Marj - That’s it: so much depends on the mindset of both HO & Sitter.
We’ve offered before/after stays, use of our vehicle, etc because it meant we weren’t worried about our own departure/return.
Our sitters were wonderful, we had a big house, an older car to lend, so we had no problem with any of that.
That said, we have also, as sitters, been asked to arrive the night before only to be told on arrival (a LONG distance) that we should go find a hotel for that night.
Now, that would have been fair had the HO said it during planning. And we often do exactly that: arrive a night early, stayed in a hotel nearby.
To have to scramble for a hotel room in a place we’d never been to before was very disconcerting. Happily that has happened only twice: once in a remote part of Canada and once in a major city in Europe. Both times turned out to be our two most difficult sits.
One Sitter who kept asking for more & more accommodations, cancelled on us days before the sit.
In short: we learned to pay attention to switcheroos by either side!
@ASASG Unbelievable that you were asked to arrive the night before and then told to find a hotel!! To be honest we’d have been so shocked we’d probably have just dropped the sit completely! What a horribly unwelcome position to be put in!! I hope you mentioned this in your review!!
Lokstar: In the first instance it was one of the very first sits we had ever done, it was for a pretty long stay and we were so disconcerted we thought maybe we’d misunderstood their notes. Later we went back and confirmed: they had been adament that we had to arrive the day before that they had a 3 bedroom house so no issue with that. It was only the 2nd time they’d used sitters and they were clearly uncertain themselves about what to expect/provide. They also gave us strict instructions not to enter their office, their gym, and “reading room.” So we didn’t. When they returned they complained we hadn’t dusted those rooms. Okey dokey.
@ASASG what a horrible experience. Shame on them.
TBH, the way I see it is that in any group there are all types.
The thing is to make sure HO/Sitter find the right fit for them.
We’ve learned to spot things we wouldn’t like and simply avoid those situations!
VAST majority of our experiences have been wonderful.
That’s great to hear! We’ve done over 100 sits and its still a learning curve! Just this summer we had two sets of hosts throw us a curve ball! We honestly thought we’d experienced pretty much every possible scenario by now! But no! There is always a surprise around the corner! 
My husband and I have completed over 30 successful house sits. We a list of questions at time of video phone call when interviewing each other gives both parties time to reflect.
Our successful reciprocal arrangements have worked well for both parties.
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Usually we fly to our house sits, therefore request to be added to the owner’s car insurance policy, if a car is available (So far cost of $100.00 CA to homeowner). Advantages: Owner picks us up/returns us to the airport and we in turn do the same, within reason for both parties. (1 hr. or less travel time and decent hour of transport) Very important part is the transport of a sick family pet to the vet’s office if needed. We use the owner’s car minimally for local, dinning and grocery run during our stay.
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Yes ask your sitter to arrive the day before. Occasionally sitter should stay over night once owner returns. Advantages: Missed flights, delayed flights or car troubles on either parties travel side. Owner and sitter should always discuss what Plan B looks like, so that pet’s are cared for. This built in plan B should be an appreciated relief to both owner and sitter . We have had 2 sits whereby owners missed and had flights cancelled/delayed 1 day on their way HOME.
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If no vehicle/bike etc is available, it’s appreciated by sitters for a grocery run to stock up the frig. If owners prepare a meal for the sitter, sitter should have a meal in the frig for owner upon their return to the home. I ask if their are any food allergies and if I may use some of their spices to cook with. Due to flight travel, their frig has left over products for owners return use. It’s a trade off. We discuss this at time of video interview.
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After owner demonstrates walk’s, please transfer the lead from the owner’s hands to the sitter hands and see how the pet responds to your voice and direction. Caution, cat’s who are upset will pee in your open suitcase or the owner’s closet. Learned the hard way on those 2 experiences. Will the in/out door cat fight with the neighbour cat? Get the lay of the land.
Have a great video phone call interview and enjoy your prospective new house sitters.
Lokstar - You’re a rockstar! We haven’t done as many but yes, always a learning curve!
What was the curve ball? Please share, so all can live and learn from the Rock Star.
Honestly, I ask as little as possible of HOs. I am mindful that they are preparing for travels, and so conscientiously try to be as self-sufficient and easy as possible. However, every situation is different, especially when someone is coming from further afield.
I only sit within the UK and have my own transport. Nine times out of ten, I will meet the home owners prior to the sit at a time when they are not scrambling around packing last minute, and prefer to book an Airbnb prior to the sit (if not coming directly from another). This also affords me a bit of down time between sits. I don’t expect a meal to be cooked, nor for any food to be bought in for me. My hopes don’t extend beyond arriving to a clean house, with clear instructions and to be shown respect.
On occasion, home owners will be generous enough to buy a few bits, which is greatly appreciated. My stance is that any concessions/ help you wish to provide the sitter is up to you as the home owner, and your individual circumstances, and you shouldn’t be guilted into it ‘because all my other sits have’. I think that starts things off on an unequal footing and suggests to me someone who isn’t particularly independent.
I have always asked my sitters to come the day before Ieave so that I can go through the house and the dog’s routine with them, and that way she is familiar with them before they are alone together. All 3 of my sitters have had their own cars, but I would not object to picking someone up at the airport or bus station if they needed it. That being said, I’m in a smaller tourist town, so it is night like going to LAX, DIA, ORD, ATL, or JFK. I think it’s a good idea to get comfortable with the people staying in your house!
Surely the time to ‘get comfortable with the people staying in your house’ is during the video chat, which provides opportunity to assess best-fit and assess the chemistry between you?
We’ve agreed to arrive the day before pet parent’s departure on very many occasions, but usually this is to accommodate their early departure plans. We did once arrive the day before on these terms, only to find the pet parents didn’t actually plan on departing until the afternoon of the following day and this felt rather odd and unnecessary to us.
100% agree! Hospitality stars, zero!
Difference of opinion. A facetime chat is not the same as being with someone in person, and my dog has never cuddled up to someone on video. When my sitters arrive the afternoon or evening before I can take them out to dinner, or share a glass of wine on my patio. Clearly other HOs feel like I do, and maybe other sitters agree with you, but this has worked out well for me and the sitters I’ve liked best.
@Marlamay So is this something you specify, regardless of your departure time the following day?
I’m not disagreeing with the principle of a relaxed handover, just don’t feel it’s imperative for sitters to arrive a day earlier than the planned departure date unless the pet parents need to leave early and we can’t otherwise accommodate their requirements.
Yes, I have only used TH when I travel out of the country and am gone for 10 days to 2 weeks, so it usually does involve leaving in the morning.
I agree and I also like to have the opportunity to build bonds with the people that are either looking after my home and pets or me their’s. I dont understand the pushback on this either.
@Happypets We too often get invited to arrive the night before, usually to accomodate the hosts early departure but sometimes also to fit in with us and save an overnight cost.
On the odd occasion they leave later in the day we might go out shopping (to get out of the way or avoid awkwardness!) or take the dog out for a walk etc
We had one first timer who was very anxious- had never left her dog before and wanted us to come the night before. When she discovered we had a two night gap between sits she invited us for those nights too for extra bonding time! So we spent 3 days with her and her delightful dalmation and took turns cooking together and it was lovely! Definitely not what we’d usually do! But we’re about to sit for her for a third time! 
If it’s a sit longer than a weekend, I generally offer dinner the night before, and I always offer to collect from the train or bus station. If the sitter asked to stay whatever, I’d be happy to accommodate that too.
Thank you, Gabba. I had a career that was about building personal relationships, and I never doubted that my feelings are not unique. It is why I initiate invitations to sitters I know and like first before a mass post.