To think this house sitter was bloody cheeky?

[Littlefluffyclouds81]

My DM recently got a house sitter for 10 days whilst we all went on holiday. She had used her once before and all seemed fine. She seemed very professional - took detailed information about all the animals, signed contracts, she is fully insured etc.

She was supposed to sleep at my DM's house each night, although my DM was aware that she would need to pop back here and there to exercise her own dogs (she lives with her parents).

She was paid over £600, and for that she had to look after 2 dogs and feed a cat. There are also 2 horses at my mum's, my mum's horse who is a big cob, and my daughter's pony. She wasn't expected to do anything with the horses.

While we were away the house sitter emailed to ask if it would be ok if her partner's kids came to meet the horses. My DM said that was fine. When we got back, my mum had a good chat with her and the house sitter said that the kids had come over and groomed my mum's horse, but not my daughter's pony because she was grumpy (she is grumpy).

I was the first to go into the tack room, and noticed that the bridles weren't in the right place. I didn't really think anything of it. But today my DM said that there is grease on the bottom of her saddle, from where the saddle pad hasn't been put on properly and it has rubbed the horse, which she wouldn't do. Also her bridle had been done up all wrong. The stirrups on both saddles were at different lengths to how they'd been left by Us. She suspected that the house sitter had taken the kids riding on our horses. This was confirmed when she went for a ride around the village today and a neighbour (who has booked the same house sitter) said that the house sitter had emailed a picture with the kid sat on her horse!

Not only is riding someone's horses without their permission incredibly rude, it is also a really stupid thing to do. She knew nothing about our horses, they could have had any kind of quirks, and putting 2 kids on them (when she doesn't appear to know much about horses herself) was just bloody dangerous.

Not only that, but my DM said there's no way that the bed was slept in for 10 nights, so she suspects that the house sitter had left the dogs overnight which she wasn't supposed to do.

WWYD? I absolutely think that something should be said to the house sitter, but my DM is veering towards leaving it, and just locking the tack room if she uses her again! She was paid a lot of money, and in my opinion, took the piss.

Nothing exciting to report today. She's still not been in touch.

I understand what the house sitter did was unacceptable and irresponsible. But I think for everybody's sake, this level of rage is a bit much. Why get the partners work involved? Too far really. Why is it a good thing that your mum reduced her to tears shouting at her? If I fucked up at work I wouldn't expect to be screamed at like that, especially if nothing actually happened as a result of what I did. That should have been the end of it really. I'm not disputing the house sitter was in the wrong but life really is too short to obsess over getting revenge for a situation that was only hypothetically dangerous. What are you actually hoping to gain at this point?

I'll now prepare to be flamed to death just like the other poor fuckers earlier

Woolly -

It isn't a case of "nothing happening as a result". Potentially, hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds worth of damage has been done to equipment or the animals. One animal is dead.

This woman was paid to do a job that she did not do and then alongside that took the absolute piss out of OPs mother. This isn't a clerical error or a minor fuck up, this is deception and lies.

I imagine that what they are hoping to gain is for this idiot to understand just how fucked up her actions were, to recuperate the losses and to ensure that she doesn't continue on in a job where she is happy to put people, animals and property at risk when her job is to take care of the latter two.

He is just as guilty as her - it was him and his children who rode the horses, not her, which suggests it was his idea.

And I'm bloody glad she was reduced to tears. She still hasn't got in touch to try to resolve the issue, despite saying she would. if she had then maybe my mum and partner would have been prepared to let it go. What we want is to make sure that she can't do this to anyone else's animals.

Woolly The cat wasn't looked after, did you read that bit? It's not 'hypothetically dangerous' with the horse, it was dangerous. The partner wore the OPs Mum's riding kit without permission. If you had someone house sitting for you, how would you feel if they wore your clothes without permission, and posted pics on facebook, posing besides your expensive car? That's the equivalent of what they have done.

Horses aren't just 'things'; they could have been injured as has been pointed out, and not been fit to be ridden; they could have decided not to be ridden and lashed out - would you like a child to be on the receiving end of a iron shod hoof or a bite? Would you have liked the vets bills if a horse had been injured? Would the sitter even have bothered to do anything about it?

Damage could have been done to an expensive saddle and hats, who pays to replace those?

