What actually happened
On December 8th, 2025, TrustedHousesitters announced a new per-sit booking fee. The timing – just before Christmas, one of the busiest periods for housesitting – didn't help.
The fee details
- Amount: £9 (UK) or $12 (US) per confirmed sit
- Who pays: Both the sitter AND the homeowner (£18/$24 total per booking)
- When: Charged at sit confirmation, not when applying
- Who's exempt: Premium members (higher upfront cost covers it)
- Grace period: Members who renewed before Dec 8 won't pay until their next renewal
What the community is saying
The forum thread announcing the fee received over 1,000 comments before TrustedHousesitters closed it. The reaction was overwhelmingly negative. Here's what members actually said:
“This is outrageous. You're going to lose the rest of the community.”
— Forum member
“If THS was going to be accurate they'd say ‘The booking fee helps THS stockholders get a better return.’”
— Forum member
“Either way, people will definitely sit less after this change. I know I will.”
— Forum member
“I wouldn't leave THS for 10 euros per sit. THS saves me thousands per sit.”
— Forum member (a rare defence)
The Trustpilot exodus was swift – members who had previously left glowing reviews returned to post one-star ratings specifically citing the fee. Even some five-star reviewers noted they wouldn't be renewing despite positive experiences.
The maths: what does this actually cost?
The impact depends entirely on how often you sit. Let's break it down:
Occasional sitter
1-2 sits per year
Basic: £99/year
+ 2 sits × £9 = £18
Total: £117/year
Noticeable, but not a dealbreaker
Active sitter
10+ sits per year
Basic: £99/year
+ 10 sits × £9 = £90
Total: £189/year
Significant increase
Full-time sitter
20+ sits per year
Basic: £99 + (20 × £9)
= £279/year
Premium (£249) is now cheaper
Makes Premium the obvious choice
The Premium breakeven
Premium membership costs £249 with no per-sit fees. If you're doing more than ~17 sits per year, Premium now works out cheaper than Basic + fees. Some see this as the intended push.
“Seems to be a ploy to get people to upgrade to Premium if they are frequent sitters or hosts.” — Forum member
The less obvious impacts
Short sits become less attractive
£9 for a weekend sit hits differently than £9 for a three-month stay. For sitters who filled gaps with short weekend sits, the maths has changed. Expect more short sits to go unfilled – or for homeowners to offer to cover the sitter's fee, adding complexity.
Direct relationships become more valuable
Every per-transaction fee creates an incentive to move the relationship off-platform. Sitters who've built repeat relationships with hosts now have a financial reason to formalise those arrangements directly.
“Establish direct relationships with hosts so they could drop membership and sit without THS.” — Forum member discussing their plan
The “free exchange” model is under pressure
TrustedHousesitters was built on the idea that sitters and hosts both win without additional costs beyond the annual membership. Adding a per-transaction fee changes that dynamic fundamentally. It's no longer “unlimited sits for one annual fee” – it's pay-per-sit on top of the membership.
What experienced sitters are doing
Cancelling or not renewing
Many long-term members have announced they won't renew. Some are waiting out their grace period to see if THS reverses course. Others have already left.
Building direct relationships
Sitters with established host relationships are formalising those outside the platform. If you've done 10 sits for the same homeowner, why keep paying a middleman for introductions you no longer need?
Exploring alternatives
Platforms getting mentioned in the aftermath:
- • House Carers – worldwide sits, lower annual fees
- • Nomador – strong in Europe, different fee structure
- • HouseSitMatch – UK/Europe focus, verified profiles
- • MindMyHouse – simpler, cheaper option
Many experienced sitters are also looking at directories as a complement to your THS membership.
Reluctantly upgrading to Premium
For frequent sitters who aren't ready to leave, Premium now makes financial sense. Whether that was the intention or not, it's the outcome.
What this doesn't mean
- THS isn't dying.
It's still the largest housesitting platform with the most listings. Angry members on forums don't represent everyone.
- The fee isn't catastrophic for occasional users.
If you do 2-3 sits a year, £18-27 extra isn't going to break the bank.
- Alternatives aren't automatically better.
Each platform has trade-offs. Smaller platforms mean fewer listings. Lower fees sometimes mean less support.
The honest take
The fee is small per-sit, but it represents a philosophical shift. TrustedHousesitters was built on the idea that sitters and hosts both win without additional costs. Adding a per-transaction fee changes that dynamic and pushes the most active members either to upgrade – or to build relationships outside the platform.
For experienced sitters who've built up reviews and reputation over years, this is a moment to consider: do you want to keep paying for a platform, or start building direct relationships with hosts who already trust you?
Your reviews and reputation are yours. They don't have to stay locked in one platform. And if you've proven yourself through 20, 50, or 100 sits, homeowners will find you – with or without a middleman.
What about Reputable Sitters?
We're not trying to replace TrustedHousesitters – we're building something different. A directory where your reputation has a home of its own, independent of any single platform.
THS + Booking Fees
- • £99-249/year membership
- • + £9 per sit (unless Premium)
- • Reviews locked to platform
- • No rates displayed
Reputable Sitters
- • Founding: £99-189 lifetime
- • Standard: £279/year or £599/5 years
- • Your reputation, portable
- • Your rates, displayed openly
The difference: We don't just list you – we conduct Reputable Profiling on your entire review history, surfacing what makes you distinctive. Hosts contact you directly. No per-sit fees. No middleman in your conversations.