are worth understanding before you choose a platform or a membership tier.
TrustedHouseSitters Sit Cancellation Plan
TrustedHouseSitters has two separate cancellation plans: one for pet parents when a sitter cancels, and one for sitters when a pet parent cancels. Both are Premium tier only.
For sitters whose pet parent cancels, THS may provide up to $150 per night to cover the cost of alternative accommodation, up to $1,500 per sit. You are covered for up to 30 nights annually across as many sits as you like, or if you do longer sits, your first three sits per year are covered even if they span beyond 30 days.
For pet parents whose sitter cancels unexpectedly, the same $150 per night and $1,500 per sit limits apply, with a $150 pet parent contribution (effectively a deductible). "Unexpectedly" has a specific definition: the cancellation must occur 14 days or less before the agreed start date, or during the sit itself. A sitter cancelling six weeks in advance does not trigger this plan.
Three things are essential to understand about both plans. First, they are explicitly not insurance policies. THS's own terms state the plans are offered "on a goodwill basis and at our sole discretion". Eligibility is assessed case by case and is not guaranteed. Second, you must notify THS within 24 hours of the cancellation. Miss that window and the cover does not apply. Third, THS must be given the opportunity to find an alternative sitter before the plan is triggered. If they successfully relist the sit and a suitable sitter applies, the plan does not pay out. This also means that if THS finds a replacement sitter and you refuse them without good reason, your claim will almost certainly be denied on the basis that your loss was avoidable. The plan is designed to cover genuine losses, not a preference for compensation over a replacement.
The $150 per night and $1,500 per sit figures are in USD. TrustedHouseSitters is a UK-based company but uses USD for its global plan terms, with foreign currency equivalents calculated using the OANDA exchange rate on the date of payment. Nomador's figures are strictly in euros, with no currency equivalent option.
| THS plan detail | What it says |
|---|---|
| Who is covered | Premium members only |
| Trigger for sitters | Pet parent cancels a confirmed sit |
| Trigger for pet parents | Sitter cancels 14 days or less before start, or abandons mid-sit |
| Rate | $150 per night |
| Maximum per sit | $1,500 |
| Annual cap | 30 nights, or first 3 sits if longer than 30 days total |
| Pet parent contribution | $150 (deductible) |
| Notification deadline | Within 24 hours of cancellation |
| Not an insurance policy | Offered at THS's sole discretion |
If you need to make a claim, contact Member Services immediately after the cancellation. Keep all documentation: the cancellation message on the platform, any travel bookings made, accommodation receipts, and for pet parents, written confirmation from any alternative carer of the daily amount paid.
You can get 25% off a TrustedHouseSitters Premium membership through our discount code page.
Nomador Cancellation Reimbursement Service
Nomador's approach is more structured but lower in maximum value. The cancellation service is available to Standard and Premium subscribers and covers situations where either party cancels within 30 days of the planned start date.
| Nomador plan | Cover per stay | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | €250 | Emergency accommodation, non-refundable transport, cancellation costs |
| Premium | €500 | Emergency accommodation, non-refundable transport, cancellation costs |
For sitters, if a homeowner cancels within 30 days: Nomador covers emergency accommodation costs and reimburses non-refundable transport tickets purchased before you were aware of the cancellation. For homeowners, if a sitter cancels within 30 days: Nomador covers professional pet-sitting costs and transport cancellation costs.
The notification deadline is strict: you must contact Nomador at hello@nomador.com within two working days of becoming aware of the cancellation. Miss that window and the cover does not apply. Reimbursement is made by bank transfer within five working days of Nomador receiving all required documents. If you provide inaccurate or fraudulent documentation, Nomador reserves the right to pursue legal action.
Valid vs. Invalid Cancellation Reasons
The difference between a cancellation that damages your profile and one that does not usually comes down to whether your reason qualifies as an extraordinary circumstance under the platform's terms.
| Situation | Platform stance | Evidence needed |
|---|---|---|
| Serious illness (you or immediate family) | Valid | Doctor's note or hospital documentation |
| Bereavement | Valid | Communicate directly with Member Services |
| Natural disaster or government travel restriction | Valid | News reports or flight cancellation confirmation |
| Finding a better sit | Violation | Will result in account action |
| Work conflict | Not accepted | Usually results in a profile strike |
| Change of mind | Violation | Will result in account action or ban |
If your reason is valid, submit your documentation to Member Services immediately. When a cancellation is processed through Member Services with documented valid reason, the homeowner is typically restricted from leaving a retaliatory review specifically about the cancellation. If you handle the cancellation privately without going through official channels, you lose that protection.
How to Cancel Without Burning the Relationship
Even when a cancellation is unavoidable and valid, how you communicate it determines whether the homeowner ever speaks positively about you. The single most important thing is to tell them as soon as you know, not when you have exhausted every other option.
A message that arrives four weeks before gives a homeowner a realistic chance of finding a replacement. Four days does not. The earlier you tell them, the more goodwill you preserve.
Copy-paste cancellation message:
"Hi [Homeowner Name], I am incredibly sorry to send this, but due to [reason], I am no longer able to complete the sit on [dates]. I wanted to tell you the moment I knew so you have the maximum time to find a replacement. I have already contacted Member Services to help facilitate the transition. I am truly sorry for the stress this causes."
Keep the message focused on what you are doing to help them rather than explaining yourself at length. Offer to help if you can: sharing the listing, suggesting they repost immediately.
For long-term rescheduling specifically, ask the homeowner what they need rather than assuming. Some can flex dates easily. Others have flights that cannot move. An open conversation resolves this better than one party issuing instructions.
