I had a horrible experience with this predatory app. Payments are a nightmare. Unexpected charges and fees make it like you need a lawyer before using the app!
Response from MeowtelOct 26, 2024
Hi Janet, Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re genuinely sorry to hear that you had a negative experience with Meowtel, as we always aim for transparency and a seamless experience for our users.
We’d like to clarify that any fees associated with booking through Meowtel (including visit rates that sitters choose themselves) are fully disclosed before any reservation is confirmed. Our goal is to ensure that there are no surprises for our clients, which is why we make sure that all pricing details—including service fees and sitter rates—are clearly displayed during the booking process.
Our Trust & Insurance fee, which is outlined on our FAQ page and one of the most competitive in the market, ensures that we can continue to support our sitter community while providing quality care for cats and peace of mind for owners like yourself. We strive to be fair and upfront about our pricing, and we're always here to answer any questions or clarify any misunderstandings.
We understand that every platform is different, and we respect your decision to choose what works best for you, even if that is not us.
ER
Erik R.
Not so trustworthy - don't always show up and price gouge on every possible federal holiday
They price gouge on holidays, and they apply it to every definition of federal holidays, regardless of the actual holiday observance preferences of the sitters themselves, which is the logical use for holiday upcharges. For example, a sitter tried to upcharge me 100% for the entire week of October 11-17, for “Indigenous Peoples/Columbus Day”. 7 days of doubled price. When I actually used it for a holiday, I also didn't get a picture as requested the morning of the holiday, like I did every other visit, so I doubt they even showed up.
Ultimately if you don't care about price at all it's probably fine, just use cameras to make sure they do what they say (which I do now). If price is an issue beware, as they leverage holidays and variable upcharge rates between different clients to gouge their customers.
Response from MeowtelSep 11, 2024
Hi Erik,
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We appreciate the opportunity to clarify how holiday pricing works on our platform.
Sitters with Meowtel are independent contractors who set their own rates for services, including the option to apply a holiday surcharge as well as the percentage for that surcharge should they choose to implement one. This allows them to manage their schedules and availability, especially during high-demand times such as federal holidays. The surcharge can vary between sitters, and this information is always available in the pricing section of their profiles for transparency.
For reference, we define holiday pricing windows as 3 days before and 3 days after a federal holiday to accommodate the increased demand many sitters experience during these periods. Customers have the flexibility to choose sitters based on their pricing preferences, and we encourage you to review the sitters’ profiles in your area to find the best fit for your needs.
As for your concern about not receiving a photo on the morning of your holiday visit, we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience or concern this may have caused, as an update should be sent for every visit. Rest assured, we’re always here to help whenever any concerns arise, and we will investigate when complaints are brought to us.
If you feel a sitter may not have fulfilled your expectations, please reach out to us as soon as possible, and we will ask for documentation from both parties to ensure a fair resolution. You may learn more about our complaint escalation process here - https://meowtel.com/help-faq/customer/booking-modifications?question=134#134
We value your business, Erik, and appreciate the opportunity to assist you with any future bookings or concerns. Please don't hesitate to reach out if we may be of any further assistance.
RF
robin F.
When I booked a sitter
When I booked a sitter, the price quoted was 60% higher than the price on the sitter's profile. I have cancelled my request and would not use a business that does this. The 60% increase was the sitter's fee, not any other fees.
Response from MeowtelAug 30, 2024
Hi Robin, Thank you for your feedback, and we're truly sorry for any confusion. We understand how the difference in the expected versus actual rates could be concerning, and it’s important to us that our clients feel confident and clear about the services they are receiving.
To clarify, the rate you initially saw, $20, is for a 20-minute visit, which is the sitter's base price for the shortest visit option available. The session you selected was for 45 minutes, resulting in a different rate of $32. This adjustment reflects the longer visit duration you chose and the additional care your kitties would receive during the reservation.
We are committed to transparency and want to ensure that all pricing information is presented clearly and accurately. Please know that we are here to provide any further explanations or assist in any way we can. Your trust is incredibly important to us, and we hope to have the opportunity to serve you and your kitties in the future with the clarity and quality you expect and deserve.
Thank you again for bringing this to our attention, and we wish you all the best!
PP
Phylis P.
