Airbnb has changed its rules to limit what property hosts may ask guests to do – including when it comes to cleaning. The updated guidelines state that hosts can now set seven standard house rules and can also add other “reasonable” requests. Airbnb states that guests – who are required to pay a cleaning fee – should not be asked to complete tasks normally done by a cleaner, including washing dishes and stripping beds. The new rules will apply to all reservations booked on or after 20 November on the accommodation marketplace.
“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,” Airbnb told the BBC. “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 new requirements on the Airbnb website, 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. For example, guests can be asked to limit shower time if there are 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 we required to complete before departure, especially as 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.
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