I booked X through Rover to provide in-home pet sitting for one week at a cost of £431.
Before the booking, i met with the sitter, showed her the house and Pets and talked everything through. I provided a clear written routine for my dog. This included three walks each day: a morning walk, an evening walk and a short bedtime walk. I checked in with X regularly during the booking, and she did not tell me that she was unable or unwilling to follow this routine.
When I returned home, I found a hole in the stair wall, dirty floors, an unmade bed with a wet towel left on it, extensive dog mess throughout the garden and dried dog food left on a disposable plate, which the sitter would have had to dig through my
cupboard to even find it which is odd. It would have slipped on the tiled floor making it impossible for my dog to properly eat. My dog has a ceramic bowl and a designated area to eat which I showed her, so this makes no sense to me.
My dog had also urinated on carpets across four rooms and appeared distressed, panting and temporarily unable to bark.
After I reviewed the ring door bell footage, X later admitted in writing that she had not followed the agreed walking schedule. She said that during the first part of the booking she had skipped the bedtime walk, and during the second part my dog had received very limited walks. She confirmed that my dog had not been walked at all during the final two days and had only been allowed into the garden.
X initially offered a full refund through Rover and confirmed this in writing. I therefore contacted Rover and submitted a detailed complaint, including photographs, written statements and screenshots of X admitting that she had not provided the agreed care.
Despite repeated telephone calls and emails, Rover did not promptly resolve the complaint. X subsequently withdrew her offer of a full refund and stated that she had decided to offer only £120 because she had “walked the dog approximately 10 times but can’t remember” and cared for the car and house.
I did not accept the £120 offer because the service provided was substantially different from the service booked. The agreed walking routine was not followed, there were no walks during the final two days, my dog urinated throughout the house, and the property was left damaged and in an unacceptable condition.
AIBU to raise a credit card dispute? Is this futile? I’m utterly bemused as to how an incompetent and unsafe sitter can decide their refund amount!