Airbnb moves to reduce rules/requests

[dajop]

Airbnb are now prohibiting hosts from making unreasonable requests of guests.

This includes asking guests to do cleaning such as mopping, sweeping, vacuuming etc and stripping of beds.

As hosts ourselves (of a largish holiday home) we don’t ask guests to do any of this as a core part of what our cleaners (or sometimes ourselves) and indeed most hosts are in agreement with this aspect.

However what has raised the ire of many hosts of holiday homes and self catering apartments is that asking guests to wash dishes and take rubbish out to outside bins (eg wheelie bins outside the house) are also considered by Airbnb to be unreasonable requests.

From our perspective as host, these are just basic hygiene and respect items and given the timing of most bookings (weekends) and limited cleaners in the area to for the workload it could be a few days or more for them to get to the place - leaving dirty dishes will attract pests and leave odours.

Long before I was a host and in fact long before Airbnb, I’ve rented holiday houses and never even crossed my mind to leave a sink full of dirty dishes for the owner to deal with.

We have. 2 sets of cutlery/croclery for 14 people - so 28 of everything- k and so politely request that they load them into the dishwasher and turn it on before leaving (in fact all guest have done this).

What are others thoughts? Can’t work out if my views of this our out of touch because I’m a host, or because of my generation or because I (and many owners concerned about this) have medium-largr holiday houses rather than corporate city studio apartments (which is the business Airbnb seems to care most about now).

 

[luxury-lizard]

I am not a host but often rent high-end holiday apartments/ houses and "pride" myself on leaving the place in the same condition as I entered (so yes to the dishes and rubbish). I'll even go a bit further and leave sinks, bench and table tops clean. What I do find over-the-top is being required to strip beds, vacuum, etc.

But I do have some "requirements" for hosts - most important - the place must be clean including outdoor areas/furniture and the more cleaning supplies provided the cleaner I am able to leave the place. And here's an unusual one - please don't leave left over food in the cupboard or fridge (assuming the new guest may wish to use it) and don't leave your personal belongings scattered about and in closets.

My final comment - some friends recently hired a very large and expensive holiday house on the NSW central coast and no linens or towels were provided - they had to hire them from a local agency then make the beds etc and of course strip the beds and pack up the linen and towels to return to the agency.

And if anyone is interested - I have a long list of bugbears about holiday rentals. So here goes: mismatched dishes, cutlery, poor quality wine glasses, pots and frypans that even a charity shop would refuse, poor quality linen and pillows, and the list goes on.

 

[Cynicor]

If you don’t have a dishwasher, it’s on you. If there’s a dishwasher then everything can be put in it and turned on.

Anything more is unreasonable.

 

[blackcat20]

I will always load and turn on the dishwasher when I leave, but I'm not hanging around to empty it. I usually tie up bin bags, and will remove if possible. But anything else is ridiculous, especially given the cleaning fees charged.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I’ll start be declaring that I’m 100% not the market airbnb hosts are targeting…

My impression of some hosts is the same as CBD cafe owners demanding an end to work from home because they think the public *owes* them a living by buying coffee in their shops.

While customers shouldn’t leave the place a tip… putting dishes in the sink etc… if someone is paying $250 for a cleaning fee surely the host/cleaner can stack the dishwasher and turn it on?

Besides, if I were a host I’m not sure I’d want a dishwater running with the place unattended? (speaking as someone who’s apartment was recently flooded because of a bust hose!)

 

[VPS]

I am not a host but often rent high-end holiday apartments/ houses and "pride" myself on leaving the place in the same condition as I entered (so yes to the dishes and rubbish). I'll even go a bit further and leave sinks, bench and table tops clean. What I do find over-the-top is being required to strip beds, vacuum, etc.

But I do have some "requirements" for hosts - most important - the place must be clean including outdoor areas/furniture and the more cleaning supplies provided the cleaner I am able to leave the place. And here's an unusual one - please don't leave left over food in the cupboard or fridge (assuming the new guest may wish to use it) and don't leave your personal belongings scattered about and in closets.

My final comment - some friends recently hired a very large and expensive holiday house on the NSW central coast and no linens or towels were provided - they had to hire them from a local agency then make the beds etc and of course strip the beds and pack up the linen and towels to return to the agency.

And if anyone is interested - I have a long list of bugbears about holiday rentals. So here goes: mismatched dishes, cutlery, poor quality wine glasses, pots and frypans that even a charity shop would refuse, poor quality linen and pillows, and the list goes on.

I agree with this

Absolutely happy to take out rubbish and pack the dishwasher but should not have to strip the beds.