Erica from Meowtel
Erica from Meowtel was fine getting along with my cats but she was completely negligent in their care! After going over detailed written instructions at the meet and greet one week prior, and leaving them to refer to, this is what she did… day one, assumed leftover sitting wet food meant they were fed, she admitted to fluffing it up and not giving them a fresh can. She also assumed that their water was replaced. It was not ,and she thought it was perfectly okay to leave it. I gave her my phone number and instructed her to text me with any questions, she didn’t. She offered to come and feed my cats whenever they were used to eating which was 8-8:30 am then again 5-6pm. She agreed to this.After her second day morning visit ,she informed me through text that she had an event at 5 and couldn’t be there that evening until around 7-8. I wasn’t happy about it but I was already gone and what choice did I have. (p.s. at our meet and greet just a week before there was no mention she had these plans.) If I had known I would have chosen a different sitter. That evening, when I didn’t get a notification that she arrived, I texted her to ask when she was going to be there! (it was already after 8)no response… 45 minutes later she texted me “not to be upset” . Too late…My cats had already gone 13 hours without food) She said she was at a party and it just ended. She was another 30 min away. She didn’t show up until 9:15! I called support at Meowtel(who were very supportive), and they arranged for a different sitter to take over. Once Erica was told that I no longer wanted her to care for my cats, she dropped everything, left dirty bowls in my sink and left . She didn’t stay more than 15 minutes. I was in Mexico celebrating my 35th wedding anniversary and I had to deal with this for 3 hours. It ruined our evening! I will never use her again. Nothing worse than not be able to leave your babies with peace of mind. Instead of apologizing she texted me that she hopes my cats and my home will be ok! WHATT? My home?Is this a threat? Beware of this irresponsible sitter! I chose her based on her previous reviews, which were stellar . This was the first time I was using her and this is what happened to us!
Response from MeowtelJun 6, 2024
Hi Phylis,
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We sincerely apologize for the challenges you encountered with your sitter, Erica, especially during such a significant occasion. It's crucial for us that you feel heard and fully supported, and we're delighted to hear that our support team was able to provide that reassurance.
We're also grateful that we could quickly find a solution by arranging another sitter for you as part of our commitment to upholding the Meowtel Promise. While we always strive for purrfection, we understand that situations may arise, and we are always prepared to address them promptly and effectively.
We also understand that this platform is generally used for feedback about our service as a whole, rather than individual sitters. If you feel it appropriate, we have a dedicated space for you to share your experience directly on Erica’s profile on the Meowtel website. This not only helps other cat parents make informed decisions but also ensures the feedback directly reflects the sitter’s performance you received.
Thank you once again for your feedback and for allowing us the opportunity to make things right. Should you wish to discuss this matter further, or need any more assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We truly value your business and are committed to providing you and your kitties with the highest loving care.
CC
C C.
Meowtel does not pay their cat…
Meowtel does not pay their cat sitters. They charge the clients, pocket the money and then do not pay the sitter. Maybe they refund the cat owner so they are getting free labor but I suspect the clients are getting screwed too.
But they give the sitter no explanation other than they were not able to show proof that they were actually there and of course the usual BS about "violating their terms of service" and adding some cute cat lingo that isn't so cute after they exploit your labor.
I was told after the sit I was going to have to show date and timestamps to get paid anything at all. If this is a requirement then they need to have a punch in time clock on their app. But who the hell is going to tolerate that?
I took pictures of the cat on a regular basis and was texting with the owner. The owner had a camera set up in their house but it was the owner's option I guess to never share the footage which would have certainly proved I was there.
I don't see how this business is going to survive when they treat people the way they do.
Response from MeowtelAug 1, 2023
Hi Laura! We have a set of terms and guidelines in place to ensure all Meowtel clients receive purrfect hospitality. We sent you an email on July 28th regarding your account’s status sharing which Terms of Service were not met by you. Please reference that email should you have any questions or concerns about your Terms violation. Looking forward to your feedback and iterations!
SD
Shawnda D.
Their customer service is HORRIBLE
Their customer service is HORRIBLE. I had to cancel our request to have a sitter watch our cat while on vacation. Meowtel charged my credit card SIX WEEKS before the service was even needed, and then they didn’t refund my credit card when I canceled the request. I’ve never heard of taking a payment WEEKS before the service was completed.
We were planning to go on vacation on July 27th, and Meowtel had already charged my credit card for the service on June 16th!
I had to file a dispute with my credit. card company to get my refund. My credit card company said Meowtel wasn’t even in the process of sending the refund.
