Payment Options for Lengthy Bookings?

You could ask a client t break it into several bookings so you get paid more often. However, this does send a message to the client you are only in it for the money, for me that wouldn't sit well and I'd move on to a more professional sitter.

IF the client breaks it into several bookings they still have to pay for it upfront and they may also pay higher service fees, with one booking the fees are capped at $50.

So you are suggesting Rover change their payout policy, while I may agree with you it is highly unlikely Rover will change it.

If it were me I take the guaranteed booking vs. wishing and hoping something else will magically appear.

Best of luck to you

If the person found you outside of Rover.com (word of mouth referral, social media, business card/other advertising, etc), you certainly can arrange to collect payment as you prefer/mutually agree.

However, if the pet parent found you on rover, it has to be booked on rover, and your preference to be paid any portion in the beginning is not possible. Even if the per parent is willing to break the stay into two or more bookings (which they could do- set up& approve- before leaving for travels), you'd be paid by rover approx. 2-3 days After the first set of booked dates ends and so on. To clearly address your question, when both the pet parent and sitter have confirmed any booking(s), it immediately charges their payment (credit/debit card) and basically rover acts like an escrow company holding the funds until after each booking is complete +2/3 days before paying out sitters. Walt & Karen made good points that we don't fully know how service fees are applied to bookings, so that may impact someone's desire to book through rover, especially if another sitter has different requirements.

Change your extended stay rate to a slightly higher amount for anything over 7 days or 14 days (depending on your preference). This way, you are still getting paid at the completion of the booking but you are making an interest rate of sorts since you are not getting paid right away.

However, I recommend that you just accept the longer bookings. Also, the type of people who book long stays are likely to book with you again, and frequently.

I started to charge a higher rate for any stay longer than 1 night because my overnight stays are typically from one evening to the next morning with about 1 or 2 hours of outdoor time, whereas the stays 2 days or longer, I wind up doing 4 hours of outdoor time including time at a muddy dog park which often results in dog baths and more laundry.

Most Rover sitters offer discounts for longer stays but as long as you have a clearly outlined policy with your clients, they can look elsewhere if they don't agree.