I also look kindly on places that provide salt and pepper, foil, cling wrap and oil

 

[Beer_budget]

Last time I stayed in an Airbnb (not by choice), I found the bed linen bundled up still wet in the clothes dryer and every. single. surface. was sticky. Nothing but Morning Fresh and one of those grotty scourer sponges in the place to sort it with. First order of business involved buying laundry detergent and cleaning supplies so I could rewash the sheets and also everything else.

If you want to run a shadow hotel, you need to sort out your service offering or you'll lose business to real hotels, where rooms are serviced and I don't have to tailgate a resident through a security gate to access a key.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Maybe part of the problem for some hosts is that they somehow believe the people staying in their home are ‘guests’… as per the nomenclature on the airbnb website?

Whereas in reality the people staying there are customers. Paying customers.

 

[VPS]

and these are not acceptable as the only thing in the kitchen to wipe things down. They just leave a damp mark.

Get a proper cloth

 

[esseeeayeenn]

I have not often stayed in AirBNBs recently, but for a few years I was a frequent guest.
As with any new law, you have to ask "what is the mischief which this is intended to address?".
In my view, it is hosts who both charge a cleaning fee AND expect guests to clean up after themselves.
I am happy to do either, but not both.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I have not often stayed in AirBNBs recently, but for a few years I was a frequent guest.
As with any new law, you have to ask "what is the mischief which this is intended to address?".
In my view, it is hosts who both charge a cleaning fee AND expect guests to clean up after themselves.
I am happy to do either, but not both.

Aren’t cleaning fees standard?

I think the response will have been a commercial one… I got a survey asking why I don’t use airbnb and mentioned high fees and rules. So maybe airbnb is protecting their revenue?

 

[Pushka]

Maybe part of the problem for some hosts is that they somehow believe the people staying in their home are ‘guests’… as per the nomenclature on the airbnb website?

Whereas in reality the people staying there are customers. Paying customers.

Absolutely this. I've been reading this topic on X and the responses from Hosts and even some of the guests are insane. Like stripping and washing the bed linen and towels from hosts because 'staying in our home' and many guests stating that this is what they do. And with a cleaning fee as well. No way Jose. Dishes in dishwasher on, , rubbish taken out where possible and used towels on the floor or tub if there's one, job done.

I did stay at one which said not to wash the bed linens as they needed special detergent or some such nonsense so clearly some guests have in the past.

 

[drron]

Basically I will occasionally browse AirBNB if staying in a remote area to get an idea of standard and pricing If a place looks good I will try to see if the owner rents it out privately. Usually they do and usually cheaper In fact we. have stayed at 4 A BNBs and haven’t had to go through them yet.

 

[RB]

Basically I will occasionally browse AirBNB if staying in a remote area to get an idea of standard and pricing If a place looks good I will try to see if the owner rents it out privately. Usually they do and usually cheaper In fact we. have stayed at 4 A BNBs and haven’t had to go through them yet.

True but that also needs to be compared to say booking.com loyalty discount that can be stacked with cashbacks. Plenty of apartments now listed outside of just Airbnb.
Also confusing is that Airbnb is just a platform. News outlets seem to be reporting as if it is the only way that a place can be listed

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Aren’t cleaning fees standard?

I think the response will have been a commercial one… I got a survey asking why I don’t use airbnb and mentioned high fees and rules. So maybe airbnb is protecting their revenue?

AirBNB is a business.
Every decision they make is a commercial one.
That still begs the question: what are they responding to when they make a commercial decision?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

AirBNB is a business.
Every decision they make is a commercial one.
That still begs the question: what are they responding to when they make a commercial decision?

Things like the survey I got sent, wanting to know why I dint use airbnb and preferred hotels.

Some of the options for not using airbnb included cleaning fees, rules, etc.

Must have been some strong feedback, hence the changes.

Commercial decision here to favour customers for the benefit of the airbnb platform, over the hosts.

 

[blackcat20]

and these are not acceptable as the only thing in the kitchen to wipe things down. They just leave a damp mark.

Get a proper cloth

View attachment 528847

And a fresh cloth for every new guest. We got a used one and when I complained, theyt told me they were reusable and perfectly fine to use for multiple guests

 

[Dmac59]

Whether staying in Airbnb or hotels, I always wash any dishes (by hand) used and put away. I tend not to eat in accommodation, I prefer to dine out. I take my rubbish to the bins where available (usually in the car park). I like to leave the place as I found it.
I also leave all towels in a pile in the bathroom.

 

[Big John]

I'm OK with stacking the dishwasher, wiping down countertops and throwing out the rubbish.

I'm not OK with anything else (e.g. stripping the bed, sweeping, vacumming etc) , especially when the broom provided has seen better days and the vacuum cleaner has no suction power!