I’ll never use them again. Pro tip, get a cat feeder instead of using Meowtel, it will save you a TON!
Response from MeowtelAug 1, 2023
Hi Shawnda; as a friendly reminder, during the checkout process you're being told that when your sitter accepts the reservation request you sent them, your card will be charged.
When you canceled your reservation, you had the ability to request a refund back to your original payment method from your "Transactions" screen, however, you skipped that step and disputed the charge instead.
Feel free to reach out to us whenever you have questions about how the system works, and our Customer Service Team will be more than happy to assist you. We hope you continue having a great week!
RG
Robby G.
Emoplees are wonderful! Administration needs work.
My wife works for meowtel and she loves the clients she has and they love her. Meowtel as a whole though has huge strides to make, there is 0 vetting process for the customers, anybody can make a profile and put fake pictures and address and have these meowtel employees (usually women) go to these addresses and anything could happen. Also a client can book you with days notice regardless if u have another client booked for the same day, and if u cancel and apologize the same day they try to book in order to give them plenty enough time to book another cat sitter, meowtel gives an automatic 1 or 2 star review to your account basically calling you irresponsible which drops your ratings even with all 5 stars. The employees that work for this place are wonderful, the administration has a lot of work to do to take care of them.
Response from MeowtelMay 16, 2023
Thank you for sharing your review.
Your wife is welcomed to reach out to us at [email protected]. It’s important to note that we can only discuss the specifics of a sitter’s account with the actual sitter, so the email would need to come from her.
In the meantime, we did want to address some of your general concerns:
We care deeply about our sitter community and their safety, which is why customers need to book a reservation before scheduling a Meet & Greet with their chosen sitter. We encourage clients to fully complete their profile (including providing a profile photo). If a sitter ever feels uncomfortable before, during or after the Meet & Greet, we are here to help. We’re happy to run a background check, reach out to the client for more information, and/or cancel the reservation. Clients are subject to Meowtel’s terms of service just as sitters are, and any client who displays rude or inappropriate behavior towards sitters faces removal of their account from the platform.
It’s important to note that Meowtel sitters are independent contractors, not employees — Though many of the employees who work at Meowtel HQ are sitters as well. As independent contractors Meowtel does not control or direct the amount of work a sitter wishes to take on, and most sitters prefer to do multiple drop in visits per day to increase their earnings. Also, sitters are free to decline a reservation request if they don’t feel they could complete the requested visits without receiving a systematic review. While we understand that it may be disheartening to receive a systematic review for cancelling on a client, we always recommend that sitters keep their calendars up to date and only accept the reservations they intend to complete in order to avoid this.
Please rest assured that our team appreciates sitter feedback, and we’re always reviewing our policies to ensure they balance the interests of all parties. If your wife has any further concerns, we are always happy to speak with sitters via phone, text, or email.
JE
Jess
Terrible refund policies
Edit: even worse, Meowtel is lying saying my flight was canceled 12/23 for weather related reasons when it was canceled 12/25 for staffing issues. I highly recommend avoiding if you want to use a service that is not sketchy. Do not trust this company.
Terrible refund policies. I canceled 48 hours in advance (the evening of 12/25 the second my flight was canceled) and my first booking was for the evening of 12/27. Meowtel said that the 48 hours starts at midnight if the day of the first night and applies to ALL nights on the same reservation (even days 72, 100+ hours out). If you used Meowtel, I hope you have travel insurance because they certainly will not help you.
Response from MeowtelDec 26, 2022
Hi Rob and Jess,
Thanks so much for voicing your concerns, we can understand your frustration with the airlines and trips being canceled, which is out of all of our control.
As the intermediary between sitters and customers, we also have to keep in mind that cat sitters who commit to sitting during busy holiday periods are typically foregoing seeing their own families, and they also rely on this income the moment they confirm the reservation request.
Flight cancellations and travel issues began occurring on December 23rd, so you had about two full days to take action and cancel without a penalty in case you were to be impacted as well.
Neither you nor Noah should be penalized when you're both indirectly impacted by other factors, and we feel that Noah was very kind to offer the 50% refund of $34.59 out of the total you paid of $69.18, which makes the situation fair to both parties. I'm sorry if you don't view Noah's decision to override the Cancellation Policy as holiday spirit or understanding and we sure hope you don't treat other service providers this way.
I hope you have a wonderful rest of your pawliday week!
Purrs,
Michelle
