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Change a booking's dates, times, or price

Plans shift — and either the client or the sitter can request a change to a house-sitting or boarding booking. Update the dates and times (sitters can also set a custom nightly rate), see the price difference up front, and the other person approves. Here's the whole flow, plus how balances and refunds work.

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SitSignal propose booking update form showing the price difference

What a change request does

A change request updates a booking's dates and times — and, when a sitter sends it, optionally the nightly price. The app calculates the new total and shows the difference before anything is sent, so there are no surprises. Either side can start one, and whoever receives it approves.

Change requests cover overnight stays — house sitting and boarding. (For walks and drop-ins, message your sitter or client in the booking chat.)

1

Open a change request

Open the booking, then find the change-request controls:

  • Sitters — on the booking info screen, go to Change requests and tap Create update request.
  • Clients — on the booking, open Schedule changes and tap Request a change.
Sitter booking screen with a Create update request button
Sitter view: Change requests → Create update request.
Client booking screen with a Request a change button
Client view: Schedule changes → Request a change.
2

Enter the updated dates and times

Set the new start and end dates and drop-off and pick-up times. As you edit, the app shows the new estimated total and the price difference — a balance due if it costs more, or a refund if it costs less. Update at least one field, then send.

Propose booking update form with client total, payout, and balance due
Sitter form: edit dates, times, and an optional nightly rate; see the new totals.
Client request schedule change form with estimated total and balance due
Client form: edit dates and times, with the estimated total and balance due.
3

Send it — then what happens

After you send the request, what happens next depends on where the booking is:

  • Not yet approved by the sitter — the dates update automatically; no approval step needed.
  • Approved but not yet paid — the other person (sitter or client) approves the change.
  • Already paid — the other person approves, the difference becomes a balance due, and once the client pays it, the booking updates automatically.
Pending change request with Reject and Approve buttons
The recipient reviews the proposed schedule and taps Approve or Reject.
Approved schedule change showing the new total and balance due
Once approved, the new schedule and any balance due are confirmed.

Pricing & refunds

Increases are simple: the difference becomes a balance due that the client pays, and the booking updates once it's paid. Reductions on a booking that's already paid may create a refund, subject to the sitter's cancellation policy — with a couple of things to keep in mind.

A refund on a shortened booking is subject to the sitter's cancellation policy. A sitter may choose to approve a refund outside their policy with SitSignal support. The 4.5% client fee is non-refundable if the booking is shortened — the eligible nightly amount comes back; that one fee does not.

There are two ways to take a refund:

SitSignal Credit — instant. Booking credit never expires. Use it toward upcoming bookings, and pay no client fee on the portion you cover with SitSignal Credit.
Card refund — up to 10 business days. Goes back to your original payment method.

The refund choice is communicated to the client shortly after the sitter or client approves the change request.

Sitters: set a special nightly rate

Sitters can set a custom price per night right in the change-request screen — handy for a longer stay, a repeat client, or a one-off adjustment. The nightly amount you enter is before the 4.5% client fee, and the form shows your net payout at your current fee tier as you type.

Custom nightly rate editor showing the rate entered before the 4.5% client fee with a totals preview
Set your nightly rate (before the 4.5% client fee) and preview the new totals before applying.
Custom nightly rates apply to bookings that aren't paid yet. On a paid booking you can still change the schedule — an extension creates a balance due, and a reduction comes back as Care Credit — but the nightly rate itself stays locked.

FAQ

Who has to approve a change request?

Whoever receives it. If the sitter sends it, the client approves, and vice versa. The exception: before a booking is approved by the sitter, date changes update automatically.

Do I get refunded if I shorten a paid booking?

It depends on the sitter's cancellation policy — a refund on a shortened booking is subject to that policy. A sitter may also choose to approve a refund outside their policy with SitSignal support. When an amount is eligible, the 4.5% client fee already paid is not returned, but you can take the eligible amount as SitSignal Credit (instant, never expires) or back to your card (up to 10 business days).

What if the change costs more?

The difference becomes a balance due. Once the client pays it, the booking updates automatically.

Can the sitter change the price, not just the dates?

Yes, on a booking that isn't paid yet — sitters can set a custom nightly rate in the change-request screen before sending it. Once a booking is paid, changes are schedule-only.