Advice for being a successful sitter on Rover

Sitter Resources / Rover Updates

What Do I Do if I Can’t Take a Booking?

By Rover Staff |

It happens, sometimes you get a request you can’t take (even if you really want to). So what do you do? We’ll walk you through the process–plus give you some best practices–so you’ll know exactly how to handle this situation. 

So What Should I Do?

If you’re unable to take a stay, it’s best to decline a request by politely letting the owner know you are unable to take the stay, and using the “decline and archive” button.  Here’s what to say to an owner:

  • First, tell them why you can’t accept the booking. This might be because:
  • You are unavailable for that day and time
  • The pet doesn’t sound like a good match for your pet or other Rover pet’s you have already booked.
  • The pet doesn’t sound like a good match for the care you can provide (for example they need you home 24/7, they’re too high energy, or they’re too large for a small apartment)

Example :

  • If you’re unavailable: Thanks for your request. Unfortunately, I’m unavailable for the dates you requested, but I hope you keep me in mind for future sitting needs!
  • If the dog doesn’t match your preferences: Thanks for your request. Unfortunately, I’m unable to accept it. I hope you and (dog name) are able to find the right fit!

Remember, if you can’t accept the booking now but would like to be considered in the future, let the owner know to reach back out for future needs they have. 

After I Send the Message, What’s Next?

Once you’ve sent a message declining the stay. Be sure to click decline and archive. Why?

    • It will archive the message (move the message from your pending inbox to archived inbox). 
    • You’ll be prompted to select a reason to archive, this helps Rover provide you with better matches in the future
    • Once you archive, owners will see a message from Rover indicating the request has been declined. Don’t worry we’ll never share the archive reason you select with owners (that’s why it’s important to send them a personal message!)

You might be wondering, why shouldn’t I just ignore the request? That’s a great question, it’s Rover’s job is to help match sitters and owners. Here’s why it’s important to always respond: 

      • Responding quickly contributes to a lower response time–which is an important metric owners use when evaluating sitters.
      • Using the decline and archive button ensures you continue to show as available in search results for the days of the request.
      • It keeps your inbox tidy by moving unbooked conversations to the archive folder.
      • Formally declining a stay helps us know when to help an owner find another sitter. (We only contact back-up sitters when the sitters that someone reaches out to decline.)
      • It also helps sitters who are looking for business get matched with that stay — you might benefit from another sitter promptly declining a stay if Rover recommends you as a back up sitter.

So there you have it! Next time you can’t take a stay (for whatever reason) be sure you promptly communicate with the owner and use the decline and archive button.