Airbnb has introduced new rules restricting the cleaning duties property owners can require guests to complete before checking out, including washing dishes, stripping beds and carrying rubbish off-site.
The updated guidelines are designed to make house rules clearer and prevent guests from being burdened with excessive cleaning responsibilities, particularly when they have already paid a cleaning fee.
Under the new policy, hosts can establish seven standard house rules and make additional requests, provided they are considered reasonable. The changes will apply to all reservations made on or after November 20.
Airbnb explained that the review followed feedback from users who found some house rules confusing and unnecessarily demanding.
“House rules help guests understand what hosts expect, but we’ve heard from our community that they can be confusing, onerous and hard to manage,” the company said.
“So, we’ve redesigned them to make them easier to discover and clearer to set, alongside a new policy that keeps requests reasonable, with no surprises.”
According to the revised guidelines published on Airbnb’s website, hosts should not require guests to undertake cleaning duties that demand considerable time or effort or would ordinarily be handled by professional cleaners.
These include removing bed sheets, transporting rubbish away from the property and washing and putting away dishes.
However, the company noted that exceptions could be made in certain situations. For instance, hosts may ask guests to reduce the time they spend showering in areas experiencing drought-related water restrictions.
The platform is also making house rules more visible to guests. Moving forward, the requirements will be displayed more prominently when bookings are made and included in reservation reminders to help visitors understand their responsibilities before arriving at a property.
Airbnb has also indicated that contractual requirements will be permitted only in specific circumstances, such as when they are mandated by law or by homeowners’ association regulations.
Although hosts will retain control over their property’s rules and requests, they will not be permitted to impose fines on guests. Requests that violate Airbnb’s policies may be flagged, giving property owners the opportunity to appeal if they believe the decision is incorrect.
Growing Complaints Over Strict Cleaning Rules
For years, Airbnb guests have complained about being required to carry out extensive cleaning tasks before leaving rented properties, particularly when they have already paid additional cleaning charges.
The issue has also gained attention on social media, where some hosts have faced criticism for imposing strict checkout requirements and closely monitoring how guests leave their accommodation.
Recently, videos shared by US-based Airbnb hosts Cassie and Jon, who operate a rental property in Georgia, attracted widespread attention for their detailed inspections after guests checked out.
In one video, the couple accused guests of “disrespecting the house rules” because a television remote had been left out of its designated position.
Their approach has drawn criticism from viewers who consider the rules excessively strict and the standards unreasonable. However, the couple has responded by arguing that audiences have misunderstood their content.
The videos have also inspired other social media creators to produce parody content mocking hosts who impose unusually demanding rules on their guests.
Airbnb’s latest changes are expected to provide clearer boundaries between reasonable guest responsibilities and cleaning work that should ordinarily be handled by property owners or their cleaners.
By: Prince Martey-Sogar.