To think that you offer your housesitters decent standards?

[Dutch1e]

Originally added this as a comment on another thread but don't want to hijack.

We're housesitting/catsitting for a family in our community. I'm fine with mess but feel disappointed that the home is truly dirty dirty.

The sink was blocked when we arrived. Drano didn't work so we pulled the plumbing apart. Found ten years worth of cooking oil in the pipes. The Fat Sausage was as big as my arm and the smell was delightful when we dug it out with a spoon.

The couch smelled so bad that I gagged (I have a strong stomach). Oddly all the covers zipped off so after we washed them it was fine. It's not like a fixed couch that is impossible to clean.

The sheets were fresh for us and that's lovely. The duvets and pillows were rank. Again, with a soak in bleach and a good hot wash they came out much better.

Every drawer in the kitchen was coated with gunk and the oven is still a work in progress.

There's more but you get the picture. And I think this is genuinely the clean version of their house.

We're Airbnb hosts and we have housesitters ourselves. Our home is simple but very clean when new people arrive.

AIBU to think it's not very kind to hand over an unhygenic environment and perhaps they need a word to the wise? Or should I just shut my mouth and drift away?

How would that conversation start?

You know, people's standards vary enormously.
Yabvu to do a massive clean up, you may as well say, I've cleaned your shit-tip for you you dirty bastards.

@Serfterf good question. I've been asking myself the same thing and don't have a diplomatic answer yet

I fucking love you

Insult the filthy fuckers and tell them they are cheeky bastards and you had to sleep on the floor!

Again, I love you and your calmness in this is amazing

If it's not a regular customer I'd be tempted to collect payment and keep quiet. Can of worms.

You know, people's standards vary enormously. Nut they had NO standards!
Yabvu to do a massive clean up, you may as well say, I've cleaned your shit-tip for you you dirty bastards. That's exactly what she should say. They are dirty cheeky fuckers who live like pigs.

Yabvu to do a massive clean up, you may as well say, I've cleaned your shit-tip for you you dirty bastards.

Fair point. I was wondering too when I cross the line into insulting. My choices were basically:

1. Clean the bits my kid & family touches or eats off
2. Leave and make up some bogus excuse. Let them figure out how to get the cats fed from abroad
3. Leave and tell them it's too dirty to stay. Also a problem for funded cats

"Yabvu to do a massive clean up, you may as well say, I've cleaned your shit-tip for you you dirty bastards."

Could you really stay somewhere without a working sink and sofas that make you gag without cleaning up?

*feeding cats. They're well funded

I'm messy - but that's just disgusting. You don't need to say anything at all, you've made yourself clear!

@Serfterf I don't think I was clear. We are housesitting for someone else, there's no money involved. I mentioned the Airbnb thing to illustrate how I like to leave things for other people (whether they are paying guests or housesitting - for free - in our home)

Seriously Dutch1e should have left, I told her to and sent b'n'b lists but she is far and away too nice.

Ah. Awkward.

Angela... no i couldnt stay somewhere the op has describe, but that wasn't the question.

So if you are house sitting for a family in your community, can you just feed cats and go home?

I wouldn't clean the shit hole you have described no. Oh wait, my aunt fell down the stairs... sorry I couldn't housesit.

No filth here... I love the irony of your username.

You've unblocked their sink, washed their sofa covers and duvet, and are cleaning their oven? For free?

Can you come round my house please?

missiondecision it's just for this thread

I'm now massively feeling awful and panicking as we're away on hols and some friends are coming to house sit/have a holiday in our area shortly. Packing and getting us all out of the house was a nightmare so things are not exactly 'pristine' (understatement)!

Send them the bill for your plumbing and cleaning skills

Personally I would have called them saying "Nope not staying in this shoit hole " and got a b&b/hotel/went home

I have a cat.... Can you please come and look after him and fix my house whilst you're at it? You sound fab!!

Did you not visit before agreeing to housesit at which point you could have declined to do so?

Mantasay I wouldn't panic if I were you. We've done a lot of housesits and part of the fun is slotting into someone else's life. Anyone who housesits needs to be easy-going and adaptable. Mess and chaos is fine. Rotten food and suspicious brown streaks on the bathroom wall makes me think these lovely people need a gentle nudge in the right direction

Allthebestnamesareused No, we didn't visit first. I've only done 2 housesits where there was a pre-sit meeting. The rest have been arranged remotely

I'm really confused

If they are from your community why do you have to stay there?

Why can't you just feed the cats/check on them etc. twice a day or whatever then go home?

Why do you have to stay if it's the same community?

Unblocking sink was fine.
Think you've overstepped the line and pretty weird to clean sofa covers, & wash duvets and pillows. If they were really that bad, why did you not just go home 'as it is in your own community' which I assume means local to you.
On a positive note, they will never ask you to pet sit again.

"Anyone who housesits needs to be easy-going and adaptable. "

That is not the same as being forced to live in someone else's filth. Dirty houses do not mean you're easy going and just have better things to do than clean up your own filth, no matter how often you tell your free spirit.