Airbnb House Rules Ban Cleaning Chores and Divide Hosts
New Airbnb rules banning hosts from asking guests to wash dishes and take out trash spark debate among frustrated owners and relieved travelers.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Airbnb prohibits hosts from asking guests to perform cleaning chores.
- Updated guidelines apply globally to bookings made from 20 November.
- Hosts fear rising cleaning costs and turnaround pressures.
- Guests welcome the relief from heavy checkout chore lists.
When Lisa Clewes returned to her Welsh holiday let after a group of guests checked out, she was horrified by the mess. She found broken glasses, drinks cans on the floor, pans full of food on the table, and fish guts left in the garden, despite having met the group in person just days earlier.
Clewes noted that had she received another booking on the same day, she would have been forced to cancel or delay check-in. She charges a cleaning fee covering roughly 75% of a cleaner's cost and previously asked guests only to empty the fridge, bin rubbish, and load the dishwasher.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
However, Airbnb's updated guidelines mean hosts can no longer ask guests to carry out tasks normally handled by cleaners, such as washing and putting away dishes, stripping beds, and taking rubbish off-site. The new rules, applying to bookings made globally from 20 November, permit only seven standard house rules and other reasonable requests.
The changes come as a relief to guests like Jessica Newhook, who previously faced lengthy checkout lists despite hefty cleaning fees. She recalled having to leave a Florida property move-in ready for cleaners after paying a $250 fee for a family reunion of 11 guests, noting that strict rules made the stay far from relaxing.
"We had rules about everything and it was not relaxing at all."
Jessica Newhook
While guests celebrate, many owners are pushing back. Anthony Marsh, co-owner of a cabin retreat in North Yorkshire, reduced his Airbnb listings from five cabins down to just two following the update. He worries that extra mess could leave properties unready for incoming guests given his tight turnaround times and small cleaning team.
This policy update highlights a growing friction between platforms trying to improve consumer experience by eliminating hidden chores and small-scale property owners grappling with operational margins. As frustrations mount over platform fees and restrictions, an increasing number of hosts are investing in direct-booking websites to bypass intermediaries entirely.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Laura Lewis, who runs a directory for holiday-let owners, reported widespread dissatisfaction among her clients, who view asking guests to wash up as basic respect. This adds to existing frustrations over commission hikes last year, prompting Lewis and others to remove their properties from Airbnb and focus entirely on direct bookings.
Not all hosts share this concern, though. Matt Prosz, a full-time host and manager in London, believes the update will improve guest experiences without altering general behavior, trusting that Airbnb's mutual review system will continue to keep both hosts and guests reasonable.
Source: BBC Business
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