Is it allowed that hosts require that sitter is in town before the sit? What if you travel there, they meet you and decide they don’t like you? You’ve traveled that far, paid airfare, etc., for nothing?
Have you suggested a video call with them prior to confirming/not confirming? That way you both “meet” each other. It’s also what’s generally recommended by THS.
Certainly not a meet in person before confirmation which requires a flight etc. Unless they’re offering to pay for it 
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They may mean just arriving the day before, staying overnight though. Do more clarifying with them.
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Yes host can ask , but sitter’s don’t have to agree to it . If these hosts are new to THS , they may be used to using paid local sitters where you usually have a meet and greet before booking .
If the sit has not already been confirmed you might not get the sit by declining to meet up. However as you said, you may spend time and money travelling for a meet up and still not get the sit .
If it’s not convenient for you to meet up as @temba has said you can suggest a video call instead .
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@LongTimer, great feedback from @temba and @Silversitters. Suggest better understand Pet Parent motivation to meet in-person before sit.
We find that some Pet Parents enter the application process with assumptions - including that all applicants will be based locally, or that local applicants are somehow preferable to non-local applicants. In most cases, PP may not have considered situation from HS perspective.
If PP requires in-person meeting (they can do so) prior to sit confirmation and this does not work for you then withdraw application. This may be for valid reasons - e.g. significant complications with pet, property, otherwise that require in-person assessment.
But if PP is keen to explore/progress your housesit application then pragmatic reality may unfold. Perhaps a video call before confirmation plus HS arriving on-site prior to PP departure (e.g. arrive day early) is sufficient. We find that most PP are reasonable and flexible.
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I have done it once. It was a few months before the sit, and I happened to be in the neighbourhood. I had dinner with them, spent a night at their place. It fitted very well with my travel.
There was also the advantage that I got to see their place and to meet their dog. This was on a non-THS site, and neither of us had any reviews there. It was a very nice sit, of a month.
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Hello are back with THS? Great to see you again 
@pietkuip
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Tbh everyone does this ‘matching’ thing differently. As sitters we’d always try to meet the HOs before a sit, if we can. It reduces the risk for us of stepping onto a situation we’d feel uncomfortable with. We also like to be clear with HOs about what they’re getting with us as sitters… in all cases we’d be in the area anyway so certainly wouldn’t make a special trip unless it was convenient to do so. Video chat/meets are ok though so long as we get a house ‘tour’ as we don’t like unpleasant surprises.
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I did meet a host once prior to the sit and I liked it, but I was within walking distance and the sit was confirmed. I would never fly just to meet a potential host. Nor should a host ever ask for that. Most likely, there was some sort of misunderstanding or miscommunication between the two of you, as I cannot imagine someone would even consider such a request.
Suggest a video chat instead.
They can ask - not many sitters will agree, unless they are local or have a reason to visit the area .
If this is a requirement for this host they would be best off writing this in the listing so that sitters know whether to apply or not .
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Hmmm, lost in translation? It appears we are talking past each other. The word “can” (implying ability or possibility) is not the same as “should” (implying appropriateness or recommendation).
Isn´t it a given?
Hi @LongTimer
I have posted about a host located on a 5 star resort on a holiday island wanting me to arrive a week early as a condition to getting the sit. However the host expected me to pay for a weeks accommodation in the 5 star hotel on resort. As the hotel cost was £320 a night I politely withdrew my sit application.
I did meet local hosts a day prior to the sit starting once but all other sits have just been video chats.
However maybe the hosts are asking you to arrive the day/night before? In which case I’ve done quite a few sits where I’ve done this especially if flying short haul as it’s less stressful for all parties.
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No “miscommunication” , this is all they were in response to my initial message. Let’s not blame me for it now !
It is entitlement, lack of consideration and appreciation for the sitter and all they are doing for the host. And the THS site promotes this entitlement by their attitude and terminology, like calling the fist contact an “application” and not offer for help to the host .
My question was, is this allowed by the THS terms or Code of Conduct.
I’m happy to arrive earlier at the home, but that’s not what they offered. This is all they wrote, as shown in the screenshot.
Yes it’s allowed for them to ask - sitters don’t have to agree .
THS is just an advertising platform for sitters and hosts to find a good match .
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What have they replied when you offered a video call instead ?
Are these HOs new to THS? Sometimes new HOs think that THS is like other petsitting services, where it is normal to do a meet and greet before the sit starts.
They are allowed to ask you to visit before the sit starts. They are also “allowed” to ask you to do a headstand while reciting the Koran backwards. You are also allowed to answer “I won’t be in LA before the sit starts. Would you like a video chat? That’s what I normally do with THS sits.”
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We have an old saying… “ wish in one hand and s**t” in the other; see which fills up first!” Of course there’s no requirement and this isn’t a contractual agreement vs a more of an exchange… if she wants that, that’s her prerogative. You’d be wasting money flying to have a pre-meet. It’s narrowing her field of candidates to locals mostly and good luck to her! To each his/her own.
I don’t think the screenshot message in the OP is bad. It really depends on what the OP’s application stated.
If the OP had said something like, “I am going to be visiting family in your area and would enjoy spending time with your pets and have my own space while I am there,” then the owner’s message makes complete sense.
Also, many owners have early morning flights, and so the handover day is “blind” (keys under the mat), and it makes sense for the sitter to meet the owner a few days ahead of time to meet the pets and get a house tour. If that is possible (sitter is going to be in the area anyway), it could work out.
We have done this many times, so I don’t view it as an unusual suggestion. Every sit is unique.
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What do you want the forum to do for you? Confirm that the host is doing wrong?
The screenshot can be interpreted in many different ways, for example, it is not clear if they want to confirm the sit before you come there, or not. Have you asked them to clarify?
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I thought my question was clear: are they allowed to request that of a sitter?
Read his curt reply: “Hi, when would you be in Los Angeles before the sit? I like to meet with people in person “ So what if they confirm before and then don’t like me when we meet? Or don’t want to confirm until they meet me. I’m not near LA… Either way, what you suggest I ask is useless, but you feel free to ask whatever you want from your contacts.