The sitter didn't just 'fuck up' at work - she betrayed trust, she didn't do what she was supposed to do for the dogs and cats, and she had the temerity to display her wrong doing with the horses for all to see.

Her partner should not have used the OPs Mum's kit w/o permission, nor had his kids (or himself) on an animal that he didn't know could be ridden safely. If he displays that amount of lack of judgement in his professional life, then quite frankly his superiors need to know. Given the current climate it is also bloody stupid to have a photo of him in mess kit, which clearly identifies him as HM Forces on a website, given the security advice, but evidently neither he, nor his girlfriend are renowned for brains.

Wooly
Forgetting to send an email at work or similar isnt remotely like this situation.

The house sitter failed in every way possible, an animal was pts because of her neglect, other animals were not looked after properly, she didnt stay as she was supposed to do due to the mess left by dogs that werent taken outside properly and as for the horses and her partner, its beyond irresponsible and ignorant.

Would you have still been on her side if one of the horses had thrown a child and injured her or the horse had bolted and injured itself and maybe had to be pts too?

As it is there is damage to an expensive saddle, who pays for that?

Everything she done was incompetent, irrisponsible and downright dangerous. People need to know before another animal dies or a tragedy happens.

I feel very left out, as I don't have any horsey friends in the area, so I don't get to see all the stuff on the webpage and FB page that so many other people are talking about.

I could ofc say I have, so I could be in the in crowd too... oops too late for that.

Perhaps there is a way we could all have the same access/info?

Only a handful of people - who actually live in the small area she covers - know who she is. I am outing myself as much as I am outing her if I tell everyone who she is. Really should have name changed for this thread and then that wouldn't matter.

My mum's partner has spoken to the legal people who said we will be able to sue her for our riding hats and the saddle, and for trespass. They are going to get a solicitors letter done.

Why does the house sitter need to stay over night?

Why does the house sitter need to stay over night?

Because that is what they were paid to do and employed on the basis of.

...because there were animals, pets even, in the house?
What if a much-loved pet had become sick,owl ? Oh right, one did

Bitch! Bloody bitch ! For the neglect of the poor kits at the end of its life,, alone, she deserves to rot in a hell of our choosing.

Sorry owl, mis directed my venom at you, profound apologies.

Blimey, what exactly did the sitter do for her money?!

I bet she thought she was onto a right cushy number.

Presumably your mum has a telephone number for her? I'd be ringing constantly and demanding a reply!

Not to worry Moma it is easily done but I really am in full agreement with you.

owl thank you.

Over the years I've spent too much time giving end of life comfort to our little pets to not be affected by this. And Christ! If the cat had needed a vet while the owners were away, surely she had money to cover the visit and treatment,even if it were then claimed back afterwards?

So that's why I call her a Bitch.And I stand by it.

Completely agree again Moma. I have seven cats (I briefly volunteered at a rescue centre until I couldn't afford to keep rehoming the animals) and would absolutely have taken the poor little cat to the vet - I am also sure that the owner could have phoned the vet and paid them when she returned or over the phone at the time if completely necessary.

Hi Littlefluffyclouds81, I'm late to the party but just wanted to let you know that if you believe this house-sitter's friends are leaving false reviews for her services, you can flag it up with the review site.

Whether that's Facebook, Trustpilot, etc...they take a very dim view of false reviews and are cracking down on it.

She's taken the review facility off her Facebook page now. It was there, then it went, then it came back, and now it's gone again. Interestingly when it reappeared it was minus one of the good reviews that had been left on Monday. Wondering if that person has read this thread....

I would love that to be the case!! Good chance it's been reported due to being a false review, but I too am now wishing it's someone who's realised how much their friend actually messed up...

Woolly you could drive the wrong way down the M5 without anyone getting hurt but that doesn't mean the police should shrug and say "no harm done". Imo the best outcome would be that this woman just finds a different way of earning a living. She shouldn't be in charge of animals. I suppose she might learn from this and reform, but I doubt it.

WOW!!! I have only just come across this thread, it's appalling what she's done and I hope your mum is able to sue and shut her down!!

That's good news about the solicitor's letter. I wonder is she actually insured at all.

We will soon find out!

Hope that she actually apologises littlefluffy what a nightmare