When the Homeowner Cancels on You
When a homeowner cancels a confirmed sit, your options depend on timing and your membership tier.
If the cancellation comes with enough notice, the priority is finding a replacement sit quickly. Have your saved searches and notifications set up. Keep a short list of sits you previously bookmarked but did not apply for.
If you are on TrustedHouseSitters Premium, contact Member Services to understand your eligibility for the Sit Cancellation Plan. Document everything on the platform messaging system. Do not move the conversation to WhatsApp or email where it is outside the platform's record.
If you are on Nomador Standard or Premium and the cancellation is within 30 days of your start date, email hello@nomador.com within two working days. Attach proof of the cancellation, proof of any costs incurred, and proof of your confirmed booking.
Arriving at an Unacceptable Sit
This is the situation nobody wants to encounter and most people are unprepared for when it happens. You arrive, the homeowner leaves, and the house is not what the listing suggested.
Do not leave immediately. Under THS's terms, leaving a sit early without informing the homeowner and giving them reasonable time to arrange alternative care results in an instant lifetime ban. The protocol matters regardless of how bad the conditions are.
Document everything before you do anything else. Take photos and video. When filming, do a single continuous walk-through of the entire property rather than separate clips. A single unedited video is significantly harder to dispute as cherry-picked and proves the state of the whole property in one recording. Then pull up the listing photos and the welcome guide on your phone. Under THS's terms of service, homeowners are required to only provide content that accurately reflects the quality and condition of their home. If there is a meaningful discrepancy between what was listed and what you arrived to, that is a specific breach of the platform's terms. Screenshot the listing photos alongside your documentation. That comparison is your evidence.
Contact Member Services with your evidence before you say anything to the homeowner. Once support has acknowledged the situation, then tell the homeowner. Having the platform already notified means your position is documented and protected.
If you need to leave and the pets will be without care, make an active effort to help resolve that before you go. The THS terms require you to give the homeowner reasonable time to arrange alternative care. Contact Member Services about emergency options, offer to help the homeowner find a local kennel or a friend who can take the animals. Document that you made this effort. If you leave without doing so, the abandonment clause applies regardless of how bad the house was.
Conclusion
Cancellations are the worst part of this lifestyle on both sides. The platforms are designed to make them difficult for sitters because the animals have no say in the matter. Working within that system rather than around it is what protects your profile, your relationships, and your ability to keep sitting.
Tell people early, go through official channels, document everything, and always put the welfare of the animals first even when the situation is the homeowner's fault. That approach has no downside.
If you have questions about a specific cancellation situation, DM us @housesittersguide on Instagram. We answer everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can't I cancel a confirmed sit directly through the dashboard?
TrustedHouseSitters' terms of service restrict sitters from cancelling unilaterally to prevent last-minute abandonment of pets. Sitters may only cancel under extraordinary circumstances and must notify the homeowner immediately. Once a sit is confirmed, you must contact both the homeowner and Member Services to process the cancellation. Homeowners can cancel with a click. Sitters cannot. This asymmetry is intentional and worth understanding before you need it.
What happens if I leave a sit early without telling the homeowner?
Under TrustedHouseSitters' terms, leaving a sit early without informing the homeowner and giving them reasonable time to arrange alternative care results in an instant lifetime ban from the platform with no refund of membership fees. Even if your reason for leaving is valid, the process matters. Always contact the homeowner and Member Services before you leave.
What should I do if I arrive at a sit and the house is dirty or unsafe?
Document everything before you do anything else. Compare what you are seeing against the listing photos. Homeowners are required under THS's terms to provide content that accurately reflects their home. If there is a meaningful discrepancy, that is a specific breach of the platform's terms. Contact Member Services with your evidence before saying anything to the homeowner. If you need to leave the pets, make an active effort to help the homeowner arrange alternative care and document that you did so.
How much does the THS Sit Cancellation Plan actually cover?
$150 per night, up to $1,500 per sit, for Premium members only. You are covered for up to 30 nights annually, or your first three sits per year if they run longer than 30 days combined. There is also a $150 pet parent contribution (a deductible) on the homeowner side. The plan covers domestic dogs and cats only and is not a guaranteed insurance policy. THS's own terms state it is offered on a goodwill basis at their sole discretion, and eligibility is assessed case by case. You must notify THS within 24 hours of the cancellation and allow them to attempt to find an alternative sitter before the plan is triggered. Keep all documentation: the cancellation message, travel bookings, and receipts for any costs incurred.
How does Nomador's cancellation cover compare to THS?
Nomador's cover is more structured but lower in maximum value. Standard members receive up to €250 per stay, Premium members up to €500, when the other party cancels within 30 days of the start date. You must notify Nomador at hello@nomador.com within two working days of the cancellation. Miss that window and the cover does not apply. Both platforms cover emergency accommodation and non-refundable transport. Nomador also covers professional pet-sitting costs for homeowners whose sitter cancels.
Can a homeowner leave a bad review if I cancel for a valid reason?
If a cancellation is processed through Member Services with valid documentation, the homeowner is typically restricted from leaving a retaliatory review specifically about the cancellation. If you handle the cancellation privately without going through official channels, you lose that protection. Always go through Member Services for any cancellation, even when the homeowner is being understanding.
Should I offer to cover the homeowner's re-listing fee if I need to reschedule?
t is not required, but it is a good gesture for long-term sits where rescheduling causes real disruption. Most platforms allow owners to re-list dates without additional cost, so the practical impact is often low. The offer signals that you are taking responsibility seriously and usually matters more than any amount of money. In most cases homeowners will handle the re-listing themselves, but making the offer preserves the relationship.
