Airbnb hosts will be banned from requiring guests to complete unreasonable cleaning tasks before checking out from November 20, under a global overhaul of the platform’s house rules.
The policy will target chores that demand significant time or effort, or would normally be carried out by a cleaner. Guests should not be required to strip beds, take rubbish off-site, or wash and put away dishes.
They may still be asked to separate rubbish and recycling into designated indoor bins, place used dishes in the sink and gather used towels.
Airbnb said the changes were intended to make house rules clearer and prevent unexpected demands being placed on guests. Hosts will be urged to consider whether additional requests could damage a visitor’s experience and affect their reviews.
Airbnb cleaning fees to be incorporated into stay prices
Cleaning fees will no longer be displayed separately to guests. Hosts will instead be able to include those costs in the overall price of a stay.
The new rules will also prevent hosts from imposing their own fines or penalties on guests. Airbnb pointed to its AirCover programme, which provides protection for property damage.
Hosts will be prohibited from making unreasonable requests such as asking guests not to use an advertised amenity, including air conditioning.
Airbnb said exceptions could apply in certain circumstances. Hosts in countries with bears may require rubbish to be placed in animal-proof containers, while those in drought-affected areas may be allowed to limit shower times.
An Airbnb spokesperson said: “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.”
“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.”
The changes prompted a mixed reaction online. Some guests welcomed the restrictions, with one describing them as overdue and another saying Airbnb had become a “scam”.
Hosts expressed concern that the policy could leave properties in a poor condition. One said they would leave the Airbnb platform, while another argued that washing dishes was the “bare minimum” expected of guests.
A further host claimed the rules could create “a licence for guests to leave a place in utter chaos”, including food waste that could attract vermin.
