In brief
Airbnb has rolled out new guidelines that curb the chores a host can ask a guest to perform after a stay. Under the update, hosts may list up to seven standard rules and “reasonable” requests beyond that, but guests who pay a cleaning fee are not permitted to strip beds, take out trash, or wash dishes. The change, effective from 20 November, aims to reduce friction for travellers and clarify policy. Exceptions could be made for local water restrictions or legal HOA rules. The new rules will be displayed prominently in reservation reminders.
Airbnb Bans Guest Cleaning Requests
By Sareen Habeshian – 8 hours ago
Airbnb has changed its rules to limit what property hosts may ask guests to do – including cleaning tasks. The updated guidelines state that hosts can now set up to seven standard house rules and add other “reasonable” requests.
According to Airbnb, guests who pay a cleaning fee should not be asked to perform chores normally done by a cleaner, such as washing dishes or stripping beds.
The new rules will apply to all reservations booked on or after 20 November on the accommodation marketplace.
Airbnb explained: “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.” It added that the redesign makes rules easier to discover and clearer to set, alongside a new policy that keeps requests reasonable and free from surprises.
Under the updated requirements, hosts are generally not allowed to ask guests to complete tasks that “require significant effort or time, or would typically be performed by a cleaner, including stripping the bed, taking trash offsite, or washing and putting away dishes.”
The company said it may grant exceptions in some circumstances, such as when guests can be asked to limit shower time due to local drought-related water restrictions.
A property’s rules will be displayed to guests more prominently moving forward and will appear in the guests’ reservation reminders.
Contracts will only be allowed in limited circumstances, including when required by law or homeowners association rules. While a host will not be able to impose fines, they remain in control of their house rules and requests, the company said.
If a host’s request does not follow Airbnb policies, the issue will be flagged and the owner can appeal if they disagree.
Guests have for years complained about unreasonable tasks they were required to complete before departure, especially since they are required to pay cleaning fees.
TikTok videos from Airbnb hosts Cassie and Jon that show them closely inspecting their rental property in the US state of Georgia after guests leave have gone viral recently for their attention to detail.
One video from the couple, for example, accuses guests of “disrespecting the house rules” for leaving a television remote out of place.
They have been criticised for their strict rules and high standards but said in response that their content had been misinterpreted.
Their videos have inspired other content creators to parody stringent hosts.
