People Worry They’ve Made Mistakes In These “Am I The Jerk?” Stories

"I 20f am a college student and have started to pet sit for money. My college is in a nice area, so the pay is good and the work is not demanding.

I get my work through an app, and got a last-minute request to dog-sit overnight for a new client while she was out of town.

I don’t take new clients as I don’t know what their boundaries are but as it was last minute, the pay was really good so I took it.

I took the dog on a walk when I got there. Afterward, I used the shower and fell asleep in the downstairs bedroom.

I was requested to not go upstairs, so I took the bedroom I saw and in the morning cleaned it to leave it as it was before, putting my sheets and towels in the washing machine and told the owner when she got back as I couldn’t find the washing powder laid out and didn’t want her to feel like I snooped through her stuff.

She thanked me for my help and when I got home, I saw she left me a one-star review for being entitled and using her stuff when I was there and was withholding half the payment. We get to dispute reviews, so I did and she said she expected me not to shower as it was an overnight stay, not multiple nights.

I contacted the support team, but my friend who also dog sits and got me into the job, said I should have figured out if it was allowed first as my using the shower affects their water bill and that at the very least I should have brought my toiletries.

I am new to dog sitting and as I knew the client was away due to a family emergency I didn't want to ask to upset her and when I saw her she never mentioned being upset that I used her shower."

Another User Comments:

"ESH. You should have brought your own toiletries. But as long as the shower was in the bathroom you were given permission to use? It was not unreasonable to use it, as long as you left it clean afterward, just like everything else in that bathroom.

If you used their toothbrush, that would be YTJ. If they expected you to not use the sink, NTJ." No_Truth_2216

Another User Comments:

"NTJ. Admittedly I don't know the norms for paid overnight dog sitting, but using the downstairs shower (and cleaning up after yourself) feels pretty reasonable.

I guess bringing your own toiletries moving forward would probably be a good idea." CassieW309

Another User Comments:

"NTJ - being last minute if this was booked in advance then the client could be upset about you not bringing your own shower stuff but they need a last-minute overnight stay and get huffy about some shampoo?

If someone stays overnight - a shower and bathroom use is to be expected, you also stripped the sheets and put them in the washing machine out of courtesy." PandaLand447